This is about an hour. Good evening. Welcome to the library of congress. Were here e, and for an historical occasion to reintroduce after a lapse of 55 years, the Armed Services editions and especially idea of distributing free books to our servicemen and veterans. To our in other words, on the initiative of Andrew Carroll a m i will introduce in moment, we are launching a great big book giveaway. Original Armed Services as they are ses called, were part of a cooperative venture between the Publishing Industry and the u. S. Government that took place between 1943 and 1947. In these years, the government istributed to american servicemen and women nearly 123 1,322 n copies of the popular titles that were published in the series. Included bestselling iction, classics, mysteries, history, poetry, westerns, and even reference books. Of these see many books in the small exhibit as hall ave the electric tonight. The exhibit is located just outside of the door. What i will understand mean when i say that these flat, books heres an example of one, had a special that i think endeared them to the Publishing Community and publishers for the to work with the government. Theres a photograph of the hard bound for sale copy of the book the front of each of these bounds. Paper cast s Sinclair Lewis timber lain a novel of husbands and wives. This is ases, this is the ignificance, introduced hundreds of thousands of u. S. Servicemen and women to reading for the first time. Tonight from r me,st lady barbara excuse laura bush. Had enter for the book has both barbara and laura bush as our chairperson in the reading campaigns. What happens to me when i start thinking about the readingloving bush family. Were grateful to all of them. Is also honorary chairperson as i said of our Reading Promotion Campaign and National Book festival, which she chairs and congress ibrary of sponsors and which we are planning to have that have not yet officially announced for october of this year. Im pleased to send greetings as you gather in the library of participate in the launching of the project. When mr. Andrew carroll legacy d me about the project and its aims, i became n immediate and enthusiastic supporter. My father served in the 104th world war vision in ii and hes one of the young soldiers who eagerly awaited the ext shipment of Armed Services editions to come his way. Im thrilled that the legacy reinitiating the publication and distribution of can just imagine in the smiles this endeavor will ring to the faces of our troops. I applaud mr. Carrolls nitiative in directing the project and collecting and compiling the war letters. Learly the request for letters from all of the countrys wars struck a responsive chord in people. Ds of im sure youll enjoy hearing a sampling of the letters read and i encourage you to spread the word about the excellent effort. Bush. Est wishes, laura lets applaud to that. Of congress has its own complementary and young veterans project. 2000, the u. S. Congress voted unanimously to create the veterans history located in the librarys american folk life center. The ission is to collect memories, accounts, and documents from war veterans from ii, and r i, world war the korean, vietnam, and persian the wars and to preserve stories of excellence in service for future generations. Speakers, ghts senator hagel and former senator dole are members of the fivestar advisory council. Brochures describing this available in the antiroom. They also describe its Partnership Program and i would to ask the director of the project project aaron lovell stand. If you like more information or have questions, see ellen or one f her colleagues at the reception which will follow tonights program. Ellen. Nk you, as laura bush and the wa post his morning noted, an group carroll is the mastermind behind war roject in the book letters extraordinary correspondence from american ars published in paper back and sold at the reception tonight. An dip wanted me to mention that all of the proceeds of the sales to veterans and other charitable groups. Ndy wears many hats, including one as the director of the american poetry and literacy project. Wearing his hes hat as director of the legacy roject, a National Effort to collect and preserve american war letters. To introduce tonights program, pleased to present Andrew Carroll. [ applause ] good evening. Thank you to those of you who came out, particularly those of long distancesed to be here. Im thankful to john cole and the one at the center of book. I have barraged them over the ast several months with an endless stream of anxious faxes, emails, phone calls, there are are less who demanding than ive been. They have been a joy to work with. I appreciate them. This is historic and all the more so because of the seven readers we have tonight. Were grateful beyond words to them as well. In the interest of time, its list all of the people who made this evening and possible, but i want to say a special thanks to veterans of foreign wars, the bushs office. The folks in pentagon have been incredible. The folks at jeep which i will explain in a moment. And the volunteers who are here, some who drove up from North Carolina to help out tonight. Word of the legacy project and why we are here. Of y marks the beginning National Military appreciation month. Whos py to say alex wax instrumental in bringing attention to this is here with us tonight. E figure what better way to honor those who have served and are serving their country hrough their own words, the letters theyve written home. The sole mission of the legacy project is to encourage seek out and preserve the letters before theyre lost forever. 