Randy Evans, the U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg, stood among 5,075 graves of American soldiers lost in World War II to recognize Friday's 75th anniversary of the surrender of Nazi Germany.

Due to social distancing protocols, the commemoration at the Luxembourg American Cemetery in Hamm did not include visitors, so Evans' remarks were distributed by a YouTube video.

Evans was a litigation partner in the Atlanta office of Dentons and an adviser to Gov. Nathan Deal on judicial nominations when President Donald Trump tapped him for the Luxembourg post.

In the video, Evans compared the soldiers of war to health care workers and others on the "front lines" of the COVID-19 health crisis.

He quoted British Prime Minister Winston Churchill's speech on the 1945 Victory in Europe Day: "We may allow ourselves a brief period of rejoicing; but let us not forget for a moment the toil and efforts that lie ahead."

Evans added: "We have all suffered much during the pandemic, but we can now begin to see signs of better days ahead of us. What better time than this 75th Anniversary of V-E Day to take a brief moment to reflect back on the costs we have endured while gazing hopefully forward toward a brighter future—just as so many others did some 75 years ago."

Luxembourg, with a population of around 625,000, has recorded 3,859 cases and 100 deaths from COVID-19, according to Statnews.com, for an 0.6% death rate. The U.S. death rate is about 6%, based on data from the same site.

Evans also visited a field hospital in Luxembourg, built in part with support from NATO troops and the U.S. Air Force in Germany, who provided power generators and refrigeration units, according to the U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg's website.  The field hospital provides a triage area for patients as well as laboratory tests and X-rays.