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For many years has performed. Standing service for the state of New York but for the men and women of our armed forces here is the president of the US of New York and I give you Mr William a watch. My fellow Americans. Twenty four years ago this afternoon. When I was traveling in the hills of northern New Jersey I heard the announcement about this infamous attack on Pearl Harbor and I knew that it meant. That some of my own children. Would be fighting in the war in the Pacific today twenty four years later I never thought. That I would be reading from a letter of a boy who was still. Fighting in the Pacific for our honor and glory and the defense of our freedom but I would just like to read from a letter of one of the boys. Who was in Vietnam and after writing this letter which his family received he was killed. Most of us if not all of us know that the whole world is watching this country that none of us even knew before. We all know it is a war that the stakes are high maybe higher than we can understand we also know there are no winners only losers. Some will die that others may live. The winners will come home again one day a little older a little haggard and battle wary but a lot wiser. There's will not be the victory of battle but the triumph of humility and an appreciation of life itself. Hold to be good and true and noble. If I should be a loser. My memory will live on and you and I will be part of a bigger memory and those who love what is right. If I lose. Please don't mourn but be proud that in my small way I won something for you and all those who love freedom. We're gathered here today to honor those who love freedom even as this boy did. I give you President. At this time I would like to play Bruce a. Certain distinguished guests. And I hope I have all of them that everybody here is distinguished but I may have missed on the tube as it's good to have been handed to me of those. On my right. To present for our new. Guests. He's a man in my right of veterans of Vietnam. Is a first term saboteur Kmita I worry you. All right there is. A. Second Air Force Captain Robert de camp can go. Their Staff Sergeant Moore United States Marines. For a second class Starkey prayer Rose United States Navy. Certain others do here and I think they'll be coming shortly. That's the mayor and the president city council. The distinguished look at General Thomas to get done commanded the first United States Army. Rear Admiral Redfield Mason United States Navy commander of the third naval history. Brigadier General de Galligan United States Air Force. Or Avlon Irving J. Stevens U.S. Coast Guard commander of the Third Coast Guard District. Colonel Victor are very shyly out United States rain guard. Admiral John J. Bergen United States Naval Reserve chairman of the U.S. Committee for Harbor Day ceremonies. And. Everyone we're going to has a right to play in this later. On at c. I'm playing by ear somewhat because it. Is tied up in one of these emergencies. But hear me out. And out we will hear from. A man who received. Our country's highest honor as a medic. It near the end theater of operation during the Second World War. Here's one of the few Congressional Medal of Honor winner still living I gave you a Thomas jail telling. Mission to pass and thank you. They had me down here for remarks I think my title is going to quote reminiscent. Of twenty four years ago I was returning from a football game with members of my neighborhood team when we heard of the bombing at Pearl Harbor. We suffered mixed emotions at the time but the one thing we know what happened was that our way of life was about to change. A short time later in one nine hundred forty two the team in mass came over here to board way into Wayne street to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. None of us were accepted. We had such disabilities as deviated septum. Course by a what we call parish activity that's for fighting on street corners. We had punctured it jumps caused by a mother's or father's backhand. Broken bones from jumping off trolley cars buses and running away from Home Alone alone mellow tracks. Some of us had Mal occlusion teeth because we didn't have enough money to buy braces. We were I guess typical American boys but we're not a one OK at the time but at least we were Americans. Well the Marines wouldn't have us we jogged down from doing street to thirty nine Whitehall and the Army had the net out just as they do today we were taken in mass and we're very proud of this. Were age seventeen to twenty one or averaging nineteen we say than average of three years mostly overseas mostly in combat and most of us returned home I came back with a medal of honor not for having killed many enemy soldiers but for having God's help in saving wounded Americans from dying at the hands of the enemy so I know what it's like to be in combat to be nineteen and about to die I believe I know too to some degree the feelings of a man serving in Vietnam today. So let's pretend you are listening to the thoughts of a G.I. who is there and must call the Stewarts a eulogy to a G.I.. He would probably say as follows. I am nineteen and don't want to die but I am not afraid to die. I hide my fear as others beside me hi Dennis I don't carry it on placards for the world to see. I am afraid but I am not a coward I read it died and become a coward. I kill the enemy so that he doesn't kill me and perhaps other people thousands of them throughout the world I believe I am a preserver of things I am a power for peace. Some people say that this killing is a mile I say X. amount of perspective it's whether you are here in Vietnam or marching to Washington to help keep from being in Vietnam I am here so that you can march so that you can have your rights you rely on the Constitution I defend it with my life I am nineteen and I'm about to die so that you might live. Demo space some model justification for my existence as I am your brother American and I am about to die so think of me in the coming holidays secure cured and the warmth of your home and the comfort of your family