Transcripts For CSPAN2 Joint 20240705

America and may god continue to bless all of those that still fight for freedom. Thank you very much. [applause] thank you for that introduction. Thank you all those that you represent today and every day that you and your generation that haveti given us the freedos that we enjoy. Secretary austin, sec. Defense,y defense, thank you for your leadership and your time today. Ambassador, i think youpo as wel the great representative of the United States thank you for your leadership and for your continued support of the United States military and thank you senator nelson for leading our airspace administration and nask and also a great veteran yourself, senator nelson, thank you, all the generals and admirals here, thank you all. [inaudible] i think everyone here for gathering today in memory of one of the most important military days in history on the 79th anniversary of dday and most of all, we thank these men and Women Veterans of world war ii, thank you, each of you for your service and sacrifice. [applause] today we honor more than 150,000 allied soldiers who stormed the beaches of normandy 79 years ago. Today is a profound significance inva the history of the world fr the liberation of france allied forces prepared for the invasion for two full years. This operation was enormous. 24,000 allied paratroopers in theed infantry on the morning of the sixth of june, 1944. 6,000 ships carried soldiers on 15mile why utah, omaha, their names forever etched in our memories inch by 20inch across the beaches. Ordinary soldiers but exceptional in every way. Danny thompson had 24 missions executing one of the last Missions Prior to normandy had 500 bullets and pieces of shrapnel of which [inaudible] danny is with us today with multiple purple hearts. Thank you. [applause] Sergeant Harris the famous second battalion in the regimen who recently assigned to the 101st Airborne Division exited an aircraft 16 minutes after midnight began the airborne assault. He was killed in action 1944 for the 101st Airborne Division but he too is with us today. And ordinary soldier but exceptional in every way. The Staff Sergeant troy miller, infantry regiment the beaches [inaudible] he later jumped in and fought in the battle and survived the war and is with us today. Sergeant charles, second battalion 16th regimen in the Infantry Division who made it in the first wave. From the bombing to the air assault, they were ordinary soldiers. They were exceptional human beings. Lets never forget the men and women that american. The assault landings on dday. The other side of the world. For the Fourth Marine Division against the japanese. And now the landing at normandy, the marines 1944. He too is with us today. The Eastern Front middle east and italy for rome was liberated just two days prior to landing in normandy. All of these soldiers, all were ordinary men and women, everyone. They face bravery in the war against tyranny. When in cemeteries 9000 american souls on the summer of 1944. We bear witness to the threats to freedom americans and so many others gave their lives in combat thousands of miles with her birthplace. They gave their lives for others they did not even know who would remain free. They gave their lives for us. For you and i way to live free. Freedom are never guaranteed. They must be guarded and sometimes fought for. There are so precious few remaining today of the. They fought in the great world war. Saving millions of lives. And they thought for a better piece so that all of us could remain free. We are now approaching the 80th year of the great power of peace they fought. Two years ago i talked with a veteran. He, like many veterans was in a wheelchair. Hed been to the beaches here in normandy. I asked him what his biggest lesson was from world war ii. I expect them to me some sort of a glance he did not. His eyes teared up any looked at me from his wheelchair and said tgeneral, never let it happen again. Never let it happen again. So here we are on omaha beach. We can never bring back the fallen, but we must always honor them and remember their sacrifice. We can do that by defending the idea of america. We can uphold the cause for which they died. To ensure successful to win the battle we stand. We have a duty. We have a duty to Carry Forward this democracy so each d generation can enjoy the blessings of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happyness that t these veterans had given to us as their greatest gift. May god bless our fallen and their families. I may god bless each and every one of you. They half 2. 1 million american soldiers, airmen, marines, and guardsmen, i salute you. [applause] on this day in 1984 then president Ronald Reagan also delivered remarks in normandy to mark the 40th anniversary of the dday anniversary. During his speech discuss the allied victory in world war ii and points o