Hello pomple-ga,
This was a very challenging and interesting research project. As
Pinkfreud’s answer to your prior question about “Bush at troop
funerals” showed, there has been a lot of reporting and web discussion
about President Bush’s management of the news regarding casualties in
Iraq. One item that has stirred a lot of interest was the banning of
the media from viewing returning coffins at military bases and
mortuaries. It is not clear what was the triggering event for this
flurry of interest. One possibility is the opening of the new military
mortuary at Dover Air Force Base.
The thrust of your current question is whether there is a difference
between what President Bush is doing regarding honoring those killed
in action and his four predecessors – Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush
Sr. and Clinton. I’ve spent many hours researching your question and
I’ve come to the conclusion that President George W. Bush’s behavior
regarding honoring the military services (including those killed in
action) is not significantly different than that of prior presidents.
Since the President’s meetings and official schedule are part of the
public record, I thought that it should be possible to locate
information about what recent presidents have done and said about
military casualties and ceremonies to honor the fallen. My search
confirmed that such records are available. Unfortunately there is no
single repository for all of this information. Various government
agencies have responsibilities for keeping the records, organizing
them and making them available to the public. I searched the
presidential libraries and various other government sources to find
out what each of the five presidents you’re interested in said and did
to honor the military services.
The current discussions focus on the question of “coffins at Dover”
and the implied management of the news. Presidents have always been
determined to show that they are concerned about the loss of life and
the grief of the survivors. They also like to participate in events
celebrating the troops or in memorial ceremonies commemorating
Memorial Day, Veterans Day and various other symbolically significant
events.
I’ve compiled a calendar of the five presidents’ military related
meetings and public addresses to help you evaluate how they compare.
There isn’t much difference in the record as far as customary
observations and ceremonies. As far as more emotional and personal
encounters go, Presidents Reagan and Clinton seemed to be more
involved with making direct contact with the survivors of military
casualties.
I hope that the information I’ve compiled will give you a good
overview of how the most recent presidents related publicly to the
members of the military. You can use the presidential library links if
you want to conduct further research on your own.
Wishing you well with your research.
~ czh ~
============================================================
GEORGE W. BUSH POLICY ON MEDIA ACCESS TO MILITARY MORTUARIES
============================================================
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55816-2003Oct20.html
Curtains Ordered for Media Coverage of Returning Coffins
By Dana Milbank
Tuesday,October 21, 2003; Page A23
----------------------------------------
http://www.worldrevolution.org/article/1018
October 23, 2003
White House bans news coverage of coffins returning from Iraq
By Bill Vann
The Washington Post reported Wednesday that the Bush administration
has ordered the Pentagon to prevent any news coverage of the bodies of
US troops being sent home from Iraq. The blackout on casualties is
part of the attempt by the White House to recast the nightmare in Iraq
as a “good news” story.
---------------------------------------
http://www.rcfp.org/news/2003/1030airbas.html
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Oct. 30, 2003 -- Journalists prevented from covering arriving military
caskets
The Department of Defense ordered airbases to enforce rules preventing
media coverage of deceased soldiers returning to the U.S.
Months after the Bush administration declared an end to major combat
in Iraq, flag-draped caskets continue to arrive at military airbases
while the Pentagon continues to restrict the media from showing it.
-------------------------------------------
http://www.taylormarsh.com/dailydose_10-21-03.shtml
Our Commander and The Coffins ©
"Since the end of the Vietnam War, presidents have worried that their
military actions would lose support once the public glimpsed the
remains of U.S. soldiers arriving at air bases in flag-draped caskets.
To this problem, the Bush administration has found a simple solution:
It has ended the public dissemination of such images by banning news
coverage and photography of dead soldiers' homecomings on all military
bases."
“Curtains Ordered for Military Coverage of Returning Coffins”
by Dana Milbank
WashingtonPost.com
----------------------------------------------
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5036.htm
Curtains Ordered for Media Coverage of Returning Coffins
By Dana Milbank
Tuesday, October 21, 2003: (Washington Post) Since the end of the
Vietnam War, presidents have worried that their military actions would
lose support once the public glimpsed the remains of U.S. soldiers
arriving at air bases in flag-draped caskets.