98, we received over 60,000 never before seen letters nations war in our history. People found these in their sets, basements, clotz and they offer unprecedented insight to what the true nature the at war is and sacrifices it demands from those we fight. Cant emphasize enough were still looking for letters if you veteran, eran, know a know someone in the service. Were looking for email and orrespondence, were only looking for photo copies, not originals. Andcan reach us in our book on our website, war letters. Com. Now, the other reason were here tonight, to celebrate the release of the Armed Services years. N in 55 as john mentioned, the u. S. Government working with the publishing the industry gave out 120 million of these little books in the cargo all different titles. I know john showed us one of his. More off beat titles. This is a book its one of the first pop psychology books done. Its called make the most of our life, which you can just imagine the young gi in the about this ng is i was thumbing through and came across the chapter. That struck me. A chapter for those who feel impediment toe an the success. Torically, writes ray if only i wasnt so ugly in appearan appearance, the people may say, would have a chance to succeed. With few exceptions, the men and changed the world are fitzically misshapen and unattractive. Sit in the galleries of our congress and look them over. A beautysuccess is not contest. This, of course, is a no congressman the and senators we have here tonight who are all very handsome men. Are they still here. Okay, good. I wanted to bring these books back. And thanks to john and many other people were able to do this. Im proud to present to you the first Armed Services edition formatted inar ii, the same cargo pocket sites as originals. War letters is not the first to be published since world war ii, the last. S not theres nothing more i would like to see than other with us to orking bring back a generation of titles. Ration, t estrogen black hawk down, dday, fathers and bring back the great tradition of giving free books to the troops. Every one of you tonight will receive a copty of these. Were grateful if you could the word in the military, media, Publishing Industry, in groups. Rans i do have one small favor to ask you. Only cally, the books are supposed to go to the military. This is a special occasion. Wanted you all to have a copy. If word gets out that were away everywhere, we ont be able to keep up with demand. I want to keep tonights giveaway just between us and watching on cspan, by all means, spread the word about everyone you ell know. Just dont let on you have a book. Little secret. In all seriousness, thank you for coming, enjoy the readings, enjoy the book, and here we go. Er served in the u. S. Army from his active duty 195661. Washington, d. C. Starting work and he went to work with abc news where he has been for the past 35 years. Were to list all of the awards hes won, including four evening. d be here all so, suffice it to say, hes the this week with Sam Donaldson and cokie roberts. Es the anchor of the National Radio station, Sam Donaldson quite america and hes simply one of the most respected journalists working today. To introduce Sam Donaldson. [ applause ] you, andrew, john. What does that little book say about reporters. Some people feel if we have an armageddon, there will be three life on earth, cockroaches, coyotes, and reporters. I was lucky. Did serve in the army for 2 1 2 years. But we didnt have a warp on at that time. The closest i got to it was in nevada three yards away from when they blew up an atomic device equal to the and nagasaki bombs, some people say that proves it. Letters are a dying art. Telephone. , and a i have the privilege of reading three letters from world war ii. Begin. Though i know i can never become a young navy pilot wrote to his mother in 1942. Fight. Being physically able and young enough, i belong at the front, the better. Ess than a year later, the young pilot was in combat. Home, i hope rote children have to fight a war. Not ds disappearing, its right. Thats George Herbert walker bush. 1944, bush r 2, almost became a casualty himself in the war when his plane was caught on fire off of an island. The plane, om striking his forehead on the ail and parachuted to the ocean, his crewman was lost. Injured but conscious, he was the u. S. S. Finback. On the sub, bush frequently to his tters home parents and the following was written two weeks after he had rescued. Dear mom and dad, several days i last satd by since down before this machine, days not without excitement. Im becoming more used to this life. At first, i missed my daily bath, but now im used to my one. Ly today was the big day. Comes a clean set of clothes. I hate to have to borrow other unfort things, but naetly i came equipped with drawers, and flying jacket. Ive been on the mid watch for the last few days, that puts me the watch from 12 00 and 2 00 at night and 12 00 to 3 00 day. G the if were submerged, i dont stand watch for obvious reasons. Certainly eager to get back to the squadron now. I can picture the letters on my to tear into g them. I havent heard from bar for almost a month. Did i tell you about my goatee . Beautifully but gradually developed into a joke, today off it came. To worse, mes owever, im convinced i could grow a goatee given plenty of time. Getting on the another subject. Oaks girl with the funny nickname. I cant remember it for the life she was my downfall. Ive rambled on long enough. Of the ch love to all family and to yourselves, pappi. Who bar is. Who is that oaks girl and what happened . Letter also from bush war ii, after george sent that letter home. Another young world war ii pilot nd future politician was writing letters to friends and family about his experiences. He was also interested in what going on back in the United States. And in november of 1944, he wrote to a friend about the upcoming election between franklin d. Roosevelt and the republican nominee, thomas dewey. About the two candidates could not have been stronger. Isten to this dear bob, i suppose youve been flowing the political battles of with your usual interest. d lost track of them but the stars and stripes have revived my interest. Disgusted if han dewey doesnt win. I think we need a man like dewey in there now. Thing, he has a definite attitude toward everything really vital. No new deal ing certainly has established. Will give ewey business the confidence in the overnment they havent had for quite sometime now. I like his plan for a simple taxing platform. It seems good to me. Efficiency igor and that hes shown in the past and even the way hes conducting campaign. N this i think hell do a lot toward and one up the dozen messes the government is in now. Well i hope this letter finds good spirits, in your friend, George Mcgovern. [ applause ] f they found this letter in 19 2, he might have lost the election. Awardedmcgovern would be the air medal and the distinguished flying cross for his bravery under fire, almost never spoke about in his political campaigns. Book out, steven wild blue, a great book, read it. A true hero. Letter, from the pacific. 