[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 3 (Monday, January 20, 1997)]
[Pages 42-45]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on Presenting the Congressional Medal of Honor to African-
American Heroes of World War II

January 13, 1997

    The President. Secretary Perry, Secretary Brown, other members of 
the administration, General Shalikashvili and the members of the Joint 
Chiefs, General Powell, Senator Craig, Senator Kempthorne, Congressman 
Miller, the members of the families and friends of the medal recipients, 
and Mr. Vernon Baker. I'd like to begin by thanking Shaw University; its 
president, Talbert Shaw; and all the authors of the Shaw study on the 
nomination of outstanding African-American soldiers for the Medal of 
Honor in the United States Army during World War II.
    I also want to commend the Department of the Army officials, former 
and present, who commissioned this study and saw it through. Together, 
your support and painstaking research made this day possible. Without 
it, we would not be able to meet our obligation as a people to an 
extraordinary group of soldiers to whom we owe the great

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est debt. Because of the hard work you have done, history has been made 
whole today and our Nation is bestowing honor on those who have long 
deserved it.
    Fifty-two years ago on an August day, Harry Truman stood where I 
stand now and awarded 28 Medals of Honor to veterans of World War II in 
the largest such ceremony ever held. President Truman described those 
medal recipients as a great cross-section of the United States. ``These 
men love peace but are able to adjust themselves to the necessity of 
war,'' he said.
    I believe Harry Truman was one of our greatest Presidents. He had 
not a shred of discrimination in his bones. He integrated the Armed 
Forces. But that day, something was missing from his cross-section of 
America. No African-American who deserved the Medal of Honor for his 
service in World War II received it. Today we fill the gap in that 
picture and give a group of heroes, who also love peace but adapted 
themselves to war, the tribute that has always been their due. Now and 
forever, the truth will be known about these African-Americans who gave 
so much that the rest of us might be free.
    Today we recognize seven men as being among the bravest of the 
brave. Each of them distinguished himself with extraordinary valor in 
the famous words, ``at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call 
of duty.'' In the greatest struggle in human history they helped to lead 
the forces of freedom to victory. Their deeds remind us anew of the 
indomitable power of the human spirit. And they always will be 
remembered by men and women who cherish liberty.
    As recipients of the Medal of Honor, their names join the roles of 
America's heroes, along with Sergeant York, Eddie Rickenbacker, Jimmy 
Doolittle, Audie Murphy, General Robert Foley, and Senator Bob Kerrey 
and only some 3,400 Americans in the entire history of the United 
States.
    For these men, heroism was a habit. Ruben Rivers of Oklahoma was 
awarded a Silver Star while fighting in France in late 1944. A week 
later he was terribly wounded when his tank hit a mine. Refusing an 
order to withdraw, Sergeant Rivers took command of another tank. He 
radioed in, ``I see him. We'll fight him.'' And he kept on fighting 
until his second tank was hit and he was killed.
    Edward Carter, the son of missionaries, was crossing an open field 
in Germany when he was wounded five times. But Staff Sergeant Carter 
continued to advance, and when eight of the enemy tried to capture him, 
he killed six, took two prisoner and brought them back for 
interrogation. In the face of overwhelming danger, they never wavered.
    As he led a task force in France, Lieutenant Charles Thomas was 
wounded by intense fire. While helping others to find cover, he was 
wounded again and again and again. But he refused evacuation until he 
had made sure that his forces could return fire effectively.
    While scouting a forward position, Private First Class Willy James 
was pinned down for an hour. But he made his way back to his platoon, 
planned a counterattack, and volunteered to lead the assault and then 
was killed going to the aid of his wounded platoon leader. They were 
selfless.
    When Private George Watson's ship was attacked by enemy bombers, 
over and over and over again he helped others to make it to liferafts so 
that they might live, until he himself was so exhausted, he was pulled 
down by the tow of the sinking ship.
    When the enemy surged into a town in Italy and drove out our forces, 
Lieutenant John Fox volunteered to remain behind in an observation force 
post. He directed defensive artillery fire, and eventually he insisted 
that that artillery fire be aimed at his own position. He said, ``There 
are more of them than there are of us.'' The barrage he so bravely 
ordered killed him. And when our forces recovered the position, they 
found his riddled body among that of 100 German soldiers.
    One of these heroes is here today. In an assault on a mountain 
stronghold in Italy, Lieutenant Vernon Baker wiped out three enemy 
machine gun nests, an observer post, and a dugout. I must say that Mr. 
Baker has not quite abandoned doing the impossible. I learned before 
this ceremony that he is now 77 years young, but last year he got the 
better of a mountain lion that was stalking him. [Laughter] I was also 
very moved, as I'm sure many of you were, by the comments quoted in 
today's Washington Post--or last week

