[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 84 (Monday, June 10, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S6011]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 D-DAY

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I would like to just make reference to a 
statement about D-day, which I should have made a few days ago. I want 
to at least have it in the Record before I leave.
  Mr. President, 52 years ago on June 6, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower made 
this dramatic announcement from London:

       People of Western Europe: A landing was made this morning 
     on the coast of France by troops of the allied expeditionary 
     force . . . the hour of your liberation is approaching.

  As Eisenhower made that announcement, 130,000 American and Allied 
troops under his command, stormed onto the beaches along the coast of 
Normandy, France.
  On that same day--June 6, 1944--another 23,000 British and American 
airborne forces were parachuted or taken by glider to secure critical 
inland areas.
  The courage and dedication exhibited by these soldiers on that day 
and in the weeks that followed led to the liberation of Europe and the 
defeat of fascism.
  As we mark the 52d anniversary of D-day, we must also look to the 
future, and remember the lessons that World War II taught us--and holds 
for us still.
  We learned that we cannot turn our backs on what happens in the rest 
of the world.
  We learned that we can never again allow our military to reach low 
levels of readiness and supplies.
  We learned that we cannot appease tyrants and despots.
  We learned the critical importance of American leadership.
  And, perhaps above all, we learned that while leadership may carry a 
heavy price--it is a price well worth paying.
  Mr. President, on this, my final D-day as a U.S. Senator, I would 
like to pay tribute to my colleagues who along with this Senator, 
served their country in World War II.
  That rollcall includes the names of: Senator Daniel Akaka, U.S. Army; 
Senator Dale Bumpers, U.S. Marine Corps; Senator John Chafee, U.S. 
Marine Corps; Senator James Exon, U.S. Army; Senator John Glenn, U.S. 
Marine Corps; Senator Mark Hatfield, U.S. Navy; Senator Howell Heflin, 
U.S. Marine Corps; Senator Jesse Helms, U.S. Marine Corps; Senator 
Ernest Hollings, U.S. Army; Senator Daniel Inouye, U.S. Army; Senator 
Frank Lautenberg, U.S. Army; Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, U.S. Navy 
Reserve; Senator Claiborne Pell, U.S. Coast Guard; Senator Bill Roth, 
U.S. Army; Senator Ted Stevens, U.S. Army Air Corps; Senator John 
Warner, U.S. Navy; and, of course, our colleague who landed a glider 
behind enemy lines on D-day, Senator Strom Thurmond, U.S. Army.
  Mr. President, on June 6, and all the days to follow, we can best 
honor those who risked and gave their lives for freedom by rededicating 
ourselves to the promise that President Reagan made on behalf of 
America on the beaches of Normandy 12 years ago:

       We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will 
     always be prepared, so we may always be free.

     

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