Mitch Landrieu: “each year, on the third Saturday in May, the nation expresses appreciation and gratitude to our military. In Louisiana…”

“each year, on the third Saturday in May, the nation expresses appreciation and gratitude to our military. In Louisiana, we are proud of our men and women in uniform and have a long-standing tradition of honoring them every year. We are proud of the military in times of war, and we are proud of the military in times of peace. We know that without our fighting men and women ``life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness'' would be just hollow words. Since the birth of our Nation, America's Armed Forces has served the United States with honor, courage, and distinction, both at home and abroad. America's patriots have assumed a sacred duty, understanding that our history, our heritage, and our honor, require us to bear the burdens of sacrifice. We acknowledge and applaud their selfless service, courage, and dedication to duty. Today, thousands of troops are deployed throughout the world, operating in every time zone, and in every climate defending our freedom. Our sailors and Marines are aboard ships and submarines in the Adriatic. Our Air Force and Navy pilots fly the perilous skies over Iraq. Our soldiers keep the vigil and preserve the peace in the former Yugoslavia. They do it to promote American values: democracy and freedom from the oppression of demagogues, tyrants and totalitarian governments. The peace and freedom so longed for by people throughout the world often starts over here, on American soil.”