[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 6 (Monday, February 14, 2000)]
[Pages 247-249]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on Presenting the Congressional Medal of Honor
to Alfred Rascon

February 8, 2000

    The President. Colonel, thank you for that prayer. General Hicks, 
Secretary Cohen, Secretary West, Secretary Richardson, Secretary 
Caldera, General Shelton, General Ralston, members of the Joint Chiefs, 
all the Members of Congress who are here--and we have quite a 
distinguished array of them. We thank them all for coming. I'd like to 
ask the Members of Congress who are here to stand so you'll see how many 
we have. We're very grateful to you for your presence here. Thank you.
    When the Medal of Honor was conceived in 1861, some Americans 
actually worried that it might be a bad thing, that the medals would be 
seen as somehow too aristocratic, and that there was no need for them in 
a genuinely democratic society. Today, we award the Medal of Honor, 
secure in the knowledge that people like Alfred Rascon have kept our 
democracy alive all these years.
    We bestow the medal knowing that America would not have survived 
were it not for people like him, who, generation after generation, have 
always renewed the extraordinary gift of freedom for their fellow 
citizens.
    Under any circumstances, a Medal of Honor ceremony is an event of 
great importance. Today it is especially so: for the rare quality of 
heroism on display that long-ago day in 1966; for the long, patient wait 
for recognition; for Alfred's decision to devote his life both before 
and after 1966 to a nation he was not born in.
    Alfred Rascon was born in Mexico on September 10, 1945, just 8 days 
after the formal surrender ending World War II. When he was very young, 
his parents came to America for a better chance. They ended up in 
Oxnard, north of Los Angeles. And when 
Alfred started grade school, he still spoke not

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a word of English. He grew up near three military bases and fell in love 
with the Armed Forces. At the advanced age of 7, wanting to do his part 
to defend America, he built a homemade parachute and jumped off the roof 
of his house. [Laughter] Unfortunately, in his own words, the chute had 
a ``total malfunction''--[laughter]--and he broke his wrist.
    But as usual, he was undeterred. Soon he graduated from high school 
and enlisted in the United States Army. Appropriately, he became a medic 
for a platoon of paratroopers, the first of the 503d Airborne Battalion 
of the 173d Airborne Brigade. He explained, ``I wanted to give back 
something to this country and its citizens for the opportunities it had 
given me and my parents. Those paratroopers who served with me in the 
reconnaissance platoon knew nothing of my immigrant status. It was never 
an issue. They simply knew me as Doc.''
    Alfred's platoon was sent to Vietnam in May of 1965, part of the 
first Army combat unit there. On March 16th, 1966, they were in Long 
Khanh Province, helping another platoon that was pinned down by the 
enemy. In his words, it was ``10 minutes of pure hell.''
    In the middle of an intense firefight,
Alfred was everywhere. While attending to a fatally wounded machine 
gunner, Private William Thompson, he was hit with shrapnel and shot in 
the hip. The bullet went parallel to his spine and came out by his 
shoulder. Ignoring his own wounds, he then brought desperately needed 
ammo to another machine gunner, Private Larry Gibson. Several grenades 
then landed nearby. One of them ripped his mouth open. When he saw 
another land near Private Neil Haffey, he covered him with his body, 
absorbing the brunt of the blast. Yet another grenade landed near 
Sergeant Ray Compton, and Alfred covered him, too. Then, barely able to 
walk, bleeding from his ears and nose, he ran to recover a machine gun 
that the enemy was about to capture. The extra firepower kept the enemy 
from advancing, and Alfred Rascon saved his platoon.
    Through this extraordinary succession of courageous acts, he never 
gave a single thought to himself, except, he admits, for the instant 
when the grenade exploded near his face and he thought, ``Oh, God, my 
good looks are gone.'' [Laughter] I'm not much of an expert, but I would 
say you were wrong about that, Captain. [Laughter] You look just fine 
here today.
    On that distant day, in that faraway place, this man gave everything 
he had, utterly and selflessly, to protect his platoon mates and the 
Nation he was still not yet a citizen of. Later he said with 
characteristic modesty, ``I did it because I had to do it, and that's 
all there is to it.'' He said, ``I don't consider myself a hero. Anybody 
in combat would do the same thing for their buddies and friends. We were 
all colorblind. We were all different nationalities. The important thing 
is that we were Americans fighting for America.''
    I want to stop just for a moment to salute all the other Americans 
who did that in Vietnam. We want to honor you today, along with Alfred. 
Many of you were there with him. And I'd like for all of you to stand 
or, if you can't stand, lift your arms and be recognized. We want to 
acknowledge you today, please. [Applause]
    Alfred Rascon was so badly wounded that day he was actually given 
last rites. After a long convalescence, he pulled through, and he 
continued to serve his country. He became a citizen in 1967. He rejoined 
the Army as an officer. In 1972 he volunteered for a second tour in 
Vietnam. And in 1983 he began working for the Justice Department. Today, 
he is the Inspector General of the Selective Service System, helping to 
make sure that others will be there to defend America as he did.
    Looking at his lifetime of service to our Nation, it would be hard 
to imagine a better definition of citizenship. So I would like to also 
take a moment, sir, to thank your parents, Alfredo and Andrea, for 
teaching their son the values of good citizenship. And we would all like 
to welcome your wife, Carol, and your children, Amanda and Alan. They 
must be so very proud of you today. We welcome you here.
    Now, here's a story of how we all came here. Alfred Rascon was given 
a Silver Star for his valor that day in 1966. But the request for his 
Medal of Honor somehow got lost in a thicket of redtape. His platoon 
mates persisted, showing as much loyalty to him as

