Memorial Day At Arlington Naional Cemetery: 29 May 2006
For
Immediate Release
Office
of the Press Secretary
May
29, 2006
President
Bush Honors Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington
National Cemetery
Arlington,
Virginia
11:26
A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Laura and I are honored to join you today. Thank you for coming. Mr. Secretary, thank you for your kind words. Members of my Cabinet, General Pace, Members of Congress, members of the United States military, veterans, honored guests and the loved ones of the fallen: A few moments ago, I placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. I was honored to do so on behalf of the American people, as a sign of our solemn gratitude and our deep respect. The names of those buried there are known only to God, yet their souls have entered into the spirit of America, and they will never be forgotten by our nation.
In this place where valor sleeps, we acknowledge our responsibility as Americans to preserve the memory of the fallen. On this Memorial Day, we look out on quiet hills, and rows of white headstones -- and we know that we are in the presence of greatness. The markers here record the names of more than 296,000 men and women. Each of the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines buried here answered the call to serve, and stepped forward to protect the nation they loved.
All who are buried here understood their duty. They saw a dark shadow on the horizon, and went to meet it. They understood that tyranny must be met with resolve, and that liberty is always the achievement of courage. Here, in the presence of veterans they fought with and loved ones whose pictures they carried, the fallen give silent witness to the price of our liberty -- and our nation honors them, this day and every day.
In this place where valor sleeps, we are reminded why America has always gone to war reluctantly, because we know the costs of war. We have seen those costs in the war on terror we fight today. These grounds are the final resting place for more than 270 men and women who have given their lives in freedom's cause since the attacks of September the 11th, 2001. With us here are veterans who fought alongside them -- and who have come today to pay their respects. They are joined by veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and other conflicts across the globe, whose friends and comrades also lie in this sacred ground. As we pray for their fallen friends, we also remember those who went to war and are still missing, and we are determined to account for them all.
In this place where valor sleeps, we find strength in knowing that those serving freedom's cause have acted with principle and steadfast faith. Second Lieutenant Jack Lundberg was killed two weeks after D-Day, at the end of World War II. He wrote his Mom and Dad a letter to be opened in the event he did not come home. He wrote, "I am sorry to add to your grief ... but we of the United States have something to fight for -- never more fully have I realized that. The United States of America is worth the sacrifice."
That same feeling moves those who are now fighting the war on terror. First Lieutenant Mark Dooley was killed by a terrorist bomb last September in the Iraqi city of Ramadi. Before he left for his tour, he gave his parents a last letter, just in case. He wrote: "Remember that my leaving was in the service of something that we loved, and be proud. The best way to pay respect is to value why a sacrifice was made."
Last week, the family of Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Fenty,Junior, gathered here at Arlington to pay their last respects to the husband, son, and father they loved. Colonel Fenty was killed with nine of his fellow soldiers in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan earlier this month. Hours before that crash, he had spoken to his wife Kristen about their newborn daughter he was waiting to meet. Some day she will learn about her dad from the men with whom she served -- he served. And one of them said this about her father: "We all wanted to be more like Joe Fenty. We were all in awe of him." I am in awe of the men and women who sacrifice for the freedom of the United States of America.
Our nation is free because of brave Americans like these, who volunteer to confront our adversaries abroad so we do not have to face them here at home. Our nation mourns the loss of our men and women in uniform; we will honor them by completing the mission for which they gave their lives -- by defeating the terrorists, by advancing the cause of liberty, and by laying the foundation of peace for a generation of young Americans. (Applause.) Today we pray that those who lie here have found peace with their Creator, and we resolve that their sacrifice will always be remembered by a grateful nation.
May God Bless the Untied States of America.
An
honor guard stands at the Tomb of the Unknowns for a wreath laying ceremony
by
President
Bush at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, May 29, 2006
Members
of the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard, from left to right, Airman First Class
Adam Furtado, Staff Sergeant. Bret Baker,
Staff
Sergeant Eric Zupanc, Staff Sergeant Trevor Morden and Airman First Class
Bradley Parker, salute as President Bush is introduced
at
a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Monday, May 29, 2006
President
Bush, left, and Major General Guy C. Swann III, right, Commanding General
U.S. Army Military District of Washington,
bow
their heads during the wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns
at Arlington National Cemetery, Monday, May 29, 2006
President
Bush, left, lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns
Monday,
May 29, 2006 at Arlington National Cemetery
President
Bush, left, lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns
Monday,
May 29, 2006 at Arlington National Cemetery
President
George W. Bush (L) lays a Memorial Day wreath at the Tomb of the
Unknowns
at Arlington National Cemetery, May 29, 2006.
President
Bush lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns Monday,
May
29, 2006 at Arlington National Cemetery
President
George W. Bush bows his head after laying a Memorial
Day
wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery near
Washington May 29, 2006.
President
George W. Bush (L) stands in attention with Major General Guy Swann, Commanding
General of the U.S. Army Military District
of
Washington during a Memorial Day wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of
the Unknowns at the Arlington National Cemetery
President
George W. Bush attends a Memorial Day wreath laying ceremony at the
Tomb of the Unknowns at the
Arlington
National Cemetery near Washington May 29, 2006
President
George W. Bush stands after laying a Memorial Day wreath at the Tomb
of
the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington May 29, 2006.
Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace, left, salutes as President
Bush, center, arrives on stage as
Secretary
of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, right, applauds during a Memorial Day ceremony
at Arlington National Cemetery Monday, May 29, 2006
Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace, left, Secretary of Defense
Donald
Rumsfeld,
center, and President Bush,right, stand for the playing of 'Taps' during
a ceremony
marking
Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery Monday, May 29, 2006 outside
Washington.
President
Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld listen to the national anthem
with General Peter Pace,
Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs, at the Memorial Day commemoration at Arlington National
Cemetery near Washington, May 29, 2006.
President
George W. Bush (R), Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld (2nd R) and General
Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, bow
their
heads in prayer as Chaplain Colonel David Moran (L) gives the invocation
at the Memorial Day commemoration
at
Arlington National Cemetery near Washington May 29, 2006
Secretary
of Defense Donald Rumsfeld,left, and President Bush, right, attend a
Memorial
Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery Monday, May 29, 2006 outside
Washington
President
Bush speaks at a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington
National
Cemetery Monday, May 29, 2006 outside Washington
President
George W. Bush makes remarks at the Memorial Day commemoration at Arlington
National
Cemetery near Washington May 29, 2006
President
Bush, right, waves after speaking at Arlington National Cemetery Memorial
Day commemoration, Monday,
May
29, 2006. Behind Bush are Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General
Peter Pace, left, and Sec. of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, center
Posted: 29 May 2006