    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 133, 116th Congress, 1st Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Proclamation 9947 of October 10, 2019

    General Pulaski Memorial Day, 2019

    By the President of the United States of America

    A Proclamation

    On General Pulaski Memorial Day, we remember Brigadier General Casimir
    Pulaski, the great Polish hero who fought and died in America's noble
    pursuit of freedom during the Revolutionary War. We honor his bravery
    and unwavering commitment to liberty and self-government, and we pay
    tribute to the abiding friendship between the United States and Poland,
    which has prevailed since General Pulaski took up the sword on behalf of
    the American cause and helped forge our young Republic.
    Throughout his military career, General Pulaski was renowned for his
    gallantry and skill on the battlefield. He fought courageously against
    the Russian Empire as Poland sought to secure its own freedom from
    foreign tyranny in the anti-Russian insurrection of 1768. Later, in
    1777, that same conviction impelled him to journey to the United States
    and join General George Washington's Continental Army. At the Battle of
    Brandywine, Pulaski successfully covered the retreat of Washington's
    troops and saved the life of the future first President of the United
    States. To show his gratitude, Washington promoted Pulaski to Brigadier
    General and entrusted him to lead his own independent cavalry unit,
    ``the Pulaski Legion,'' which included both American and foreign-born
    soldiers. This famous and formidable fighting force cemented Pulaski's
    status as the ``Father of the American Cavalry.''
    On October 11, 1779, Pulaski made the ultimate sacrifice for our Nation
    when he succumbed to battle wounds that were inflicted during an attempt
    to retake the city of Savannah from British forces two days earlier.
    Although he did not live to see the British surrender at Yorktown, his
    indispensable role in advancing the American quest for self-governance
    is uniquely part of our country's history. His undaunted spirit will
    forever be preserved in the hearts of those who take up the fight for
    liberty.
    General Pulaski's tremendous legacy of fighting for freedom and
    democratic principles continues to inspire us today. His name is forever
    enshrined next to such luminaries as Winston Churchill and Mother
    Theresa as one of eight individuals in the history of our country to
    have received the distinction of Honorary Citizen from the Congress of
    the United States.
    As we celebrate General Pulaski as a great hero of our Nation, we are
    reminded of the bonds that unite the United States and Poland. The
    longstanding and enduring friendship of our two countries is
    strengthened and renewed each day by the more than 9 million people of
    Polish descent who are citizens of the United States. We greatly cherish
    the cultural, economic, and security ties that bind us, and we look
    forward to a fruitful relationship in the years and decades to come.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, 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 October 11, 2019, as
    General Pulaski Memorial Day. I encourage all Americans

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    to commemorate on this occasion those who have contributed to the
    furthering of our Nation.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of
    October, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
    fourth.
    DONALD J. TRUMP