Pentagon officials deny that. Speaking on condition of anonymity, they
said the policy covering the entire military followed a victory over a
civil liberties court challenge to the restrictions at Dover and
relieves all bases of the difficult logistics of assembling family
members and deciding which troops should get which types of
ceremonies.
One official said only individual graveside services, open to cameras
at the discretion of relatives, give "the full context" of a soldier's
sacrifice. "To do it at several stops along the way doesn't tell the
full story and isn't representative," the official said.
----------------------------------------------------
http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=1&num=47
Hiding Bodies -- How the White House makes sure that members of the
press don't end up showing you anything too upsetting
by Patrick J. Sloyan
Bush was caught bantering as flag-draped coffins arrived at an air
force base in Dover, Delaware - a military mortuary. Later that week,
Bush ordered the press banned from covering the arrival ceremonies for
the fallen. President Clinton continued the ban. And his successor,
President George Bush, also wants to keep the dead out of the national
limelight.
***** This is a long article reviewing the history of restrictions on
media access to battlefields and casualties because of presidential
policies starting with Desert Storm in 1991.
----------------------------------------
http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue0211/sloyan.html
November 2002, What Bodies?
by Patrick J. Sloyan
-----------------------------------------
http://www.rand.org/publications/RB/RB2502/RB2502.html
March 1996
Public Support for U.S. Military Operations
It is now an article of faith in political and media circles that the
American public will no longer accept casualties in U.S. military
operations, and that casualties inexorably lead to irresistible calls
for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces. If true, this would not
only call into question the credibility of the U.S. Armed Forces in
deterring potential adversaries, but would be profoundly important in
decisions concerning force structure, doctrine, and military campaign
planning, as well as the nature of the country's broader foreign
policy, including its alliances and other commitments.
A new RAND study demonstrates that public support for U.S. military
operations and public tolerance for casualties are based on a sensible
weighing of benefits and costs that is influenced heavily by consensus
(or its absence) among political leaders. When agreement is lacking
among political leaders, even low costs can quickly erode public
support for the intervention. Most Americans do not want lives to be
sacrificed for any but the most compelling and promising causes, and
they rely on their leaders to illuminate just how compelling and
promising these causes might be.
===================
MILITARY MORTUARIES
===================
http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2003/10/28dafbmortuaryded.html
10/28/2003 -- DAFB mortuary dedicated
Military's largest such facility has 'serene' feel
By JAMES MERRIWEATHER -- Dover Bureau reporter
The new mortuary replaces a 48-year-old makeshift facility with
state-of-the-art equipment and space. It is the military's largest
mortuary and the only one in the continental United States.
--------------------------------------------
http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2003/03/29newmilitarymort.html
03/29/2003 -- New military mortuary being built
Dover Air Force Base facility will be state-of-the-art and larger
Construction should be completed by June at Dover Air Force Base's new
$20 million mortuary, and Army Corps of Engineers officials led a tour
through the facility Friday to reveal some of the enhancements it will
provide for the military's largest such operation.
------------------------------------------------
http://www.quartermaster.army.mil/oqmg/Professional_Bulletin/2002/Winter02/index.htm
Quartermaster Professional Bulletin
Mortuary Affairs Center Special Edition
------------------------------------------------
http://www.rcfp.org/homefrontconfidential/covering.html
Covering the War
The press lost an argument on military access in 1996 before a federal
district court and then before the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in
Washington, D.C. (D.C. Cir.).
In JB Pictures Inc. v. Department of Defense, a group of photographers
and veterans contested restrictions the Defense Department placed on
picture-taking at Dover Air Force Base, the main military mortuary for
soldiers killed abroad. The court agreed to hear the case because the
policy is ongoing, not temporal, such as restrictions during wartime.
The court determined that the government had sufficient interest to
limit access to the base to reduce the hardship of grieving families
and to protect their privacy. The court further stated that it could
not rule on whether the policy prohibited groups from speaking on the
base because the plaintiffs did not raise such a claim.
---------------------------------------------
http://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/01-2399a.pdf
Civil Action No. 01-2399 (PLF)
JB Pictures Inc. v. Department of Defense
===================================================================
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECHES AND CEREMONIES RECOGNIZING MILITARY PERSONNEL
===================================================================
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/c7383.htm
Bureau of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of State
Office of the Historian
Presidents and Secretaries of State Foreign Travels
These separate lists of Presidential Visits Abroad and Secretaries
Travel Abroad present basic historical information on all trips take
outside the United States by Presidents and Secretaries of State.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/
Visits Abroad of the Presidents of the United States, 1906-2002,
prepared by the Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs,
presents basic information concerning trips taken outside the United
States by the President of the United States. It includes the first
visit abroad, made by President Theodore Roosevelt, through President
George W. Bush's foreign travels through December 2002.
