[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 75 (Thursday, June 11, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S6177]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   223RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE U.S. ARMY

  Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, for almost two and one quarter 
centuries, the United States Army, more than any other American 
institution, has stood at the forefront of protecting the borders, 
people, and ideals of our nation. Today, I am pleased to have this 
opportunity to pay tribute to the Army on the 223rd anniversary of its 
founding.
  Formed on June 14, 1775, the United States Army is older than the 
nation itself, and for more than two centuries, its soldiers have stood 
tall as they carried out their duties patriotically and selflessly. In 
the history of the Army, more than 42 million Americans have raised 
their right hands, both in times of crisis and peace, to take an oath 
to protect and defend the nation from all enemies foreign and domestic. 
In that time, soldiers have been called to arms numerous times in order 
to preserve this Republic. From the Battle of Cowpens during our War 
for Independence, to Bosnia, where our troops help to maintain a 
fragile peace, those who serve prove that there is no finer citizen, no 
better warrior, and no more compassionate peacemaker than a soldier in 
the United States Army.
  The success and excellence of our soldiers and Army are due to many 
contributing factors, but certainly the most important is that we live 
in a nation founded on the ideals of a democratic government. We have 
created a society that truly affords more liberties, more freedoms, and 
more opportunities than any other nation in the world. While we may 
have some differences amongst ourselves, and some problems which must 
be resolved, no quarrel or dispute will ever undermine the unity of our 
50 States. It is this Constitutionally mandated, democratic form of 
government, where every citizen is free to speak his or her mind, where 
every American is protected by the laws of the land, and every person 
has the chance to succeed that makes the United States a promised land 
to people throughout the globe. All of us recognize this is a nation 
and system worthy of defending, and our soldiers are the men and women 
who have volunteered to carry out this critical mission.
  While our soldiers have always been ``America's Finest'', those who 
serve in today's Army are truly a breed apart. These are men and women 
who are well educated, well trained, and well equipped. They are 
individuals who possess a desire to serve, a strong sense of 
patriotism, and a willingness to make sacrifices so that others may be 
safe. We have created a fighting force that uses its mind as much as 
its might. A force that is able to adapt to fluid contingencies just as 
effectively as it is able to stick to a battle plan. There is no 
military force in the world that can match the abilities, capabilities, 
and spirit of the American soldier or the United States Army, there 
never has been and there never will be.
  The very history of this nation and its Army helps to forge the 
spirit of the modern soldier. The soldier of today can look back on 
more than 200 years of heritage and fighting spirit that helps to mold 
the mettle of those who stand firm for democracy and the safety of our 
nation. Rogers' Rangers, who fought in the New Hampshire mountains 
during the French & Indian Wars are the forefathers of today's Ranger 
Battalions. The same grit and determination that saw the first American 
soldiers through a brutal winter at Valley Forge was evident in 
Bastogne, Belgium in 1945 when the 101st Airborne Division, though 
surrounded and outnumbered by German Forces, refused to surrender and 
by stubbornly standing fast, they helped to win the Battle of the 
Bulge. The bravery demonstrated by Captain Roger Donlan, a Special 
Forces Officer who commanded Camp Nam Dong in the I Corps Tactical Zone 
in 1966, who was repeatedly and seriously wounded while battling off an 
enemy battalion of superior size was recognized by his winning the 
first Medal of Honor awarded during the Vietnam conflict. Twenty- seven 
years later, two Special Operations soldiers were decorated with the 
Medal of Honor for making the ultimate sacrifice in the streets of 
Mogadishu, Somalia fighting to protect a critically wounded American 
helicopter pilot. Their sacrifice allowed that pilot to live, and their 
actions proved that there is no greater bond than the one between 
soldiers.
  Throughout the Army's history, success has been based on an ability 
to resist complacency, and while today's soldiers are justifiably proud 
of their past, they are looking and working toward the future. In 
battle labs across the nation soldiers, strategists, scientists, and 
designers are working in concert to field an Army that will be able to 
dominate the battlefield of the next century. Revolutions in weapons, 
communications, tactics, and strategy are taking place and are being 
incorporated into Army Doctrine. By the Year 2000, the Fourth Infantry 
Division will become the first fully digitized division in the Army, 
and by 2004 the Army will have its first digitized corps. These 
digitized forces will ensure that commanders know where they are, where 
their troops are, and where the enemy is, and with this information, 
dominate the battlefield. Through research and development efforts like 
the ones that led to the digital division, we are assured that we will 
remain one step ahead of any nation that might threaten our security, 
and that we will truly have a force capable of meeting and defeating 
any threat to our nation, her people, and our interests.
  As we mark this 223rd anniversary of the United States Army, it is an 
appropriate time to celebrate the successes of that service; the 
sacrifices made by millions of soldiers, including the ultimate 
sacrifice; and the invaluable contribution these men and women have 
made to keeping the United States and her citizens safe and free. 
Indeed, the history of our Army is a proud one, and as we approach the 
21st Century, I know that its future will eclipse all its previous 
accomplishments.

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