A day in the life of President Bush (photos): 5/27/02

President Bush continued his European trip today with a Memorial Day ceremony at Normandy, France. The President then continued on to Italy, where he was greeted by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Bush will join the 19 NATO leaders together with Russian President Vladimir Putin for a summit at an Italian air force base Tuesday. Enjoy your daily dose of Dubya!

Mr. President and Mrs. Chirac; Secretary Powell and Secretary Principi; members of the United States Congress; members of the American Armed Services; veterans; family members; fellow Americans; and friends: We have gathered on this quiet corner of France as the sun rises on Memorial Day in the United States of America. This is a day our country has set apart to remember what was gained in our wars, and all that was lost.

Our wars have won for us every hour we live in freedom. Our wars have taken from us the men and women we honor today, and every hour of the lifetimes they had hoped to live.

This day of remembrance was first observed to recall the terrible casualties of the war Americans fought against each other. In the nearly 14 decades since, our nation's battles have all been far from home. Here on the continent of Europe were some of the fiercest of those battles, the heaviest losses, and the greatest victories.

And in all those victories American soldiers came to liberate, not to conquer. The only land we claim as our own are the resting places of our men and women.

More than 9,000 are buried here, and many times that number have -- of fallen soldiers lay in our cemeteries across Europe and America. From a distance, surveying row after row of markers, we see the scale and heroism and sacrifice of the young. We think of units sustaining massive casualties, men cut down crossing a beach, or taking a hill, or securing a bridge. We think of many hundreds of sailors lost in their ships.

The war correspondent, Ernie Pyle, told of a British officer walking across the battlefield just after the violence had ended. Seeing the bodies of American boys scattered everywhere, the officer said, in sort of a hushed eulogy spoken only to himself, "Brave men, brave men."

All who come to a place like this feel the enormity of the loss. Yet, for so many, there is a marker that seems to sit alone -- they come looking for that one cross, that one Star of David, that one name. Behind every grave of a fallen soldier is a story of the grief that came to a wife, a mother, a child, a family, or a town.

A World War II orphan has described her family's life after her father was killed on a field in Germany. "My mother," she said, "had lost everything she was waiting for. She lost her dreams. There were an awful lot of perfect linen tablecloths in our house that never got used, so many things being saved for a future that was never to be."

Each person buried here understood his duty, but also dreamed of going back home to the people and the things he knew. Each had plans and hopes of his own, and parted with them forever when he died.

The day will come when no one is left who knew them, when no visitor to this cemetery can stand before a grave remembering a face and a voice. The day will never come when America forgets them. And our nation and the world will always remember what they did here, and what they gave here for the future of humanity.

As dawn broke during the invasion, a little boy in the village off of Gold Beach called out to his mother, "Look, the sea is black with boats." Spread out before them and over the horizon were more than 5,000 ships and landing craft. In the skies were some of the 12,000 planes sent on the first day of Operation Overlord. The Battle of Normandy would last many days, but June 6th, 1944, was the crucial day.

The late President, Francois Mitterrand, said that nothing in history compares to D-day. "The 6th of June," he observed, "sounded the hour when history tipped toward the camp of freedom." Before dawn, the first paratroopers already had been dropped inland. The story is told of a group of French women finding Americans and imploring them not to leave. The trooper said, "We're not leaving. If necessary, this is the place we die."

Units of Army Rangers on shore, in one of history's bravest displays, scaled cliffs directly in the gunfire, never relenting even as comrades died all around them. When they had reached the top, the Rangers radioed back the code for success: "Praise the Lord."

Only a man who is there, charging out of a landing craft, can know what it was like. For the entire liberating force, there was only the ground in front of them -- no shelter, no possibility of retreat. They were part of the largest amphibious landing in history, and perhaps the only great battle in which the wounded were carried forward. Survivors remember the sight of a Catholic chaplain, Father Joe Lacey, lifting dying men out of the water, and comforting and praying with them. Private Jimmy Hall was seen carrying the body of his brother, Johnny, saying, "He can't, he can't be dead. I promised Mother I'd look after him."

Such was the size of the Battle of Normandy. Thirty-eight pairs of brothers died in the liberation, including Bedford and Raymond Hoback of Virginia, both who fell on D-Day. Raymond's body was never found. All he left behind was his Bible, discovered in the sand. Their mother asked that Bedford be buried here, as well, in the place Raymond was lost, so her sons would always be together.