List by President or List by Destination
***** A review of the List by President is an excellent source for
finding out when the president made visits to military personnel and
attended any military-related ceremonies.
------------------------------------------------------
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/pubpaps/aboutpaps.html
About the Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States
This online service makes available material that was compiled and
published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and
Records Administration, in hardcover printed volumes entitled The
Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States. This hardcopy
series includes volumes covering the administrations of Presidents
Hoover, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter,
Reagan, and Bush, as well as President William J. Clinton. As
subsequent volumes covering the administration of President Clinton
are published, they will be added online. Earlier Clinton volumes will
also be added on an incremental basis.
The appendixes in each Public Papers volume provide listings of:
· the President's daily schedule and meetings, when announced, and
other items of general interest issued by the Office of the Press
Secretary;
All materials that are printed full-text in a given Public Papers
volume have been indexed by subject and name, and listed in the
Document Categories List, for that volume.
***** This could be a source for tracking down each president’s daily
schedule to see where they were and whether they were meeting with
military personnel or attending meetings or ceremonies for military
casualties or groups of survivors.
--------------------------------------------------------------
http://web.utk.edu/~wrobinso/534.html
Government Information Sources and Services
http://web.utk.edu/~wrobinso/534_lec_president.html
Public Papers of the Presidents[AE 2.114 for 1985- and GS 4.113: for
earlier years] (Stx J 80 .A283)/
Arranged chronologically by week
Contains addresses and remarks, bill signings, bill vetoes,
communications to Congress, communications to Federal agencies,
executive orders, nominations submitted to the Senate, proclamations,
statements, swearing-in ceremonies, and some supplementary material
including photographs selected from the White House Photo Office files
Digest of the President's daily schedule
Volumes published twice per year with each volume covering a six month
period.
There are subject and name indexes
***** This is a resource page from a professor at the University of
Tennessee. It offers a number of starting points for finding
information about the activities of the current and past presidents.
============
JIMMY CARTER
============
http://jimmycarterlibrary.org/
Jimmy Carter Library and Museum
Located in Atlanta, Georgia, the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum is
part of the Presidential Library system administered by the National
Archives and Records Administration, a Federal government agency.
http://jimmycarterlibrary.org/library/pres_materials.phtml
Staff Office Files
Appointments/Scheduling/Advance
Only the Presidential Daily Diary Office files are available from the
Appointments/Scheduling/Advance Office. The Diary Office was
responsible for recording names of participants in Presidential
meetings, phone calls, and activities, thus accounting for the
President's time on an almost minute-by-minute basis. This detailed
Presidential schedule has both a name index and a meeting-type index.
The Diary Office also produced time studies of the President's
activities and developed hypothetical time use goals. 300 linear feet;
50 feet available for research. The balance is unprocessed and not
available for research.
---------------------------------------------------
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/12799.htm
July 14-15, 1978
Bonn, Wiesbaden-Erbenhiem Air Base, Frankfurt
State visit; met with President Scheel and Chancellor Schmidt.
Addressed U.S. and German military personnel.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/12799.htm
July 15, 1978
West Berlin
Spoke at the Airlift Memorial.
http://history1900s.about.com/library/photos/blyviet36.htm
11/11/1978
Photograph of the Unveiling of a Vietnam Veterans Memorial at
Arlington National Cemetery
Jimmy Carter and Max Cleland unveil a memorial to Vietnam Veterans
during Veterans Day ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery.,
=============
RONALD REAGAN
=============
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/resource/_vti_script/speeches_rrpubpap.asp0.idq
The Public Papers of President Ronald W. Reagan
The Ronald Reagan Library
The Public Papers of the President: Ronald Reagan, 1981-1988 contains
the papers and speeches which were issued by the Office of the Press
Secretary during President Reagan's term.
Search for Quotes (January 1981 - February 1984 available)
Use the form below to search President Reagan's speeches containing
specific words or combinations of words. What will follow is a list of
speeches, with better matches shown first.
