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“Thank you very much General McCaffrey. Thank you for those wonderful words Sir. This is an intense moment for me, both personally and professionally. It is an intense moment personally because like so many of you this Wall has names on it that are deeply personal. Like you I have names in my head. My names are [transcribing note – I apologize for not hearing and transcribing the names correctly] Lance Corporal Rudolph Faranaral, Lance Corporal Chubby Hale, Lance Corporal Whitey Travis, Corporal Mike Whitt, Lance Corporal Billy Joe Arnold, Staff Sergeant Freddy Williams, the list goes on.
These incredibly wonderful Marines followed their Lieutenant’s orders in combat and in doing so they died for their country. I am on active duty today because I was their lieutenant. And I still owe them more than I can ever pay. But it is my honor to try. To serve with men and women whom I’ve been entrusted to care for the last 38 years. So to have this moment with so many of you to publicly name them and say thank you to them and their families is a great gift.
Professionally it is an absolute honor to represent 2.4 million American men and women active, guard and reserve today to say thank you to millions of veterans across the United States today. We are so proud to inherit your legacy. Your sacrifices and those who came before you have made this country what it is. It is because of your sacrifices that we live in this incredible country with the unbelievable freedoms and opportunities that we have. My dad was born in Italy. There is no other country in the world that gives anyone who comes here the opportunity like this country.
Today, we fight against a real enemy. An enemy whose stated purpose, stated purpose – you can read it just like you can go back and read ‘Mein Kampf’ from Adolph Hitler, you can read what Al Qaeda intends to do. They want to destroy our way of life. They want to take away the opportunities for Americans to join together like this and celebrate our veterans and celebrate our freedoms. I’m here to tell you, as you already know, that there are 2.4 million Americans in uniform today who are flat not going to let that happen. (APPLAUSE)
There are several hundred thousand in the Gulf region right now, and although they probably don’t wake up every morning thinking about their oath – I would just like to remind all of us what this oath is all about. It’s a little bit different for officers and enlisted, but it is essentially the same, it says: I - and the service member’s name - do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic, and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. That I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office of which I am about to enter so help me God.”
Now I guarantee you that all our service men and women are not waking up every day thinking about that. But when they have a free moment, and they start thinking about their service to their country, they will remember that oath.
Today, many are in combat, and those of you who have been in combat know a couple of basic truths: one truth is that there is fear on the battlefield. Another truth is that those of us who have inherited this incredible legacy from our predecessors, from you and so many others, fear more that somehow we would let you down, or that we would let the Soldier or the Marine on our left or right down. And the fear of letting you down, of letting our fellow service members down, of letting our country down overcomes the physical fear of personal danger. American service men and women will do what American service men and women have always done which is to stand up and be counted and get the job done.
So I can stand here and know with great certainty that I can promise for every member of the U.S. armed forces today that we value the legacy you have given us, we cherish the freedoms of this country, we will fight for this country until the very last man or woman. And it will not happen, but in case someone were able to get through that 2.4 million folks, there are 25 million living veterans in this country who are ready to strap it back on and do what is necessary. (APPLAUSE)
It is my great honor to be with you here today. I thank you personally as a Lieutenant; I thank you professionally as Chairman. God bless every one of you and this incredible nation we call home.”
WOW----I honor all that serve.....thank you for this post
I was just watching him on a report on Fox News.
Gen. Pace is quite impressive. First Marine to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
I still would love to get him or Gen Franks to run for President in 2008. These guys just ooze honor, dignity and love of country.
there are 25 million living veterans in this country who are ready to strap it back on and do what is necessary
Oooorah!
thanks for this great post, baseball_fan. Gen. Pace is a great man, a great Marine and a great American. Thank God we produce guys like him.
Why can't the President make statements like that!
Is the general referring to the terrorists? Or the liberals?
Can anyone access the video on C-span?? I am having trouble!
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Transcript: Gen. PETER PACE on ‘Fox News Sunday’
http://www.Freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1546978/posts
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BRIT HUME stated on today’s June 10th, 2007 ‘FoX News Sunday’ that Gen. PETER PACE’s renomination as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was sent by the Pentagon up to the White House 3 weeks ago.
The White House then checked in with Sen. LEVIN (D) about PACE’s U.S. Senate re-confirmation process and it was suddenly...
...ALOHA PETER.
Time, perhaps, for the Good General to start thinking about getting into the U.S. Senate himself someday soon..?
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NEVER FORGET
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The End of an Era:
Man of Honor [Gen PACE Leaves Stars at “The Wall”
http://www.Freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1911921/posts
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NEVER FORGET
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NEVER FORGET
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Honored at the Vietnam Wall that day =
40th Anniversary of our “WE WERE SOLDIERS” Battle of IA DRANG-1965
http://www.lzxray.com/
http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_collection.htm
http://rickrescorla.com
http://rickrescorla.com/the-statue/
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NEVER FORGET
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NEVER FORGET
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The Vietnam Wall’s Veterans Day Observance Ceremony - 11/11/2005
http://www.c-span.org/video/?189848-1%2Fvietnam-memorial-veterans-day-observance (C-SPAN-TV)
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NEVER FORGET