On Memorial Day, America honors her own. Yet we also remember all the valiant young men and women from many allied nations, including France, who shared in the struggle here, and in the suffering. We remember the men and women who served and died alongside Americans in so many terrible battles on this continent, and beyond.

Words can only go so far in capturing the grief and sense of loss for the families of those who died in all our wars. For some military families in America and in Europe, the grief is recent, with the losses we have suffered in Afghanistan. They can know, however, that the cause is just and, like other generations, these sacrifices have spared many others from tyranny and sorrow.

Long after putting away his uniform, an American GI expressed his own pride in the truth about all who served, living and dead. He said, "I feel like I played my part in turning this from a century of darkness into a century of light."

Here, where we stand today, the new world came back to liberate the old. A bond was formed of shared trial and shared victory. And a light that scattered darkness from these shores and across France would spread to all of Europe -- in time, turning enemies into friends, and the pursuits of war into the pursuits of peace. Our security is still bound up together in a transatlantic alliance, with soldiers in many uniforms defending the world from terrorists at this very hour.

The grave markers here all face west, across an ageless and indifferent ocean to the country these men and women served and loved. The thoughts of America on this Memorial Day turn to them and to all their fallen comrades in arms. We think of them with lasting gratitude; we miss them with lasting love; and we pray for them. And we trust in the words of the Almighty God, which are inscribed in the chapel nearby: "I give unto them eternal life, that they shall never perish."

Hello Mom and Laura, and All

Thank you for all the fine words and the great pictures. Unfortunately, we (the Color Guard) could not find that many pictures in the press. Surprisingly, Stars and Stripes had NOTHING!

As my MIL stated, I am still walking on Cloud Nine. This experience ranks pretty high, ahead of my Bosnia tour earlier this year.

As the photos indicate, Normandy is breathtaking and I am sure President Bush will remember the atmosphere. It is a very humbling place, overlooking the English Channel. This is my second time being there, and I look forward to going again with my father-in-law before my tour in Germany is over. Actually, I believe that every American should at least visit one of the many WWI and WWII battlefields and American military cemeteries through Europe and Africa. Seeing the gravesites of all those who made the ultimate sacrifice gives you a better understanding of history and would also generate more respect for our heroes (a word which I think is being used too much lately).

Suzanne and I had an opportunity to visit Normandy last year during the 4th of July weekend. Both of us were surprised to see so many American flags displayed. To be honest, I think I saw more American flags displayed in the Normandy region than in the United States prior to 9/11. Many of the Normans love and support Americans, which is different than the attitude of most of the French, especially in Paris.

During the weekend, we (the Color Guard) resided in the village of Beaux, about 30 Minutes from St. Laurent. The British during the War liberated this village; nevertheless, their love for America was apparent during our stay. Most residents wanted to talk to us and to acknowledge our service to our country, it was very different than when we were in Paris. On our fist night, I met a veteran of WWII who came onto Utah Beach D+30 and remained in Europe for 210 days; his unit was the first to reach the Elba River. His story was amazing - he marched throughout Europe on foot! I told him that I was a member of the 29th ID, and he told me of their story first-hand. Many movies glorify war – his stories were real. One comment he made to me made me feel so proud. He said that we, (today’s military) are the real heroes, we volunteered for service to our country; he was drafted.

There was another distinguished visitor at the service, Secretary of State Powell. While walking to his seat, he stopped in front of us and saluted. All of us were in shock that he was present.

The president arrived via Marine One, and the image of the awesome helicopter flying over the cemetery was pretty cool! Once the helicopter landed, the President was escorted to the seawall and the beach, as the photos show. He was then escorted to the Roosevelt family gravesite for a moment of silence. From there, he gave his amazing speech, which moved everyone. Hearing it in person is so much better than seeing it on TV, you can hear his emotion, and see his body language. After his speech, I cannot tell you what happened ... the American Flag blocked my view. What luck! Throughout practice, we were fighting wind gusts to keep the flags stable, and during the ceremony it was calm ... I believe that someone was ensuring that we would experience great weather.

It was an amazing ceremony and pictures cannot express the emotions that were in the air. I honestly believe that President Bush was touched by this event. Hearing the National Anthem, carrying the American flag and then listening to Taps, it was difficult to hold back tears. We remained in position for almost 2 hours during the ceremony, and another 60 minutes for pictures; I overheard a soldier say that we were the most photographed unit during the ceremony. Everyone, including members of Congress, the French Government, and French citizens wanted a picture of us and to take a picture with us. Again, thank you for posting the pictures of us because the press did not.

I will forward additional photos to my MIL and will try to post some here and on our web site.

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