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end--about Mr. Baker's creed in life. He was asked how he bore up under 
the lack of respect and dignity and honor after all these years. And he 
said, ``Give respect before you expect it, treat people the way you want 
to be treated, remember the mission, set the example, keep going.'' 
Those are words for all of us.
    When Vernon Baker's commanding officer first wrote his award 
recommendation, he observed that Lieutenant Baker ``desperately wanted 
the men of his company to hold their ground and was willing to sacrifice 
his own life in an effort to win our battle.'' That passage was never 
forwarded. When Ruben Rivers died, no award recommendation was made for 
the deeds we remember today. It was felt that the Silver Star he had 
already been--he had been given already was reward enough for a black 
man.
    But when victory was complete in World War II, our Government made a 
pledge to correct cases in which Medals of Honor were deserved but not 
awarded. Today America honors that pledge. On behalf of the United 
States Congress, I award the Medal of Honor, our Nation's highest 
military award, to Vernon Baker; Edward Carter, Jr.; John Fox; Willy F. 
James, Jr.; Ruben Rivers; Charles Thomas; and George Watson.
    A soldier who receives the Medal of Honor usually needs no further 
description. But we must remember something else here today. These 
heroes distinguish themselves in another almost unique way. In the 
tradition of African-Americans who have fought for our Nation as far 
back as Bunker Hill, they were prepared to sacrifice everything for 
freedom even though freedom's fullness was denied to them.
    We remember Edward Carter, who unsuccessfully requested combat duty 
for 3 years, because until 1944 African-Americans were not allowed into 
action. When his request was finally granted, it was at the cost of his 
sergeant's stripes, because an African-American was not allowed to 
command white troops. Now those injustices are past.
    Our military is among the most integrated institutions in America, a 
beacon to society, and among the most successful, for America is 
stronger than ever. In the service of General Colin Powell, General 
Benjamin Davis, General Chappie James, and countless other outstanding 
African-Americans, we see the enormous strength that America's diversity 
has given us. The men we honor here today help to make their historic 
progress possible. They were denied their Nation's highest honor, but 
their deeds could not be denied and they cleared the way to a better 
world.
    Today, America is profoundly thankful for the patriotism and the 
nobility of these men and for the example they set, which helped us to 
find the way to become a more just, more free nation. They helped 
America to become more worthy of them and more true to its ideals.
    To the families of the recipients who are gone, may you take comfort 
in the honor that has finally been done to your loved ones. And may God 
embrace their souls. And God bless you, Vernon Baker, and God bless 
America.
    Commander, post the orders.

[At this point, Comdr. John Richardson, USN, read the citations, and Lt. 
Col. Michael G. Mudd, USA, assisted the President in presenting the 
medals.]

    The President. I think it might be an appropriate way to close to 
say that when I gave Mr. Watson's medal to the Sergeant Major of the 
Army, he looked at it and smiled and he said, ``This is indicative of 
the type of soldiers we have today, a group of people in our military, 
men and women, that really do reflect the vast and rich texture of our 
Nation.''
    As we adjourn, I would like to pay special respect to the other 
African-Americans who are here who are now or have been in uniform, to 
the other Medal of Honor winners who are here, and to all of you who 
have worked so that this day might become a reality. And to all of you 
again I say, your Nation thanks you, and God bless you.
    Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 11:12 a.m. in the East Room at the White 
House.

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