{"id":445091,"date":"2025-05-12T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=445091"},"modified":"2025-05-13T10:37:09","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T10:37:09","slug":"ny-national-guard-commander-marks-80-years-since-end-of-world-war-ii-in-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=445091","title":{"rendered":"NY National Guard commander marks 80 years since end of World War II in Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n This marker from the French Le voie de la Liberte\u2019 , a route commemorating the American Army advance through France in 1944, is unveiled during a May 8 Victory in Europe ceremony at the New York State Military Museum in Saratoga Springs marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Richard Goldenberg.
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\n Patrick Chaisson, a retired New York Army National Guard major and historical author, speaks about the New York National Guard\u2019s service in the European theater with Army Guard recruiters at the New York State Military History Museum to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., May 9, 2025. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Richard Goldenberg.
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\n Army Maj. Gen. Raymond Shields, the adjutant general of New York, gives remarks to note the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe during a May 8, 2025 ceremony at the New York State Military Museum in Saratoga Springs, New York, for the anniversary of Victory in Europe, or VE-Day. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Richard Goldenberg.
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\n Patrick Chaisson, a retired New York Army National Guard major and historical author, gives remarks to note the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe during a May 8, 2025 ceremony at the New York State Military Museum in Saratoga Springs, New York, for the anniversary of Victory in Europe, or VE-Day. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Richard Goldenberg.
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\n French Deputy Counsel General Myriam Gil speaks during a May 8, 2025 ceremony at the New York State Military Museum in Saratoga Springs, New York, for the anniversary of Victory in Europe, or VE-Day. The museum unveiled a recently refurbished Voie de la Libert\u00e9 Borne, or Liberty Road marker, previously gifted to New York State. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Richard Goldenberg.
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\n Courtney Burns, the Director of Military History for the New York National Guard and the New York State Military History Museum, gives remarks to note the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe during a May 8, 2025 ceremony at the New York State Military Museum in Saratoga Springs, New York, for the anniversary of Victory in Europe, or VE-Day. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Richard Goldenberg.
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\n French Deputy Counsel General Myriam Gil speaks with Courtney Burns, the Director of Military History for the New York National Guard and the New York State Military History Museum, during a May 8, 2025 ceremony at the New York State Military Museum in Saratoga Springs, New York, for the anniversary of Victory in Europe, or VE-Day. The museum unveiled a recently refurbished Voie de la Libert\u00e9 Borne, or Liberty Road marker, previously gifted to New York State. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Richard Goldenberg.
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York \u2014Maj. Gen. Raymond Shields, the adjutant general of New York, welcomed a French diplomat to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe during a May 8 ceremony.<\/p>\n

Shields welcomed Deputy Counsel General Myriam Gil to the New York State Military Museum in Saratoga Springs, New York, for the anniversary of Victory in Europe, or VE-Day.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis date of May 8th marks the end of the conflict in which our two countries stood side by side and shoulder to shoulder with one shared purpose \u2013 to protect democracy and liberty. It is very symbolic that we are celebrating this,\u201d Gil said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe main message that we have in France when we celebrate this day is first, thank you,\u201d she said. \u201cThank you because we know to whom we owe this victory and our freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gil and Shields also marked the installation of the museum\u2019s newest display, a Voie de la Libert\u00e9 Borne, or \u201cmarker.\u201d This was one of many historic road markers along the route of the U.S. Third Army from Normandy, France on D-Day to Bastogne, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge.<\/p>\n

The route– in English the \u201cLiberty Road” or “Liberty Highway,” –spans the 1,146-kilometer route, beginning at St. Mere Eglise, and features one marker every kilometer.<\/p>\n

On May 8, 1945, Nazi Germany signed a surrender agreement with the Russian military in Berlin, officially ending the war. The war against Japan would continue until August 1945.<\/p>\n

\u201cMay 8, 1945, remains one of the most significant dates in history,\u201d Shields said. \u201cOne of the most evil regimes of all time was defeated.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was due, in no small part, to the industrial capability of the United States, the close alliances formed with other democratic nations, and the heroism, determination and skill of America\u2019s Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and Marines,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The Liberty Road marker was originally presented to the New York National Guard’s Camp Smith Training Site, according to Courtney Burns, the museum director. It was turned over to the museum in 2016.<\/p>\n

The marker was located in the village of Pleugueneuc, in Brittany, about 40 kilometers north of Rennes, before it made its way to the United States.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis marker is one of more than a thousand that traces the route taken by the allied forces when they liberated France,\u201d Gil said. \u201cMany of them were given as a gift to the United States in order to thank the United States for all that they did during this period. It is a symbol of our country\u2019s gratitude to your country, for standing by us during World War II.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patrick Chaisson, a retired New York Army National Guard major from Schenectady, spoke about the New York National Guard\u2019s service in the European theater.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe contribution of the New York National Guard to Victory in Europe was a substantial one,\u201d Chaisson said.<\/p>\n

National Guard Soldiers served in an infantry regiment, cavalry group, field artillery battalions, anti-aircraft and anti-tank battalions and medical forces from 1940 to 1945.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a proud record of service,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Most New York National Guardsmen fought in the Pacific. But the ancestors of today’s 258th Field Artillery and 101st Cavalry distinguished themselves in Europe.<\/p>\n

In the closing days of the war, the National Guardsmen of the 101st Cavalry captured German Field Marshal Kesselring, and the Japanese ambassador to Germany.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday we honor the courage of these American Soldiers. They risked their lives or died during the war so that we, French and European people would be free,\u201d Gil said.<\/p>\n

Chaisson also acknowledged the New York home front.<\/p>\n

\u201cBack home, New Yorkers supported the war effort in many ways. Twenty-one percent of all U.S. aircraft produced for World War II came out of a factory in New York State,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The museum exhibits artifacts that reflect all of New York\u2019s roles in World War II, said Burns.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe marker from France\u2019s Liberty Highway is only one of the many items we have to tell the story of New Yorkers, and all Americans, in wartime,\u201d Shields said.<\/p>\n

Burns said the ceremony and marker underscore the role the museum plays in preserving New York history.<\/p>\n

“It is also important to remember the goals of the war and the values victory embodied,\u201d Burns said. \u201cResistance to tyranny and authoritarianism, international cooperation and alliances, basic human rights and President Roosevelt\u2019s Four Freedoms \u2013 freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis celebration is a magnificent symbol of the 200-year-old alliance between France and the United States and all that we have accomplished together,\u201d Gil said. \u201cIt is this longstanding friendship, and we know that it will always remain, whatever the circumstance.\u201d<\/p>\n

The New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center, administered by the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs tells the story of New Yorkers involvement in American Wars from the Revolutionary War to the present day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1 \/ 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption \u2013 This marker from the French Le voie de la Liberte\u2019 , a route commemorating the American Army advance through France in 1944, is unveiled during a May 8 Victory in Europe ceremony at the New York State Military Museum in Saratoga Springs marking the 80th anniversary […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":445093,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-445091","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/445091","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=445091"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/445091\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":445101,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/445091\/revisions\/445101"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/445093"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=445091"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=445091"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=445091"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}