USS Enterprise Naval Station Norfolk Norfolk, Virginia
2:57 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you all very
much. I'm grateful for this warm welcome on the deck of the
"Big E." (Applause.) America is proud of this
fine carrier and we're really proud of her crew. You're
serving at a crucial moment for the cause of peace and freedom, and
your country thanks you.
This is a fitting place to mark one of the most fateful days in
American history. On December the 7th, 1941, the enemy
attacked. Today is an anniversary of a tragedy for the
United States Navy. Yet, out of that tragedy, America built
the strongest Navy in the world. And there is no better
symbol of that strength than the USS Enterprise.
What happened at Pearl Harbor was the start of a long and terrible
war for America. Yet, out of that surprise attack grew a
steadfast resolve that made America freedom's defender. And
that mission -- our great calling -- continues to this hour, as the
brave men and women of our military fight the forces of terror in
Afghanistan and around the world.
We are joined this afternoon by some distinguished
guests: the Governor of this great Commonwealth is with us,
Jim Gilmore. (Applause.) Members of the
congressional delegation from Virginia are here with us, and I want to
thank them for coming as well. (Applause.) I want
to thank my friend, Tony Principi, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
who is here, a Naval Academy grad who served our country with bravery
and distinction during the Vietnam era.
I want to thank Gordon England, Secretary of the Navy, who is doing
such a fine job representing the Navy in the
Pentagon. (Applause.) I want to thank Admiral
Natter, the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. I
always like a good Southern accent up here on the East
Coast. (Laughter and applause.) I thank Sandy
Winnefeld, the Commanding Office of the USS Enterprise. And
I want to thank the crew of this fine ship and all your families who
are here as well. (Applause.) And I thank General
Kernan for being here as well.
We are especially honored to share this anniversary with 25 living
witnesses to Pearl Harbor on December the 7th, 1941. Thank
you all for being here. They saw the attack and knew its
victims by name. They can recall the last moments of peace,
the first moments of war -- and the faces of lost friends, forever
young in memory. These veterans represent the noble history
and traditions of the United States military. And I ask the
Navy of today to please join me in honoring these fine men from the
military of yesterday. (Applause.)
The attack on Pearl Harbor was plotted in secret, waged without
mercy, taking the lives of 2,403 Americans. The shock and
chaos came on a quiet Sunday morning. There were acts of
great heroism amongst those who survived, and those who did
not. Nine who fell that day had Navy ships named after
them. In two hours' time, for bravery above and beyond the
call of duty, 15 men earned the Medal of Honor. And 10 of
them did not live to wear it.
Young sailors refused to abandon ship, even as the waters washed
over the decks. They chose instead to stay and try to save
their friends. A mess steward carried his commander to
safety, and then manned a machine gun for the first time in
his life. Two pilots ran through heavy fire to get into
their P-40 fighters. They proceeded to chase and shoot down four enemy
aircraft.
Those were among the scenes of December the 7th. On
December the 8th, as the details became known, the nation's grief
turned to resolution. During four years of war, no one
doubted the rightness of our cause, no one wavered in the quest of
victory. As a result of the efforts and sacrifice of the
veterans who are with us today, and of millions like them, the world
was saved from tyranny.
Many of you in today's Navy are the children and grandchildren of
the generation that fought and won the Second World War. Now
your calling has come. Each one of you is commissioned by
history to face freedom's enemies.
When the Enterprise sailed out of Norfolk last April, we were a
nation at peace. All of that changed on the morning of
September the 11th. You were among the first to fight in the
first war of the 21st century. You were
ready. You performed with skill and honor. And
you have made your nation proud. (Applause.)
On board this ship when you returned to port four weeks ago was a
young man named Ruben Rodriguez. Two days later, Petty
Officer Rodriguez lost his life in a plane crash. His wife
and his family are in our thoughts and prayers. One of the
last things this sailor did was to visit Ground Zero in New York
City. He saw what the terrorists did to America, and he said
to a friend, that's why I fought.
And that's why we are all fighting. We are fighting to
protect ourselves and our children from violence and
fear. We're fighting for the security of our people and the
success of liberty. We're fighting against men without
conscience, but full of ambition -- to remake the world in their own
brutal images. For all the reasons we're fighting to win --
and win we will. (Applause.)
There is a great divide in our time -- not between religions or
cultures, but between civilization and barbarism. People of
all cultures wish to live in safety and dignity. The hope of
justice and mercy and better lives are common to all
humanity. Our enemies reject these values -- and by doing
so, they set themselves not against the West, but against the entire
world.