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he had shown to them. Thanks to them, after 34 years, I am proud to 
present you with our Nation's highest honor.
    Since the creation of the Medal of Honor, roughly one in five of 
them have been awarded to immigrants. Today, there are over 60,000 
immigrants protecting the United States in our military.
    Alfred was once asked why he volunteered to join and to go to 
Vietnam when he was not even a citizen. And he said, ``I was always an 
American in my heart.''
    Alfred Rascon, today we honor you as you have honored us, by your 
choice to become an American and your courage in reflecting the best of 
America. You said that you summoned your courage for your platoon 
because ``you've got to take care of your people.'' That's a pretty good 
credo for all the rest of us, as well.
    On behalf of all Americans, and especially on behalf of your platoon 
members who are here today, I thank you for what you mean to our 
country. Thank you for what you gave that day and what you have given 
every day since. Thank you for reminding us that being American has 
nothing to do with the place of your birth, the color of your skin, the 
language of your parents, or the way you worship God. Thank you for 
living the enduring American values every day. Thank you for doing 
something that was hard because no one else was there to do it. Thank 
you for looking out for people when no one else could be there for them.
    You have taught us once again that being American has nothing to do 
with the place of birth, racial, ethnic origin, or religious faith. It 
comes straight from the heart. And your heart, sir, is an extraordinary 
gift to your country.
    Commander, please read the citation.

[At this point, Comdr. Michael M. Gilday, USN, Navy Aide to the 
President, read the citations, and the President presented the medal. 
Alfred Rascon made brief remarks.]

    The President. I want to thank you all again for being here today 
and invite you to join our honoree and his family in a reception in the 
State Dining Room at the end of the hall. Thank you very much, and 
welcome. But don't leave until we have the benediction. [Laughter]
    General Hicks.

Note: The President spoke at 2:35 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Lt. Col. Frank Vavrin, USA (Ret.), 
Chaplain Corps, 503d Airborne Battalion, who gave the invocation; and 
Brig. Gen. David Hicks, USA, Deputy Chief of Chaplains. The transcript 
released by the Office of the Press Secretary also included the remarks 
of Alfred Rascon.