    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
    [November 11, 2008]
    [Pages 1354-1358]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a Rededication Ceremony at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space
    Museum in New York City
    November 11, 2008

        Thank you all. Thank you for the warm welcome. Be seated. Charles and Rich,
    thanks a lot. I gratefully accept the Freedom Award. And I'm honored to
    be with you today as we rededicate a great monument to freedom, the
    Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. At this ceremony, we recognize nearly
    55,000 Americans who served aboard the USS Intrepid, including some who
    are here today. And we commemorate Veterans Day by honoring all those
    who have worn the uniform of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and
    Marine Corps. Thank you for serving our great Nation.
        I am proud to be traveling with the First Lady of the United
    States, Laura Bush, the most patient woman in
    America. [Laughter] Governor, thank you
    for joining us. Secretary Kempthorne,
    Senator Hillary Clinton, I'm proud to
    be with you. Thank you for being here. Congressman Pete King, Congressman Charlie Rangel, Congressman Anthony Weiner,
    thank you all for joining us today. Looking forward to that lame duck
    session, aren't we? [Laughter]

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        What an awesome guy General Jim Conway
    is, Commandant of the United States Marine Corps and member of the Joint
    Chiefs. Christine Quinn, thank you for
    your remarks. Bill White, the Vanna
    White of the Intrepid. He's a--[laughter].
    Arnold Fisher and the Fisher family, what a
    fabulous contribution the Fishers have made to the United States of
    America, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
        John Rich, fellow Texan; John, tell them we're
    coming home, and we're coming home with our heads held high.
        Members of the Intrepid Museum and Foundation board of trustees;
    wounded warriors. You know, oftentimes they ask me, ``What are you going
    to miss about the Presidency?'' And first reaction is, I say, ``No
    traffic jams in New York.'' The truth of the matter is, I will miss
    being the Commander in Chief of such a fabulous group of men and women,
    those who wear the uniform of the United States military.
        Veterans Day has a long and solemn history. The event that inspired
    it took place 90 years ago today in a small railway car in a French
    forest. November the 11th, 1918, the Allied Powers and Germany signed an
    armistice that ended one of the bloodiest wars the world had ever
    witnessed. By the time that day arrived, World War I had raged for more
    than 4 years, and more than 8 million soldiers had given their lives.
    But on the 11th hour of the 11th day of that 11th month, the guns fell
    silent, and peace began to return to Europe.
        To commemorate the war's end, President Woodrow Wilson declared that
    November the 11th should be remembered as Armistice Day, a holiday to
    honor the brave sacrifices of the American soldiers who defended
    democracy and freedom overseas. Today, we know it as Veterans Day, a day
    when we celebrate and thank and honor every man and woman who have
    served in our Armed Forces.
        These noble Americans are our sons and daughters, they are our
    fathers and mothers, they are our family, and they are our friends. They
    leave home to do the work of patriots, and they lead lives of quiet
    dignity when they return. Today we send a clear message to all who have
    worn the uniform: Thank you for your courage, thank you for your
    sacrifice, and thank you for standing up when your Nation needed you
    most.
        In the years since we began celebrating Veterans Day, America's
    Armed Forces have defended our freedom in many conflicts. And in those
    conflicts, they have often relied on the might of the USS Intrepid.
        The great ship's keel was laid on December 1, 1941. Less than a week
    later, Pearl Harbor was attacked, and America entered World War II. In
    the years to come, as the United States Navy defended the freedom in the
    Pacific, the men of the ``Fighting I'' would be in the thick of the
    battle. The Intrepid participated in the invasion of the Marshall
    Islands. She played a key role in the amphibious assault on Okinawa. She
    was part of one of the greatest sea battles in history, the Battles of
    Leyte Gulf.
        In that massive engagement, American forces faced some of the most
    formidable elements of the Japanese Navy. The Japanese fleet included
    the Yamamato [Yamato]* and the Musashi; these were the heaviest and the
    largest battleships ever constructed. The Imperial Navy approached the
    coast of the Philippines from three different directions, and it was a
    fearsome challenge, but the men of this ship were ready. The Intrepid's
    air group fought courageously and without rest. By the time the battle
    ended 3 days later, the United States Navy had sunk the Musashi to the
    ocean floor and lifted hopes for victory in the Pacific.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        *White House correction.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The war ended the following year, but the Intrepid's mission did not
    end. As the

