United States (US) Ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson on Sunday, May 28, honored war heroes from the United States and the Philippines who served during World War II, noting how their contributions became the foundation of a “strong alliance” in the region. Philippine and American flags stand side by side in front of crosses marking the graves of Filipino and US soldiers who fought and died in World War II. (Photo from US Ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson's Twitter page) In her remarks for the Memorial Day Ceremony hosted by the American Battle Monuments Commission in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, the envoy put the spotlight on uniformed service members from the US and the Philippines “who gave their lives defending our freedom.” “The sacrifices made by brave service members like Thomas McKnight and Othello Bruun left a lasting legacy in the form of a strong alliance that has helped to create peace and prosperity in the region,” she said, referring to two Arkansas-born American soldiers who arrived in the Philippines during the second world war. McKnight and Bruun both sacrificed their lives defending the allied forces, with the former freeing 3,000 civilian prisoners at the University of Santo Tomas. Bruun also braved bombings and burning buildings in Manila, and “hid supplies in the mountains of Cebu while under fire from Japanese ships” before he was captured and “loaded onto one of the infamous “hell ships” for prisoners of war that sunk in Subic Bay.” Both soldiers were memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery, which is the final resting place for more than 17,000 service members from the US and Philippine militaries, as well as 36,000 men and women, American and Filipino, who went missing in action and whose names are now engraved on the Walls of the Missing. “Today, we pause to reflect and remember all of those who made the ultimate sacrifice,” Carlson said. “We mourn the loss of these thousands of men and women who selflessly acted on our behalf. We are reminded that freedom comes at a great price, and that it is a cherished shared value worth fighting and dying for,” she added. The ambassador thanked the American Battle Monuments Commission for their “work maintaining this resting place for American and Filipino heroes”, the veterans and the active-duty personnel, and the Veteran Service Organizations for its “outstanding contribution to improving the lives of veterans here in the Philippines.” “And finally, to the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, we offer our deepest gratitude to you and to your loved ones, who we honor today,” Carlson said.