[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 129, 114th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9303 of July 24, 2015

National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, 2015

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Throughout history, the United States has stood as a powerful force for
freedom and democracy around the world. In the face of tyranny and
oppression, generations of patriots have fought to secure peace and
prosperity far from home. And in 1950, as Communist armies crossed the
38th parallel just 5 years after the end of World War II, courageous
Americans deployed overseas once again to stand with a people they had
never met in defense of a cause in which they both believed. On National
Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, we honor all those who sacrificed for
freedom's cause throughout 3 long years of war, and we reaffirm our
commitment to the security of the Republic of Korea and the values that
unite our nations.
Often outnumbered and outgunned, nearly 1.8 million Americans fought
through searing heat and piercing cold to roll back the tide of
Communism. The members of our Armed Forces endured some of the most
brutal combat in modern history; many experienced unimaginable torment
in POW camps, and nearly 37,000 gave their last full measure of
devotion. Their sacrifice pushed invading armies back across the line
they had dared to cross and secured a hard-earned victory.
The Korean War reminds us that when we send our troops into battle, they
deserve the support and gratitude of the American people--especially
once they come home. We must make it our mission to serve all our
veterans as well as they have served us, always giving them the respect,
care, and opportunities they have earned. And we will never stop working
to fulfill our obligations to our fallen heroes and their families. To
this day, more than 7,800 Americans are still missing from the Korean
War, and the United States will not rest until we give these families a
full accounting of their loved ones.

[[Page 3404]]

Today, the Republic of Korea enjoys a thriving democracy and a bustling
economy, and the legacy of our Korean War veterans continues on in the
50 million South Koreans who live with liberty and opportunity. The
United States is proud to stand with our partner in Asian security and
stability, and our commitment to our friend and ally will never waver--a
promise embodied by our servicemen and women who fought from the Chosin
Reservoir to Heartbreak Ridge and Pork Chop Hill, and by every American
since who has stood sentinel on freedom's frontier.
No war should ever be forgotten, and no veteran should ever be
overlooked. Today, on the anniversary of the Military Armistice
Agreement that ended the Korean War, let us remember how liberty held
its ground in the face of tyranny and how free peoples refused to yield.
And most of all, let us give thanks to all those whose service and
sacrifice helped to secure the blessings of freedom.
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 July 27, 2015, as
National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day. I call upon all Americans to
observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities that honor
our distinguished Korean War veterans.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth day
of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand fifteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
fortieth.
BARACK OBAMA