Today, Rep. Annie Kuster returned from a bipartisan Congressional delegation to Belgium and Luxembourg to commemorate the 75^th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. Kuster’s late father, Malcolm McLane, was flying in his P-47 fighter plane when he was shot down during the Battle of the Bulge on Christmas Eve in 1944 and spent the final months of World War II in a Nazi prisoner-of-war camp.

During the congressional delegation, Kuster and her colleagues met with veterans of the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne, Belgium and took part in several events, including an official ceremony at the Mardasson Memorial to mark the 75^th anniversary. Photos from the trip can be found here.

“It was deeply moving to join my colleagues to honor the memory of the thousands of soldiers and allies who lost their lives during the Battle of the Bulge,” said Kuster. “I’m humbled by the courage and bravery of my father and his fellow servicemembers who fought unspeakable evil to protect our nation and the freedoms we hold dear. We are forever grateful for their sacrifice, and we must continue working to ensure all those who serve have access to the care and support they’ve earned.”

The congressional delegation was led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In addition to Rep. Kuster, members of the Congressional Delegation included: Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC), Chairman Ted Deutch (D-FL), Ranking Member Mike Conaway (R-TX), Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA), Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL),  Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL), Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA), Rep. Paul Cook (R-CA), Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), and Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-NY).

The Battle of the Bulge began on December 16, 1944, and was the Germans’ last significant offensive during World War II. The attack came as a surprise to the Allied Forces in the Ardennes Forest in Belgium and Luxembourg. In spite of the bitterly cold weather and being significantly outnumbered, the Allies stood their ground to fight back against the German army. After six weeks of conflict, the battle took the lives of 19,000 American soldiers and wounded 47,500, with 23,000 troops captured or missing in action. The heroic actions of the Allied Forces during the battle helped pave the way for the surrender of Nazi Germany in May 1945.

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