 |
|
 George W. Bush
Forty-Third President (2001 to
2009)
2004 Veterans Day
Address
Arlington National Cemetery
November 11, 2004 |
|
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you for that warm welcome. Laura and I are
honored to be here today. Mr. Secretary, thank you for your kind
introduction, and thank you for your strong leadership in making
sure our veterans have got the very best care possible. Secretary
Principi has done a fantastic job for the American veteran.
(Applause.)
I thank the members of my Cabinet who have
joined us today. I appreciate the Chiefs of Staff and other members
of the United States military who have joined us. I want to thank
all the veterans who are here today. I want to thank the
representatives of veterans organizations. And I want to thank my
fellow Americans.
Veterans Day is set aside to remember
every man and woman who has taken up arms to defend our country. We
honor every soldier, sailor, airman, Marine and Coastguardsman who
gave some of the best years of their lives to the service of the
United States and stood ready to give life, itself, on our behalf.
Twenty-five million military veterans walk among us, and on this
day, our nation thanks them all. (Applause.)
These are the
hidden heroes of a peaceful nation: our colleagues and friends,
neighbors and family members who answered the call and returned to
live in the land they defended.
Our veterans are drawn from
several generations and many backgrounds. They're Americans who
remember the swift conflict of the Persian Gulf War; and a long Cold
War vigil; the heat of Vietnam and the bitter cold of Korea. They
are veterans in their 80s, who served under MacArthur and Eisenhower
and saved the liberty of the world. And still with us in the year
2004 are a few dozen Americans who fought the Kaiser's army and
celebrated the end of the Great War on this day in 1918. (Applause.)
The last doughboys are all more than 100 years old. Our nation will
always be proud of their service.
Some of our veterans are
young men and women with recent memories of battle in mountains and
in deserts. In Afghanistan, these brave Americans helped sweep away
a vicious tyranny allied with terror and prepared the way for a free
people to elect its own leaders. In Iraq, our men and women fought a
ruthless enemy of America, setting the people free from a tyrant who
now sits in a prison cell. (Applause.)
All who have served
in this cause are liberators in the best tradition of America. Their
actions have made our nation safer in a world full of new dangers.
Their actions have also upheld the ideals of America's founding,
which defines us still. Our nation values freedom -- not just for
ourselves, but for all. And because Americans are willing to serve
and sacrifice for this cause, our nation remains the greatest force
for good among all the nations on the Earth. (Applause.)
Some of tomorrow's veterans are in combat in Iraq at this hour. They
have a clear mission: to defeat the terrorists and aid the rise of a
free government that can defend itself. They are performing that
mission with skill and with honor. They are making us proud. They
are winning. (Applause.)
Our men and women in the military
have superb training and the best equipment and able commanders. And
they have another great advantage -- they have the example of
American veterans who came before. From the very day George
Washington took command, the uniform of the United States has always
stood for courage and decency and shining hope in a world of
darkness. And all who have worn that uniform have won the thanks of
the American people.
Today, we're thinking of our fellow
Americans last seen on duty, whose fate is still undetermined. We
will not rest until we have made the fullest possible accounting for
every life. (Applause.)
Today we also recall the men and
women who did not live to be called "veterans," many of whom rest in
these hills. Our veterans remember the faces and voices of fallen
comrades. The families of the lost carry a burden of grief that time
will lighten, but never lift. Our whole nation honors every patriot
who placed duty and country before their own lives. They gave us
every day that we live in freedom. The security of America depends
on our active leadership in the world to oppose emerging threats and
to spread freedom that leads to the peace we all want. And our
leadership ultimately depends on the commitment and character of the
Armed Forces.
America has needed these qualities in every
generation, and every generation has stepped forward to provide
them. What veterans have given our country is beyond our power to
fully repay, yet, today we recognize our debt to their honor. And on
this national holiday, our hearts are filled with respect and
gratitude for the veterans of the United States of America.
(Applause.)
May God bless our veterans and their families,
and may God continue to bless our great nation. Thank you.
(Applause.)
|
| |
President Bush's Quotes | More Speeches | Tributes | Reference |
|
