Remarks by Tom Ridge at a Veterans Day Parade in Media, Pennsylvania

Release Date: 11/11/04 00:00:00

Media, Pennsylvania
November 11, 2004
(Remarks as Prepared)

Governor Rendell, Congressman Weldon, Bob Casey, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for inviting me to join you on this very special day.  

And to the men of “Easy Company” – Dick, Forrest, Bill, Babe and Ed – what an honor it is for all of us to be in your company this afternoon.  

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to meet with some of you at the premiere of Band of Brothers in Philadelphia. At that time, the great costs of freedom, costs that are borne most heavily by the men and women of our armed services and their families, had faded in the minds of many.

Freedom was an ideal that we took for granted, and heroes were individuals we found in our sports arenas. And yet, September 11th was a stark reminder that freedom is an ideal we must be vigilant to preserve, an ideal worth fighting for, and that the men and women who have served the cause of freedom are America's surest heroes.

Those heroes include Dick Winters, who led the assault that made the landing at Utah Beach possible.  They include the men of his company, some here today, who parachuted behind enemy lines and fought valiantly across France and Holland to defeat Hitler's armies.  They include the men who fell behind, the men who paid the ultimate price so that our freedom, our way of life, our country, would endure.

One of the hallmarks of the "Band of Brothers" was each soldier’s dedication to one another, each soldier’s willingness to put the unit above the individual, a fellow soldier above self.  There are lessons to draw from such character and commitment...an enormous height of strength and resolve and fellowship that can teach as well as inspire.

Today, at podiums around the country – people will give speeches about our collective debt to our fellow citizens who have served. In classrooms and lecture halls, teachers will offer lessons in leadership and stories of sacrifice. This weekend, in places of worship, prayers will be offered – and answered – for the safe return of courageous soldiers.

And tonight, around dinner tables, grateful Americans will thank the many brave mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, friends and families, who have taken our flag into battle around the world and brought it – and themselves – home safely.

These are important tributes, no matter what form they take. However, as we pause to extend our gratitude – as we should – we must not forget to listen as well. For the ability to listen is the often unexplored prize of Veterans Day. Unlike Memorial Day, when we mourn the loss of those who have paid the ultimate price for our liberty, Veterans Day allows us to listen and learn from those who served at the side of those fallen heroes, who walked in line behind them or in front, who patrolled the same jungles, who endured the same deserts, who held them in their arms to say goodbye.

Our veterans are thankful for the recognition they receive today. But they also have much to share with those of us at the podium, at the blackboard and at the dining room table. Some memories can only be known to the soldiers who shared them, but others are critical lessons that must inform our private thoughts and our public discourse.

My father, who enlisted in the United States Navy and was on a ship in the South China Sea in World War Two, never hesitated to share how that experience shaped his views. In doing so, of course, he helped shape mine as well.

When I went to Vietnam, my father wrote me a letter every single day – unbelievable really.

He didn't always write about big things; sometimes the letter was only a couple of sentences, and once it was a play-by-play of the Super Bowl. No matter what the content, I loved those letters. He sent them because he understood. The more we all understand about the sacrifices that come with military service, the better job we can do of making every day a tribute to our veterans and of taking every opportunity to listen.

There is, of course, so much to hear – more and more with each passing observance of this day.

We have a new generation of veterans to listen to now, those who have returned with desert sand in their boots, those who have walked mountainous miles searching caves, those who have been weathered by distant seas.

Like their predecessors, they have American freedom in their hearts. They have lessons to share.  They have seen a new world and fought a new war. Never has it been more important to listen to them. They have a keen grasp of lands and peoples that we struggle to understand. And they know the names and faces of their comrades in arms who are still on the front lines of the war on terror.

We are privileged and thrilled that some of these fighting men and women are with us today.  On behalf of President and Mrs. Bush, on behalf of veterans everywhere, on behalf of a grateful nation – Soldiers:  Thank you.  And welcome home.  

America's brave soldiers are the finest in the world.  God bless them all.

As you all know, when the Twin Towers fell, and the Pentagon burned, and the wreckage of Flight 93 scattered across a field in Shanksville – war came to our shores, and we all began to understand the experience of veterans a little bit better. And while the unease of battle gave way to the comfort of routine, no one will soon forget the experience.

As veterans of that battle, we must remember the pain and suffering we felt that day. As veterans of that battle, we must remember the patriotism and self-sacrifice that emerged. And as veterans of that battle, we must – and will – support those who still fight the war.

It's important to note that, while some combatants in the war on terror wear military fatigues, some wear different uniforms – a fireman's jacket, a nurse's scrubs, a policeman's hat. Some wear badges, pins, and patches that identify them as members of the Department of Homeland Security.

I listen to them and their efforts tell a great story about the level of security in our homeland. The Department continues to work hard every day to reach the high standard of readiness and protection to which the President has called us and the American people are entitled.

It's been three years since 9-11, three years since a nation went from unprecedented grief to unprecedented guard.

By now, terrorists should know: America will never surrender our freedom. There will be no farewell to service , no parting to our long-held devotion to country. Not on our watch. Not ever.

Americans do not live in fear. We live in freedom. And we will never let that freedom go.

By fighting the fight against terrorism, America is keeping this pledge – one made by every generation of veterans.

And today, we are keeping a pledge made to every generation of veterans. That we will not cast aside, that we will not diminish, that we will not forget their sacrifices – or those who never returned to feel the warmth of a Veterans Day salute.

And so, we say blessed are the valiant men of "Easy Company."  Blessed are generations of soldiers who have served with the same spirit and devotion. For today, thanks to good soldiers and good souls, we are citizens of a strong, free and great nation.

Here, liberty is not an ideal; it is an indivisible cause. A way of life so prized that, for generations, we have pledged all we are and all we hope to be to its preservation. And why is that so?

Because out of the difficulties of battle, out of centuries of conflict and even peace, we have learned: Freedom is not a given. It is a bugle call, hundreds of years old. Let us continue to heed it. Let us fight as if the whole struggle depended on each one of us alone. But let us know that we are all in this together.

Again, thank you for your kind invitation to join you today.

To be among my fellow veterans, to be among my fellow Pennsylvanians, is to be among friends. I thank you for that friendship, for your service and sacrifice, and for the unyielding honor and support you continue to bestow your country, and the great state of Pennsylvania.

May God bless our soldiers and our veterans this and every day.  May God bless you all. And may God continue to bless the freest, greatest, most treasured place to call home – our home – the United States of America.

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