40s and in his early ate, ernie pyle live, bunked, drank, and marched with as american g. I. To depict accurately as possible the hardships they endured. N 1943, he won the Pulitzer Prize and the spirited columns were appearing in hundreds of newspapers back in the United States. Letters, especially o his old friend and editor page kavanaugh were whimsical and accounts of life in the lines. While in north africa, pyle sent off the following to kavanaugh 1943. Ruary of yours the 23rd november is at hand. Been at the front for seven solid weeks. Although you may not believe it, i like it up there. Life becomes so wonderfully simple. You sleep by picking out a level bed roll. Row your you never wash at all or take off your clothes. Is a slight problem because you have to take down bout nine layers of clothing and expose yourself to the cruel tunisian chill. I took my first bath in five weeks and immediately came down with a bad cold. I practically have become a tea totaler. Obvious, there isnt much to be had. Ive gone for weeks without a i feeldrink and actually 1,000 times better though i hate to admit it. Tom s for sending me the trainer columns. I think hes a hell of a lot than i am. Er too bad he doesnt make near as much money, tee he. Thats what it says, tks eehee. I heard pete branson was knocked off. Sorry, surprised. Somehow i thought it would never happen to him. It happened to ben robinson of the harold tribune, an old and good friend mine. This war has been tough on newspapermen. Me off a this, get tone wont you and loving wife, you cad. Ur so you learned how to take a in the cold tunisian chill abuab signed it, abul uks. Of the war correspondents kill combat in the 20th century, almost half died in world war ii. 18, 1945, only months before the war was over, pyle, them. Know, became one of following a convoy of trucks on he tiny Pacific Island of ushima, pyle and several men suddenly g in a jeep raked with machine gun fire. No one was hit. A roadside e into ditch for protection. After a few seconds, ernie poked smiled, and called out to one of the men, are you all right . In that brief moment, the japanese sniper shot ernie pyle through the head. Thank you. Just a quick note about what theyre all said, previously unpublished. President bush sent us the letters. Steven am broels sent us the and r from George Mcgovern the ernie pyle letter was never published before either. From december 1998 to august served Deputy Assistant secretary of defense, now director of the nay si staff senior ranking woman in the u. S. Military. He first and only woman to achieve the rank of vice admiral. Er peshl decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service medal, three legion of erit awards and three Meritorious Service medals. Shell be reading letters by who served this nation in wartime. Great honor. Tracy. Miral patricia a. Im happy to be here. Every ivileged to spend single day whose men and women whose courage and spirit is of ected in these kinds letters and to have a little time to share what its like to those people is a great privilege. The first one is the gulf war era. Sent home by psi sandy patrol erving aboard a boat in the persian gulf manning a 50 caliber machine gun. 22, 1991 to january her mother. Well, we are five days into war. Amazing, isnt it . Trying times in the past five days and im sure there will be many more before i leave here. Im fine and i plan on staying that way. Weve had close calls. Two nights ago, the patriots went off right from our port, one mile from our compound. There was a terrible boom when off, and a second boom when it broke the sound barrier. There was debris all over. About d any doubts whether next p. M. , back again. In the middle of that sentence had a skud attack. You should have seen it. Eople are really doing strange things now and emotions are high. Short. S iraq ended up putting a missile or two into israel again. Isnt going to hold it back much longer. I cant blame them. Ussein is trying to kill civilians. Before this all came about, i ondered if i would really be able to use my weapon against someone else. Now. E no question you know, like so many ohs, i prayed for a peaceful end before this. That it isnt peaceful, and it wont be, i just want to o whatever has to be done to get this whole damn mess over with. Its now become a situation and i end up ot killing someone, if they were thats just me in, too bad. I thought i would never say put a ut it really does different light on things when youre right here, not knowing what to expect next. Mom, take care and god bless you. Keep praying. Helps. Little bit love your daughter, sandy. Remarkable about this letter is the time she wrote it, she was a grandmother. Gulf war own as the granny. She joined the navy in 1959 and she joined the coast guard reserves. Shes alive and well today. Military,red from the and she lives in the mid welles. Midwest. My second letter is from world ii. Itss a different set of circumstances. Not all of the letters written ome were about combat circumstances. This is a young woman in the army of 1945 who as an nurse wrote to her cyster about a memorable trip to rome while overseas. Stationed daerp betty, today was my turn to the vatican. Two joined u