[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 191 (Monday, December 4, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S17930-S17931]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    NATIONAL VETERANS DAY AND ADDRESS BY ADM. LEIGHTON W. SMITH, JR.

  Mr. HEFLIN. Mr. President, Birmingham, AL has always conducted 
outstanding Veterans Day events. Each year, the ceremonies commence on 
the night of November 10, the day before Veterans Day, when a banquet 
is held to remember our veterans and to formally honor the National 
Veterans Award recipients.
  This year, National Veterans Day in Birmingham sponsors, which 
include 16 of the national veterans organizations, decided to present 
the award to 5 World War II Congressional Medal of Honor winners. They 
were Adm. Eugene Fluckey of the U.S. Navy; Capt. Maurice Britt, U.S. 
Army; and PFC Jack Lucas, U.S. Marine Corps. There were two members 
honored from the Air Force, which during World War II was still the old 
Army Air Corps. They were Col. William T. Lawley and M.Sgt. Henry 
Eugene Erwin, both Alabama natives. There are a total of five surviving 
World War II veterans who served in the Army Air Corps and who are 
Congressional Medal of Honor winners, and we are proud that two of them 
hail from Alabama. Douglas Albert Monroe, signalman first class in the 
U.S. Coast Guard was honored posthumously.
  On Veterans Day itself, Birmingham hosts the World Peace Luncheon, 
which this year featured Adm. Leighton W. Smith, Jr., of the U.S. Navy 
as its distinguished guest speaker. Born in Mobile, Admiral Smith is 
the commander, U.S. Naval Forces in Europe and commander in chief, 
Allied Forces in Southern Europe. He was appointed to these posts in 
April 1994.
  He was promoted to vice admiral in June 1991, and served for 2\1/2\ 
years as deputy chief of naval operations for plans, policy, and 
operations. He was a major contributor to Navy staff reorganization and 
the development of From the Sea, the Navy's strategy for the 21st 
century.
  I ask that a copy of Admiral Leighton's outstanding address delivered 
at the World Peace Luncheon be printed in the Record.
  The material follows:

   Address by Adm. Leighton W. Smith, USN, Commander in Chief Allied 
  Forces Southern Europe, Commander in Chief U.S. Naval Forces Europe

       Senator, Congressman, distinguished veterans, those of you 
     who have worked so hard to put on this celebration, good 
     morning.
       No one knows better than I the value of and the sacrifices 
     made by those we left behind.
       I am distinctly honored to add my thoughts to those of the 
     many distinguished speakers who have appeared here in 
     previous years.
       I doubt I can adequately express my gratitude for having 
     been invited to join fellow Alabamians to pay tribute to our 
     veterans--both those that have joined us here today and those 
     who have gone before us.
       It is absolutely right that we pause to reflect on what 
     this day means--what it signifies--what it cost--and why, as 
     Senator Heflin said last night, ``The Strength of our Nation 
     Must Never Be Allowed to Atrophy''.
       Few gathered here today can recall the first Armistice Day 
     or the terribleness of the war it commemorated. Time has 
     distanced us from the horror of that conflict.
       It was the war to end all wars--but history reminds us that 
     it really wasn't.
       Other wars, conflicts and crises have followed, all 
     evidencing the common denominators of destruction and death, 
     but also individuals whose commitment, courage and personal 
     sacrifices have continued to inspire us all.
       Senator John Kerry, in speaking at the retirement of our 
     Navy's Vietnam era swift boats, said:
       ``We were all bound together in the great and noble effort 
     of giving ourselves to something bigger than each and every 
     one of us individually, and doing so at risk of life and 
     limb. Let no one ever doubt the quality and nobility of that 
     commitment.''
       Those words could have been spoken about our veterans who 
     served in the trenches of France, at Pearl Harbor and Bataan, 
     at Midway, Normandy and Iwo Jima.
       They would have been true at Inchon and the Frozen Chosin, 
     in the jungles and skies of Vietnam, the deserts of Kuwait 
     and Iraq and in other unnamed places where ordinary people do 
     extraordinary things and in so doing, honor their country 
     while preserving the ideals and values for which it stands.
       Last year I attended commemorative ceremonies at Normandy.
       As I sat waiting for the program to begin, I spotted an 
     usher, a young soldier no more than 18 years old, my he 
     looked so young.

