    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book I)]
    [May 24, 2008]
    [Pages 724-725]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    May 24, 2008

        Good morning. This Memorial Day weekend, kids will be out of school,
    moms and dads will be firing up the grill, and families across our
    country will mark the unofficial beginning of summer. But as we do, we
    should all remember the true purpose of this holiday: to honor the
    sacrifices that make our freedom possible.
        On Monday, I will commemorate Memorial Day by visiting Arlington
    National Cemetery, where I will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the
    Unknowns. The tomb is the final resting place of three brave American
    soldiers who lost their lives in combat. The names of these veterans of
    World War I, World War II, and the Korean war are known only to God, but
    their valor is known to us all.
        Throughout American history, this valor has preserved our way of
    life and our sacred freedoms. It was this valor that won our
    independence. It was this valor that removed the stain of slavery from
    our Nation. And it was this valor that defeated the great totalitarian
    threats of the last century.
        Today, the men and women of our military are facing a new
    totalitarian threat to our freedom. In Iraq, Afghanistan, and other
    fronts around the world, they continue the proud legacy of those who
    came before them. They bear their responsibilities with quiet dignity
    and honor. And some have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of their
    country.
        One such hero was Sergeant First Class Benjamin Sebban of the Army's
    82d Airborne Division. As the senior medic in his squadron, Ben made
    sacrifice a way of life. When younger medics were learning how to insert
    IVs, he would offer his own arm for practice. And when the time came,
    Ben did not hesitate to offer his fellow soldiers far more.
        On March 17, 2007, in Iraq's Diyala Province, Ben saw a truck filled
    with explosives racing toward his team of paratroopers. He ran into the
    open to warn them, exposing himself to the blast. Ben received severe
    wounds, but this good medic never bothered to check his own injuries.
    Instead, he devoted his final moments on this Earth to treating others.
    Earlier this week, in a ceremony at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, I had
    the honor of presenting Sergeant Sebban's mom with the Silver Star that he earned.
        No words are adequate to console those who have lost a loved one
    serving our Nation. We can only offer our prayers and join in their
    grief. We grieve for the mother who hears the sound of her child's 21-
    gun salute. We grieve for the husband or wife who receives a folded
    flag. We grieve for a young son or daughter who only knows dad from a
    photograph.
        One holiday is not enough to commemorate all of the sacrifices that
    have been made by America's men and women in uniform. No group has ever
    done more to defend liberty than the men and women of the United States
    Armed Forces. Their bravery has done more than simply win battles; it
    has done more than win wars; it has secured a way of life for our entire
    country. These heroes and their families should be in our thoughts and
    prayers on a daily basis, and they should receive our loving thanks at
    every possible opportunity.
        This Memorial Day, I ask all Americans to honor the sacrifices of
    those who have served you and our country. One way to do so is by
    joining in a moment of remembrance that will be marked across our
    country at 3 p.m. local time. At that moment, Major League Baseball
    games will pause, the National Memorial Day Parade will halt, Amtrak
    trains will blow their whistles, and buglers in military cemeteries will
    play

    [[Page 725]]

    ``Taps.'' You can participate by placing a flag at a veteran's grave,
    taking your family to the battlefields where freedom was defended, or
    saying a silent prayer for all the Americans who were delivered out of
    the agony of war to meet their Creator. Their bravery has preserved the
    country we love so dearly.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 10:06 a.m. on May 23 in the Cabinet
    Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on May 24. The
    transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    May 23, but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. In his
    address, the President referred to Barbara Filik Walsh, mother of Sfc.
    Benjamin L. Sebban, USA. The Office of the Press Secretary also released
    a Spanish language transcript of this address.