It was a reunion between two warriors — from two generations — from two continents. Royal Dutch Air Force Lt. Col. Tim Ruijling recently came to visit Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue and see for himself the Sunset March patterned after his own in Nijmegen that honors the sacrifice of 48 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division.

It has been nearly 80 years since that fateful day of September 20, 1944 when our U.S. Army tried to hold off a Nazi invasion of the little Dutch town, the oldest in the Netherlands. It was a fierce gun battle on the Waal River at the Oversteek Bridge.

When the bridge was rebuilt in October 2013, it became the focal point for a tribute to those 48.

Lt. Col. Ruijling is one of the original founders of the Sunset March established in 2014 for which a veteran, alone or with others, walks the bridge as 48 pairs of lights come on in sequence over 12 minutes.

In prior interviews, Ruijling has said: “They gave their lives to give us the way of life we have now. We have our freedom because of those 48 young men.”
“There are still nights where you walk alone, and that’s very special ... but it's also special that people from all over the world want to walk with you.”

Here at Fort Liberty, Donahue, the commanding general of the 18th Airborne Corps, wants to recreate similar sentiment for our veterans, past and present.

The half-mile pavement on the old Bragg Boulevard features more than 30 markers highlighting the history of the Fort Bragg many of us have experienced.

The Sunset Liberty March blends the legacy of Bragg with the future of Fort Liberty.

Since the Sunset Liberty March launch on June 1, many of us have “walked the walk” at sunset.

According to Donahue, sign-ups extend out to 2025. In Nijmegen, by Nov. 1, 2023, there will have been 3,300 consistent “walks” since it began Oct. 19, 2014. For the tenth anniversary, Ruijling has been invited to return to Fort Liberty for a joint memorial.

On this recent visit, Ruijling shared the emotions he feels when he walks that bridge: his respect for those 48 soldiers and the leadership they demonstrated. For his efforts, the Dutch government has knighted him, such that he is now Sir Tim Ruijling, Lt. Col. of the Royal Dutch Air Force.

To participate and be part of the legacy to-be-written about Fort Liberty, reserve your date for your Sunset Liberty March at www.sunsetlibertymarch.com. March in honor of a veteran relative, a veteran neighbor, a veteran co-worker, yourself. Registrants will receive confirmation and the pre-sunset time to arrive. An officer will meet you at the Sunset Liberty March pillars on Honeycutt Road.

Anyone can participate in the daily march, but one person is designated as the Liberty Marcher — who must be a current service member, veteran or Gold Star family member.

Only the Liberty Marcher must pre-register. Community groups are encouraged to participate. Non-DoD ID card holders can visit the All American Visitor Center to obtain a pass. Hours are 5 a.m. to 12 a.m. Vistors can also apply online for a visitor pass by visiting https://home.army.mil/liberty/ for more information.