because of men like me be compassionate as you were of times I call up my mother and say to her merry Christmas happy holidays congratulations I just heard your son was killed today in Vietnam Good riddance to the American public I can only guess one question why you think less of me than you do of the Americans who died on December seventh one nine hundred forty one and in that war that followed why not remember me as you one of my previous ss and we who are nineteen and about to die will salute you Selwyn's my eulogy President Garfield once said the soil out of which such men to see are made is good to be born on good to live on good to die for and to be buried in thank you. My. Thank. You all the stakeout me I should have told you a bit here is president of the Congressional Medal Medal of Honor Society we have a distinguished. At all on this platform who will be the next speaker. Is not going to say away this is the single sailor who wears two hats. First she is the military representative. To the United Nations for the United States. And secondly. He is commander of these G. and C. from the eastern sea front here I give you the distinguished I sat in on John McCain. I'm going. To Mr Patterson. Members of the clergy need an honored guest from Viet Nam ladies and gentlemen. We're here today to commemorate. Pearl Harbor Day. On which day two thousand four hundred three on the finest of American manhood lost their lives on that sneak attack committed by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor at that time and this Tad tack. Also mobilized a great portion of the United States flag and I don't know how many standing here can remember that day but I can remember well myself because at that time I had command of a U.S. submarine operating out of New London Connecticut it was on Sunday afternoon shortly after one o'clock and I was driving back from the submarine base when the news came over the radio on the car in the car and as you can well imagine it came as a shock. Now I'm particularly pleased that we do have these fine young Representatives American manhood on this platform today who have just returned from Van now because I would like to say to you it is the line you have the highest sacrifice in an individual can give to his country as his life on Pearl Harbor Day. That has made it possible for those many of them just say the least appear to need a bath and certainly all of the NATO. Can go throughout this country making a statement that they're making in connection with the fight for freedom it is now going on in Southeast Asia and again to get these honored guests sitting on this platform who have come back from a situation were saying it pretty been face to face with death and they know the emotional strain of such a situation and they are more than aware of the benefits that derive in a democratic country such as ours when they protect it come back and realize what they have been fighting for over there and how well it stands up in this world of turmoil and uncertainty that we live in today. And it is a privilege and honor. That I pay tribute to those who went before us who have made possible the thanks that we can now Joy in this country today and the sacrifices which are now being made in Viet Nam and connection with the father of this great nation the United States of America thank you and God bless you. Thank you very much I know OK. Next. Speaker and. Final speaker. Is a man. Who has. Served abroad on active duty in the Air Force and World War two as a colonel. In. The Air Force. He happens to be at the moment the chief executive of the city of New York and I'm honored to give you my wife. Very much Ambassador Patterson ever members of the clergy. Are. Staying with guess here members of the forces and friends. A few minutes ago the Coast Guard cutter harming cut out its engines just south of the Verizon zero Narrows Bridge. There after a solemn ceremony a commemorative reef was cast on the water have a volley was fired and taps was blown. This moment that wreath is floating down the lower Harbor and out to sea. That was a moving appropriate and traditional way to commemorate a tragic day in another Hava five thousand miles away and twenty four hears from here and now. As a way of honoring the men and women who died that day and who have died in other places and other was defending this country and further of reminding ourselves that the fight for freedom will not be finally won until there is no man left on earth who is denied his freedom and further of honoring everyone who is presently serving our country in outposts around the world we are gathered here today. The presence as we know among us for veterans of the fighting in Vietnam. Gives special emphasis to the fact that our patience steadfastness courage and willingness to defend our way of life are still being tested. Thus it is in honor of the living who face danger daily as well as the dead who are now past or honk at the City of New York joins with the U.S.O. and the combined military forces in observing this anniversary and reflecting on its meaning. As witness of rededication to the cause of freedom and justice for all I have proclaimed today December the seventh as Pearl Harbor anniversary day in New York City and doing so I request all citizens of the city to join in reverence for our heroic dead and prayer that one day soon there will be no more was and that all men can live in honorable peace and I'm delighted to present this proclamation to you Mr. Adam Bergen will you this is entirely impromptu but I'm going to ask the jam and he's the chairman of this fellow have a day pass and say something. Oh. All I can say is thank you very very much. You Mr Mayor Patterson and again thank you. Thank you no thank you Mr Mayor. Joining us Mr Mayor with the information you sent word that you wanted to say cancel beach for a Viet-Nam man of just returned and they were introduced. By the foreign minister. Parade marshal lieutenant colonel. Right if you will proceed with a recession or we will conclude depart Arbor Day Sam omission I thank you all for coming. Today I'd. Like for your.