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    United States raced into the new frontier of space, the Intrepid stood
    by to retrieve astronauts returning to Earth. During the cold war, she
    patrolled the Mediterranean and helped force the surrender of pro-Castro
    terrorists who had hijacked a freighter in the Caribbean, and did three
    tours off the waters of Vietnam. For our Nation's bicentennial
    celebration, the United States Congress paid a fitting tribute to this
    ship's extraordinary service when they selected the Intrepid to
    represent the United States Navy in Philadelphia.
        After more than 30 years at sea, the Intrepid was permanently
    decommissioned. Despite her amazing history, she was destined to be
    scrapped. But thanks to the work of the Intrepid Museum Foundation, she
    found a home in New York City. Since 1982, she has been a museum that
    educates new generations of Americans about the high price that those
    who came before them paid for their freedom.
        One of the veterans who has been honored here was a Navy pilot who
    flew Avenger torpedo planes during World War II. When he was invited
    onboard the Intrepid for the 50th anniversary of D-day, he was moved to
    see that the museum had arranged for a vintage Avenger, painted in the
    style of his unit, to be right here on the deck. It just so happens that
    it was flanked by two of the men who had flown in his squadron. The man
    the Intrepid honored that day is a great American. He's a dedicated
    servant to this country, and I can tell you from personal experience
    he's a fabulous father.
        Even as a museum, the Intrepid still answered the call to service.
    I'm pretty certain most Americans don't understand what I'm about to
    tell you, but on September the 11th, when we came attacked just a few
    blocks from here, the Intrepid was used as an emergency command center.
    First-responders launched helicopters from the decks. It became clear
    that this ship, which helped defeat the great totalitarian threats of
    the 20th century, was front and center in the opening moments of a new
    struggle against the forces of hatred and fear.
        The war on terror has required courage; it has required resolve
    equal to what previous generations of Americans brought to the fields of
    Europe and the deep waters of the Pacific. And I'm proud to report to my
    fellow citizens, our Armed Forces, the Armed Forces of this generation,
    have showed up for the fight, and America is more secure for it.
        This morning, Laura and I flew up here with
    some brave
    men and women who are keeping us safe. I want to introduce
    them to you.
        Staff Sergeant Michael Noyce Merino
    was the first National Guardsman ever to be named the Army's
    Noncommissioned Officer of the Year. Senior Airman Alicia
    Goetschel was named one of the Air Force's
    Outstanding Airmen of the Year for her work in keeping dangerous
    extremists off the streets of Iraq. Chief Petty Officer Shenequa
    Cox won several awards recognizing her as one
    of the Navy's finest sailors. Petty Officer First Class Chris
    Hutto was honored as the Coast Guard's
    Enlisted Person of the Year. And United States Marine Sergeant John
    Badon's bravery earned him two Purple Hearts for
    his service in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Where are my new pals? God bless
    you.
        They are representatives of the finest our Nation offers. And they
    have the support of strong and caring and loving families. And so on
    this Veterans Day, not only do we honor those who have worn the uniform,
    those who are wearing the uniform, we honor their families. And we thank
    them from the bottom of our hearts.
        We have a moral obligation to support our families, and we have a
    moral obligation to support our veterans. It has been my privilege to
    work with Members of the United States Congress to nearly double the
    funding for those who have worn the uniform. It has been my privilege to
    work to implement the recommendations from

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    the Dole-Shalala
    Commission, to make sure that we have a mental health care system and
    physical health care system worthy of the sacrifice of those who have
    worn the uniform.
        It has been my privilege to work with the United States Congress to
    expand education benefits for both members of our military as well as
    our veterans. It has been my privilege to say loud and clear to our
    veterans: We love you, we respect you, and we thank you for serving the
    United States of America.
        And I love what the Intrepid Relief Fund and the Intrepid Fallen
    Heroes Fund have done to support our veterans as well. They provided
    more than $100 million to military families in need. The Intrepid's
    Fisher House program has provided temporary housing for families of
    service men and women receiving medical treatment.
        At the center for the Intrepid's physical rehabilitation facility in
    San Antonio, Texas, America's wounded warriors receive some incredible
    medical care. I have seen what happens in this place of healing and hope
    firsthand. The Intrepid Center brings great compassion to those who have
    worn and are wearing the uniform. It also shows that the American people
    are incredibly generous in supporting the veterans. And I want to thank
    the Intrepid members and those who support the Intrepid foundations for
    your work on behalf of our country.
        Throughout the decades, our service men and women have shown a
    spirit of selfless courage. I was impressed by the story of Alonzo
    Swann, who on October 29, 1944, here on
    the deck of the Intrepid, had to help his fellow sailors deal with a
    kamikaze attack. He saw his best friend burning alive and caught in a
    gun mount. He rushed into the flames. He attempted to save his buddy,
    but before he could do so, an ammunition bin detonated; nine were
    killed, six injured, including Alonzo.
        For his bravery, he was awarded the
    Bronze Star. It's a high honor, but a lot of folks didn't think it was a
    high enough honor. They felt he deserved the Navy Cross, and many
    believed that he had been denied the Navy Cross because of the color of
    his skin--he was an African American. For 50 years his advocates
    petitioned the Government, and for 50 years they were unsuccessful. But
    he kept the faith. November 3, 1993, under the Presidency of my
    predecessor, President Bill Clinton,
    right here on the deck of the Intrepid, Alonzo Swann finally received
    his Navy Cross. And I want people to listen to what he said. He said,
    ``If you think you're right, fight your heart out.'' That ought to be
    the motto of the modern United States military. You think you're right,
    and you're fighting your heart out for the sake of peace and freedom,
    and we thank you for it.
        Laura and I are honored to be here. We're
    honored to see this majestic place. I love the fact that parents can
    answer a child's question about ``Why fight?'' with this answer: These
    brave souls fought for freedom, they fought for liberty, and they fought
    to guarantee the rights given to us by our Creator. And that has been
    the history of our Armed Forces: brave folks, the mightiest defenders of
    those unalienable rights.
        So on behalf of a grateful nation, I thank our veterans for your
    service, for your commitment. May God bless you, and may God continue to
    bless the United States of America.

    Note: The President spoke at 12:27 p.m. In his remarks, he referred to
    Charles de Gunzburg and Richard Santulli, cochairmen, and Arnold Fisher,
    chairman emeritus, Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum board of trustees;
    Gov. David A. Paterson of New York; Christine C. Quinn, speaker, New
    York City Council; Bill White, president, Intrepid Sea, Air & Space
    Museum; television personality Vanna White; and entertainer John Rich.

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