Our war against terror is not a war against one terrorist leader or
one terrorist group. Terrorism is a movement, an ideology
that respects no boundary of nationality or decency. The
terrorists despise creative societies and individual choice -- and thus
they bear a special hatred for America. They desire to
concentrate power in the hands of a few, and to force every life into
grim and joyless conformity. They celebrate death, making a
mission of murder and a sacrament of suicide. Yet, for some
reason -- for some reason, only young followers are ushered down this
deadly path to paradise, while terrorist leaders run into caves to save
their own hides. (Applause.)
We've seen their kind before. The terrorists are the
heirs to fascism. They have the same will to power, the same
disdain for the individual, the same mad global
ambitions. And they will be dealt with in just the same
way. (Applause.) Like all fascists, the
terrorists cannot be appeased: they must be
defeated. This struggle will not end in a truce or
treaty. It will end in victory for the United States, our
friends and the cause of freedom. (Applause.)
The Enterprise has been part of this campaign. And when
we need you again, I know you'll be
ready. (Applause.) Our enemies doubt
this. They believe that free societies are weak
societies. But we're going to prove them
wrong. Just as we were 60 years ago, in a time of war, this
nation will be patient, we'll be determined, and we will be relentless
in the pursuit of freedom. (Applause.)
This is becoming clear to al Qaeda terrorists and the
Taliban. (Laughter.) Not long ago, that regime
controlled most of Afghanistan. Today, they control not much
more than a few caves. (Laughter and
applause.) Not long ago, al Qaeda's leader dismissed America
as a paper tiger. That was before the tiger
roared. (Applause.) Throughout history, other
armies have sought to conquer Afghanistan, and they
failed. Our military was sent to liberate Afghanistan, and
you are succeeding. (Applause.)
We're a long way from finished in Afghanistan. Much
difficult and dangerous work is yet to come. Many terrorists
are still hiding in heavily fortified bunkers in very rugged
territory. They are said to be prepared for a long stay
underground. (Laughter.) But they are in for a
sudden change of plans -- (laughter) -- because one by one, we're going
to find them. And piece by piece, we'll tear their terrorist
network apart. (Applause.)
As we fight the terrorists, we are also helping the people they
have persecuted. We have brought tons of food and medicine
to the Afghan people. They will need more help as winter
comes, and we will provide it. Most of all, that country
needs a just and stable government. America is working with
all concerned parties to help form such a government. After
years of oppression, the Afghan people -- including women -- deserve a
government that protects the rights and dignity of all its
people. America is pleased by the Afghan progress in
creating an interim government -- and we're encouraged by the inclusion
of women in positions of authority.
And the war on terror continues beyond Afghanistan, with the
closing of bank accounts and the arrests of known
terrorists. We've put the terrorists and the nations in the
world on notice: We will not rest until we stop all
terrorists of global reach. And for every nation that
harbors or supports terrorists, there will be a day of
reckoning. (Applause.)
A few days from now, I will go to a great American institution, the
Citadel, to describe the new capabilities and technologies we will need
to wage this broad war on terrorism for years to come. We
will need the intelligence to find the enemy where he dwells, and the
means to strike swiftly across the world. We must have a
military organized for decisive and total victory. And to
you, the men and women of our military, I make this
pledge: you will have every resource, every weapon, every
tool you need to win the long battle that lies
ahead. (Applause.)
This war came oh so suddenly, but it has brought out the best in
our nation. We have learned a lot about ourselves and about
our friends in the world. Nations stand with us, because
this is civilization's fight. Today we take special pride
that one of our former enemies is now among America's finest
friends: we're grateful to our ally, Japan, and to its good
people. Today, our two Navies are working side by side in
the fight against terror.
The bitterness of 60 years ago has passed away. The
struggles of our war in the Pacific now belong to
history. For Americans who fought it, and suffered its
losses, what remains is the lasting honor of service in a great cause,
and the memory of the ones who fell.
Today, at Pearl Harbor, veterans are gathering to pay tribute to
the young men they remember who never escaped the sunken
ships. And over the years, some Pearl Harbor veterans have
made a last request. They asked that their ashes be brought
down and placed inside the USS Arizona. After the long lives
given them, they wanted to rest besides the best men they ever knew.
Such loyalty and love remain the greatest strength of the United
States Navy. And the might of our Navy is needed
again. When America looks at you -- the young men and women
who defend us today -- we are grateful. On behalf of the
people of the United States, I thank you for your commitment, your
dedication and your courage.
May God bless you, and may God bless
America. (Applause.)