[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 48 (Monday, December 3, 2007)]
[Pages 1529-1530]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

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The President's Radio Address

November 24, 2007

    Good morning. This week, our Nation celebrated Thanksgiving. 
American families and friends gathered together to express gratitude for 
all that we have been given. We give thanks for the freedoms we enjoy. 
We give thanks for the loved ones who enrich our lives. And we give 
thanks for the many gifts that come from this prosperous land. 
Thanksgiving is a time when we acknowledge that all of these things, and 
life itself, come not from the hand of man, but from Almighty God.
    Earlier this week, I visited Berkeley Plantation in Virginia. The 
story of this historic setting goes back nearly four centuries to 
another day of thanks. In 1619, a band of 38 settlers departed Bristol, 
England, for Berkeley. At the end of their long voyage, the men reviewed 
their orders from home. The orders said, quote, ``The day of our ship's 
arrival . . . shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of 
thanksgiving to Almighty God.'' In response, the men fell to their knees 
in prayer. And with this humble act of faith, the settlers celebrated 
their first Thanksgiving in the New World.
    Berkeley's settlers remind us that giving thanks has been an 
American tradition from the beginning. At this time of year, we also 
remember the Pilgrims at Plymouth who gave thanks after their first 
harvest in New England. We remember George Washington, who led his men 
in Thanksgiving during the American Revolution. We remember Abraham 
Lincoln, who revived the Thanksgiving tradition in the midst of a 
terrible civil war.
    Throughout our history, Americans have always taken time to give 
thanks for all those whose sacrifices protect and strengthen our Nation. 
We continue that tradition today, and we give thanks for a new 
generation of patriots who are defending our liberty around the world. 
We are grateful to all our men and women in uniform who are spending 
this holiday weekend far from their families. We keep them in our 
thoughts and prayers. And we especially remember those who have given 
their lives in our Nation's defense.
    One of these brave Americans was Lieutenant Michael Murphy. In June 
2005, this officer gave his life in defense of his fellow Navy SEALs. 
Michael was conducting surveillance on a mountain ridge in Afghanistan, 
when his four-man SEAL team was surrounded by a much larger enemy force. 
Their only escape was down the side of the mountain. The SEALs launched 
a valiant counterattack while cascading from cliff to cliff. But as the 
enemy closed in, Michael recognized that the survival of his men 
depended on calling back to base for reinforcements.
    With complete disregard for his own life, Michael Murphy moved into 
a clearing where he could get a signal. As he made the call, Michael 
fell under heavy fire. Though severely wounded, he said thank you before 
signing off and returned to the fight. His heroism cost him his life and 
earned him our Nation's highest decoration for valor, the Medal of 
Honor. This weekend, we give thanks for the blessings of young Americans 
like Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who risk their own lives to keep us 
safe.
    We're also blessed by the many other Americans who serve a cause 
larger than themselves. Each day, our Nation's police and firefighters 
and emergency responders and faith-based and community volunteers 
dedicate their time to serving others. While we were enjoying our 
Thanksgiving turkeys, tens of thousands of these men and women were on 
the job, keeping their fellow citizens safe and bringing hope and 
compassion to our brothers and sisters in need. And their sacrifice 
reminds us that the true strength of our Nation is the goodness and 
decency of our people.

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    Since America's first Thanksgiving, we have changed in many ways. 
Our population has grown. Our people have prospered. And we have become 
a great beacon of hope and freedom for millions around the world. 
Despite these changes, the source of all our blessings remains the same. 
We are grateful to the Author of Life who blessed our Nation's first 
days, who strengthened America in times of trial and war, and who 
watches over us today.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 2 p.m. on November 20 at Camp David, 
MD, for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on November 24. The transcript was made 
available by the Office of the Press Secretary on November 23 but was 
embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office of the Press 
Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of this address.