[[Page S 17931]]

       It suddenly dawned on me that this boy was the very same 
     age as many of the men who, 50 years ago, had crawled across 
     those bloody beaches and clawed their way up those terrible 
     cliffs, each staring death square in the face.
       Some survived, all were heros, but tragically so many were 
     mown down in the springtime of their youth, their lives ended 
     before they had really begun.
       I was awed. What tragedy; what tragedy to rob a nation of 
     its youth, to take a son or daughter from a father, mother, a 
     sister or brother, a husband or wife. What tragedy to deny 
     one so young the joys and excitement of life; the warmth of 
     love, the thrill of watching one's children grow.
       But then I thought, what if they had not?
       Somehow seeing that young soldier made all those grave 
     markers in that cemetery even more real, more alive. It 
     literally slammed home in me the utter cruelty of war, the 
     awfulness of what man can do to man, and equally as 
     important, the enormous gift that all of those who 
     experienced the terribleness of that war gave to us.
       I am told that somewhere in Burma there is a marker 
     inscribed with the message: ``We gave our todays so you could 
     enjoy your tomorrows.''
       Those of us gathered here today, and in other places around 
     our country, honor the veterans whose legacy of honor, 
     courage and commitment should not, and shall not, ever be 
     forgotten.
       Let me tell you that the actions of the young men and women 
     of your Armed Forces tell me that they are, as Colin Powell 
     said in an address here a few years back: ``worthy successors 
     to what you their predecessors have passed on to them.''
       You may all have heard of Capt. Scott O'Grady. He was shot 
     down over Bosnia on 2 June.
       On the night of 7 June his squadron mate went on a 
     ``fishing expedition'' to try to contact Scott.
       At 0200 he got contact with Scott O'Grady. I immediately 
     called the amphibious commander, Jerry Schill and the Marine 
     commander Marty Berndt. Both were on the U.S.S. Kearsarge in 
     the Adriatic.
       I told them to close the coast/call away your tactical 
     recovery of aircrew and personnel team.
       Didn't ask if--just when.
       We discussed risks and the possibility of a trap being set.
       I told Colonel Berndt you're in charge, look around, if you 
     don't like what you see, come out.
       These were educated risks, and we were operating on the 
     edge of the envelope.
       Four hours and thirty seven minutes--I got a call, one 
     word--``pickup''.
       Not many understand all that occurred.
       We had 60 fixed wing aircraft, special operations backup 
     rescue, Marines backup to that.
       Went next day to visit, Aviano, Vicenza, U.S.S. Kearsarge:
       There were no complaints, in spite of the mission being 
     early morning, complex, risky.
       They thanked me for letting them go.
       Says a lot about courage, honor, commitment.
       The same characteristics were demonstrated in attempts to 
     locate and rescue the French pilots shot down 30 August.
       Plan was developed to recce area of shootdown.
       At 0130 I got a call from Mike Ryan.
       Same coordination and complexity as the O'Grady rescue.
       We tried three successive nights.
       All three attempts experienced bad weather, all were shot 
     at.
       That this rescue was not consummated in no way detracts 
     from the courage and commitment of those who tried.
       These are wonderful stories, and I relive the excitement of 
     those moments each time I tell them.
       But the important thing here is that these are real stories 
     about real people who demonstrate, every single time they are 
     asked, the legacy of their predecessors and the strength of 
     our great nation.
       There are, in fact, two kinds of strengths.
       One is capability, and one is character.
       Capability is the mechanics, it is the equipment. The 
     machines, the steel, the weapons, the computers, the number 
     of battalions that can be fielded, capability is what we 
     think of when we think of the force.
       Character, on the other hand, comes from the commitment of 
     the people. It is the moral fabric that binds a nation 
     together, that gives it purpose and defines its identity.
       Yet as different as capability and character seem, it is 
     their combination that makes a nation strong, that empowers 
     it to greatness, that enables it to lead.
       I would argue that a nation's strength and greatness is not 
     fully tested until severely stressed, ours has, and we have 
     never been found wanting.
       Our veterans defined our strength for us and the memory of 
     what they did gives us strength today.
       Joseph Conrad said:
       ``And now the old ships and their men are gone; the new 
     ships and men have taken their watch on the stern and 
     impatient sea which offers no opportunities but to those who 
     know how to grasp them with a ready hand and an undaunted 
     heart.''
       While we thank God for what the old ships and men gave us.
       I offer to you, our honored veterans that your worthy 
     successors, the veterans of tomorrow, possess ready hands and 
     undaunted hearts.
       They have learned well from your deeds.
       We owe you, we owe you a lot. We owe you our thanks, our 
     admiration, and our respect, and we owe you the promise that 
     we shall never allow to be forgotten the deeds performed, nor 
     what you preserved for us.
       Your legacy of courage, honor and commitment has been 
     received and will be passed on to future generations.
       This has been a singular honor for me and I am grateful to 
     you all for allowing me to join you on this very special 
     occasion.

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