Bill Clinton: “Dover Air Force Base, Delaware April 6, 1996 My fellow Americans, today we come to a place that has seen too many sad…”

“Dover Air Force Base, Delaware April 6, 1996 My fellow Americans, today we come to a place that has seen too many sad, silent homecomings. For this is where we in America bring home our own, those who have given their lives in the service of their country. The 33 fine Americans we meet today, on their last journey home, ended their lives on a hard mountain a long way from home. But in a way, they never left America. On their mission of peace and hope, they carried with them America's spirit, what our greatest martyr, Abraham Lincoln, called ``the last, best hope of Earth.'' Our loved ones and friends loved their country, and they loved serving their country. They believed that America, through their efforts, could help to restore a broken land, help to heal a people of their hatreds, help to bring a better tomorrow through honest work and shared enterprise. They knew what their country had given them, and they gave it back with a force, an energy, an optimism that every one of us can be proud of. They were outstanding business leaders who gave their employees and their customers their very best. They were brave members of our military, dedicated to preserving our freedom and advancing America's cause. There was a brilliant correspondent, committed to helping Americans better understand this complicated new world we live in.…”