    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 124, 111th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    PROCLAMATION 8582--OCT. 8, 2010

    Proclamation 8582 of October 8, 2010
    General Pulaski Memorial Day, 2010
    By the President of the United States of America
    A Proclamation

    From before our Nation's founding until today, daring individuals have
    fought to defend America with unwavering devotion. Casimir Pulaski was a
    Polish patriot, yet he laid down his life in defense of American
    independence during the Revolutionary War. Each year, on October 11,
    Americans pause to remember this champion of liberty who fought
    valiantly for the freedom of Poland and the United States, and we
    proudly reflect upon our rich Polish-American heritage.
    As a young man, Brigadier General Casimir Pulaski witnessed the
    occupation of Poland by foreign troops and fought for his homeland's
    freedom, determined to resist subjugation. During his subsequent exile
    to France, he learned of our nascent struggle for independence, and
    volunteered his service to our cause. Pulaski arrived in America in 1777
    and served in the American Cavalry under the command of General George
    Washington. Valued for his vast military experience, General Pulaski led
    colonists on horseback with admirable skill, earning a reputation as the
    ``father of American Cavalry.'' Pulaski was mortally wounded during the
    siege of Savannah, and he died from his wounds on October 11, 1779.

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    General Pulaski's legacy survives in a long line of proud Polish
    Americans, who have arrived on our shores seeking freedom and
    opportunity and have served in our Armed Forces to defend our Nation.
    Polish Americans have carried with them values and traditions that have
    shaped our society, and their immeasurable contributions have
    strengthened our country. This proud community has been integral to our
    success as a Nation, and will play a prominent leadership role in the
    years ahead.
    General Pulaski wrote to our first President, ``I came here, where
    freedom is being defended, to serve it, and to live or die for it.'' We
    have never forgotten his sacrifice for our independence or his
    patriotism in defending freedom across two continents. Today, the people
    of the United States and Poland are bound by our solemn obligations to
    each other's security and our shared values, including a deep and
    abiding commitment to liberty, democracy, and human rights. On General
    Pulaski Memorial Day, we celebrate the early beginnings of our strong
    friendship, our lasting ties to the people of Poland, and our enduring
    commitment to a safer, freer, and more prosperous world.
    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 Monday, October 11,
    2010, 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 great Nation.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of
    October, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
    fifth.
    BARACK OBAMA