Bill Clinton: “Thank you so much, Colonel Nechey, for your introduction, for your comments, for your heroic devotion to your country.…”

“Thank you so much, Colonel Nechey, for your introduction, for your comments, for your heroic devotion to your country. General Sullivan, General Talbott, Mr. Stanton, we stand here today in the shadow of Winged Victory, the statue atop the monument to the 1st Infantry Division, the Big Red 1. The motto says it all, ``No mission too difficult, no sacrifice too great, beauty first.'' The number ``1'' tells us not only your division's name but the faith your country has placed in you for quite a long while now. You have been first in battle for as long as you have existed: the first in Paris in World War I, the first on the Normandy beaches, the first Army division in Vietnam, the first to breach Iraqi defenses in Desert Storm. In a few moments I will leave to begin this historic trip to Europe to commemorate the 50th anniversary of D-Day and the other crucial battles of World War II. I want to take a moment here briefly to thank the Department of Defense and the World War II Commemorative Committee for all their hard work in organizing these observances. In Europe we will be remembering the sacrifices of the generation that fought that great war. They have given us 50 years of freedom and strong nationhood. They have nurtured generations of young Americans and given us a chance to work with the rest of the world to bring the cold war to an end and to build toward the 21st century.…”