For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 2, 2001
National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day, 2001
By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation
From our earliest beginnings as a Nation,
America has been blessed with citizens who have been willing to fight
and die to preserve our shared ideals. We owe our freedom to
men and women who have responded heroically to the call of patriotic
duty. In times of peace and war, in times of great conflict,
and even in peacetime, they stood tall. Facing the horrors
of combat, young Americans placed themselves squarely in harm's way.
Among all these ranks of brave Americans, our
living former prisoners of war form a living testament to the courage
Americans have shown in defending liberty. During World War
II and the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam, prisoners endured, in
addition to separation from their loved ones, isolation, disease, and
torture. More recently, American troops in the Persian Gulf
stood bravely in the face of enemy capture and returned home with
honor.
The men and women who suffered through the
atrocious conditions of internment deserve our utmost gratitude and
respect. Their fortitude serves as an example of placing the
ideals of freedom and self-government above one's own
interests. We also owe a debt of gratitude to their families
for weathering agonizing uncertainty while demonstrating support for
their loved ones' service to country.
In World War II, patriotic Americans stepped
forward without hesitation to carry America's honor into unknown
battlefields. Many thousands gave their lives as the
ultimate sacrifice, both on the battlefield and in the deadly prison
camps of the Pacific and Europe.
We are particularly mindful this month of
anniversaries reminding us of the contributions former prisoners of war
have made to our freedom. April marks the anniversary of the first
return of American POWs from North Korea during Operation Little
Switch. These prisoners endured bitter cold and inadequate
food, clothing, and medical care in their brave effort to stop the
spread of communism.
This April is also the 28th anniversary of the
end of Operation Homecoming, in which our Vietnam-era POWs returned to
freedom. Americans held prisoner during that war, some for
as long as 9 years, were subject to torture and the horrors of
isolation. They survived only through their faith,
character, and patriotism.
On this date, we remember the sacrifices of
those imprisoned while serving America. We remain committed
to ensuring that future generations know of their heroism in order to
fully appreciate their courage and resolve. Although they
returned home safely, their physical and emotional scars remain as a
reminder of the high price of liberty.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President
of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in
me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby
proclaim April 9, 2001, as National Former Prisoner of War Recognition
Day. I call upon all the people of the United States to join
me in remembering former American prisoners of war who suffered the
hardships of enemy captivity. I also call upon Federal,
State, and local government officials and private organizations to
observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my
hand this second day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand
one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two
hundred and twenty-fifth.
GEORGE
W. BUSH
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