Stories were exchanged as President Bush presented Prime Minister Howard with the bell from the U.S.S. Canberra at a ceremony commemorating 50 years of military alliance between the two countries. "The President had received word of an exceptional action in battle by the Australian Navy, which were steaming alongside American vessels at Guadalcanal. His Majesty's Australian ship Canberra did not survive the battle, disappearing into the depths where she rests today," PM Howard said.
President Bush gives a thumbs up to a crowded cafeteria while visiting the Pentagon, September 17, 2001. The President talked with hundreds of employees throughout the complex.
In a very real way, our airlines became "military" on 9/11/01. It's in that spirit that I'm including the next two photos:
Greeted by a roaring crowd, President Bush visited with airline employees at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, September 27, 2001. "And one of the great goals of this nation's war is to restore public confidence in the airline industry," said the President explaining that his staff flew on commercial airplanes for the Midwest meeting.
Airline employees crowd together on the tarmac at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to meet President Bush and honor their industry colleagues who died on September 11, 2001. "I think it's interesting that on one side, we see American; on the other side, it says United," said the President in his remarks. "Because that's what we are -- America is united."