[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 201 (Monday, October 19, 2015)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 63075-63076]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-26588]


 
 
                         Presidential Documents 
 
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 201 / Monday, October 19, 2015 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 63075]]


                Proclamation 9347 of October 9, 2015

                
General Pulaski Memorial Day, 2015

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Today, our Nation honors the legacy of Brigadier 
                General Casimir Pulaski, a Polish-born hero of the 
                American Revolutionary War who gave his life to defend 
                our country in its nascence. Drawn to fight by the 
                basic premise that people have the right to determine 
                their own destinies, he came here to help us shape 
                ours. In the struggle for independence, he stood with 
                the brave soldiers of the Continental Army and his 
                sacrifices helped lay the foundation for the strong 
                relationship between Poland and the United States 
                today.

                Born into a family determined to see a free and 
                sovereign Poland, Pulaski demonstrated his courage and 
                leadership abilities from an early age. Drawing on his 
                experiences, he recognized the same yearning for 
                freedom on display across the Atlantic in the American 
                Revolution. Upon moving to France, he met Benjamin 
                Franklin--who recognized his potential and recommended 
                him to General George Washington, and in 1777, he 
                embarked on a journey to help the Colonies preserve the 
                same ideals of liberty and self-determination he fought 
                for in his homeland.

                While serving, Pulaski's zeal for the American cause 
                impressed his fellow soldiers--including Washington, 
                whose life he saved. He earned the rank of Brigadier 
                General and an appointment to be ``Commander of the 
                Horse.'' The cavalry unit he formed was in many ways 
                reflective of our Nation today, comprised of volunteers 
                of many backgrounds and beliefs and united in their 
                faith in the unalienable rights of a free and 
                independent society. Fearless until his death on 
                October 11, 1779, Casimir Pulaski symbolizes an 
                enduring American truth: that we owe our independence 
                to brave men and women, spanning multiple generations, 
                devoted to a cause greater than their own.

                On General Pulaski Memorial Day, we celebrate the 
                ideals and rights for which Pulaski fought and gave his 
                life. We also celebrate all Polish-Americans who 
                proudly preserve their culture in towns and cities 
                throughout our Nation, enriching our society and 
                contributing to our shared success. On this day, let us 
                recognize the strong and enduring relationship between 
                Poland and the United States, and let us renew our 
                commitment to realizing the shared vision of our 
                democracies: forging a world that is free and at peace.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim October 11, 2015, as 
                General Pulaski Memorial Day. I encourage all Americans 
                to commemorate this occasion with appropriate programs 
                and activities paying tribute to Casimir Pulaski and 
                honoring all those who defend the freedom of our 
                Nation.

[[Page 63076]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand fifteen, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and fortieth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2015-26588
Filed 10-16-15; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F6-P