    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
    [February 8, 2000]
    [Pages 200-202]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on Presenting the Congressional Medal of Honor to
    Alfred Rascon
    February 8, 2000

        The President. Colonel, thank you for that
    prayer. General Hicks, Secretary Cohen, Secretary West,
    Secretary Richardson, Secretary
    Caldera, General Shelton, General Ralston, members of
    the Joint Chiefs, all the Members of Congress who are here--and we have
    quite a distinguished array of them. We thank them all for coming. I'd
    like to ask the Members of Congress who are here to stand so you'll see
    how many we have. We're very grateful to you for your presence here.
    Thank you.
        When the Medal of Honor was conceived in 1861, some Americans
    actually worried that it might be a bad thing, that the medals would be
    seen as somehow too aristocratic, and that there was no need for them in
    a genuinely democratic society. Today we award the Medal of Honor secure
    in the knowledge that people like Alfred Rascon have kept our democracy

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    alive all these years. We bestow the medal knowing that America would
    not have survived were it not for people like him, who, generation after
    generation, have always renewed the extraordinary gift of freedom for
    their fellow citizens.
        Under any circumstances, a Medal of Honor ceremony is an event of
    great importance. Today it is especially so: for the rare quality of
    heroism on display that long-ago day in 1966; for the long, patient wait
    for recognition; for Alfred's decision to devote his life both before
    and after 1966 to a nation he was not born in.
        Alfred Rascon was born in Mexico on September 10, 1945, just 8 days
    after the formal surrender ending World War II. When he was very young,
    his parents came to America for a better chance. They ended up in
    Oxnard, north of Los Angeles. And when Alfred started grade school, he
    still spoke not a word of English. He grew up near three military bases
    and fell in love with the Armed Forces. At the advanced age of 7,
    wanting to do his part to defend America, he built a homemade parachute
    and jumped off the roof of his house. [Laughter] Unfortunately, in his
    own words, the chute had a ``total malfunction''--[laughter]--and he
    broke his wrist.
        But as usual, he was undeterred. Soon he graduated from high school
    and enlisted in the United States Army. Appropriately, he became a medic
    for a platoon of paratroopers, the first of the 503d Airborne Battalion
    of the 173d Airborne Brigade. He explained, ``I wanted to give back
    something to this country and its citizens for the opportunities it had
    given me and my parents. Those paratroopers who served with me in the
    reconnaissance platoon knew nothing of my immigrant status. It was never
    an issue. They simply knew me as Doc.''
        Alfred's platoon was sent to Vietnam in May of 1965, part of the
    first Army combat unit there. On March 16th, 1966, they were in Long
    Khanh Province, helping another platoon that was pinned down by the
    enemy. In his words, it was ``10 minutes of pure hell.''
        In the middle of an intense firefight, Alfred was everywhere. While
    attending to a fatally wounded machine gunner, Private William Thompson,
    he was hit with shrapnel and shot in the hip. The bullet went parallel
    to his spine and came out by his shoulder. Ignoring his own wounds, he
    then brought desperately needed ammo to another machine gunner, Private
    Larry Gibson. Several grenades then landed nearby. One of them ripped
    his mouth open. When he saw another land near Private Neil Haffey, he
    covered him with his body, absorbing the brunt of the blast. Yet another
    grenade landed near Sergeant Ray Compton, and Alfred covered him, too.
    Then, barely able to walk, bleeding from his ears and nose, he ran to
    recover a machine gun that the enemy was about to capture. The extra
    firepower kept the enemy from advancing, and Alfred Rascon saved his
    platoon.
        Through this extraordinary succession of courageous acts, he never
    gave a single thought to himself, except, he admits, for the instant
    when the grenade exploded near his face and he thought, ``Oh, God, my
    good looks are gone.'' [Laughter] I'm not much of an expert, but I would
    say you were wrong about that, Captain. [Laughter] You look just fine
    here today.
        On that distant day, in that faraway place, this man gave everything
    he had, utterly and selflessly, to protect his platoon mates and the
    Nation he was still not yet a citizen of. Later he said with
    characteristic modesty, ``I did it because I had to do it, and that's
    all there is to it.'' He said, ``I don't consider myself a hero. Anybody
    in combat would do the same thing for their buddies and friends. We were
    all colorblind. We were all different nationalities. The important thing
    is that we were Americans fighting for America.''
        I want to stop just for a moment to salute all the other Americans
    who did that in Vietnam. We want to honor you today, along with Alfred.
    Many of you were there with him. And I'd like for all of you to stand
    or, if you can't stand, lift your arms and be recognized. We want to
    acknowledge you today, please. [Applause]
        Alfred Rascon was so badly wounded that day he was actually given
    last rites. After a long convalescence, he pulled through, and he
    continued to serve his country. He became a citizen in 1967. He rejoined
    the Army as an officer. In 1972 he volunteered for a second tour in
    Vietnam. And in 1983 he began working for the Justice Department. Today,
    he is the Inspector General of the Selective Service System, helping to
    make sure that others will be there to defend America as he did.
        Looking at his lifetime of service to our Nation, it would be hard
    to imagine a better definition of citizenship. So I would like to also
    take a moment, sir, to thank your parents, Alfredo

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    and Andrea, for teaching their son the values
    of good citizenship. And we would all like to welcome your wife,
    Carol, and your children, Amanda and Alan. They must be so very
    proud of you today. We welcome you here.
        Now, here's the story of how we all came here. Alfred Rascon was
    given a Silver Star for his valor that day in 1966, but the request for
    his Medal of Honor somehow got lost in a thicket of redtape. His platoon
    mates persisted, showing as much loyalty to him as he had shown to them.
    Thanks to them, after 34 years, I am proud to present you with our
    Nation's highest honor.
        Since the creation of the Medal of Honor, roughly one in five of
    them have been awarded to immigrants. Today, there are over 60,000
    immigrants protecting the United States in our military.
        Alfred was once asked why he volunteered to join and to go to
    Vietnam when he was not even a citizen. And he said, ``I was always an
    American in my heart.''
        Alfred Rascon, today we honor you, as you have honored us by your
    choice to become an American and your courage in reflecting the best of
    America. You said that you summoned your courage for your platoon
    because ``you've got to take care of your people.'' That's a pretty good
    credo for all the rest of us, as well.
        On behalf of all Americans, and especially on behalf of your platoon
    members who are here today, I thank you for what you mean to our
    country. Thank you for what you gave that day and what you have given
    every day since. Thank you for reminding us that being American has
    nothing to do with the place of your birth, the color of your skin, the
    language of your parents, or the way you worship God. Thank you for
    living the enduring American values every day. Thank you for doing
    something that was hard because no one else was there to do it. Thank
    you for looking out for people when no one else could be there for them.
        You have taught us once again that being American has nothing to do
    with the place of birth, racial, ethnic origin, or religious faith. It
    comes straight from the heart. And your heart, sir, is an extraordinary
    gift to your country.
        Commander, please read the citation.

    [At this point, Comdr. Michael M. Gilday,
    USN, Navy Aide to the President, read the citation, and the President
    presented the medal. Mr. Rascon then made brief remarks.]

        The President. I want to thank you all again for being here today
    and invite you to join our honoree and his family in a reception in the
    State Dining Room at the end of the hall. Thank you very much, and
    welcome. But don't leave until we have the benediction. [Laughter]
        General Hicks.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:35 p.m. in the East Room at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Lt. Col. Frank Vavrin, USA (Ret.),
    Chaplain Corps, 503d Airborne Battalion, who gave the invocation; and
    Brig. Gen. David Hicks, USA, Deputy Chief of Chaplains. The transcript
    released by the Office of the Press Secretary also included the remarks
    of Mr. Rascon.