***** I searched for “military” in these files and identified a
selection of speeches at various ceremonies. I also browsed the
month-by-month listing of speeches. This presents a fascinating
overview of the President Reagan’s public statements and is a great
way to get a flavor of what was happening at a particular time in his
presidency.
-----------------------------------------------------
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/resource/speeches/1981/12781b.htm
January 27, 1981
Remarks at the Welcoming Ceremony for the Freed American Hostages
Note: The President spoke at 3:11 p.m. on the South Lawn of the White
House. His remarks were broadcast live on radio and television.
Prior to the ceremony, the President and Mrs. Reagan were introduced
to the freed American hostages individually by Mr. Laingen in the Blue
Room at the White House.
-------------------------------------------------------
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/reagan-1982.htm
May 1982
President Ronald Reagan lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns
Arlington National Cemetrey,
--------------------------------------------------------
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/resource/speeches/1983/110483a.htm
November 4, 1983
Remarks to Military Personnel at Cherry Point, North Carolina, on the
United States Casualties in Lebanon and Grenada
Officers and men and women of the corps, ladies and gentlemen, I came
here today to pay homage to the heroes of Lebanon and Grenada. We
grieve along with the families of these brave, proud Americans who
have given their lives for their country and for the preservation of
peace.
I have just met with the families of many of those who were killed. I
think all Americans would cradle them in our arms if we could. We
share their sorrow. I want all of you who lost loved ones and friends
to know that the thoughts and prayers of this nation are with you.
----------------------------------------------------
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/12800.htm
November 12-14, 1983
Korea Seoul, Demilitarized Zone
State visit; met with President Chun, addressed the National Assembly,
and visited U.S. troops.
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/regan-052884.htm
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/resource/speeches/1984/52884a.htm
May 28, 1984
Remarks at Memorial Day Ceremonies Honoring an Unknown Serviceman of
the Vietnam Conflict
------------------------------------------------------
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/12800.htm
June 6, 1984
France Normandy
Attended commemorative ceremonies of the 40th anniversary of the
Allied landing in Normandy. Also present were Prime Minister Trudeau
of Canada, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, King Olav V of Norway,
King Baudouin I of Belgium, President Mitterrand of France, Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, and Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg.
---------------------------------------------------------
http://www.powmiaawareness.com/remembrance.html
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/resource/speeches/1984/50984b.htm
July 2O, 1984
The 1984 National POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremony was held at the
White House, hosted by President Ronald Reagan. At that most
impressive ceremony, the Reagan Administration balanced the focus to
honor all returned POWs and renew national commitment to accounting as
fully as possible for those still missing. Perhaps the most impressive
Missing Man formation ever flown was that year, up the Ellipse and
over the White House. Unfortunately, the 1985 ceremony was canceled
due to inclement weather, a concern that had been expressed when the
April 9th date was proposed.
----------------------------------------------------
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/resource/speeches/1984/102484c.htm
October 24, 1984
Remarks at a White House Ceremony Marking the First Anniversary of the
Grenada Rescue Mission
Together we celebrate today, with joy, an anniversary of honor for
America -- your rescue and the liberation of our neighbor, Grenada,
from the grip of oppression and tyranny. Just 1 year ago, Grenada's
Governor General Paul Scoon and members of the Organization of Eastern
Caribbean States called for our help.
----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/resource/speeches/1984/111184a.htm
November 11, 1984
Remarks at Dedication Ceremonies for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Statue
Note: The President spoke at 4:30 p.m. at the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial on the Mall. The "Three Fightingmen" statue by sculptor
Frederick Hart was dedicated at the ceremony. Following his remarks,
the President signed documents transferring the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial to the Federal Government.
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/unk-vn.htm
The Unknown Soldier Of The Vietnam War
From a 1984 News Report: National Review
The President spoke eloquently of sacrifice and freedom and reminded
his audience that the American armed forces in Vietnam "were never
defeated in battle." He awarded the Medal of Honor to the Unknown and
devoted much of his speech to an invitation to Hanoi "to heal the
war's sorest wound" by providing an accounting for those still
missing. The President received the folded flag from the honor guard,
and a bugler blew "Taps."
--------------------------------------------------------
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/resource/speeches/1985/21985b.htm
February 19, 1985
Remarks to Veterans of the Battle of Iwo Jima
Note: The President spoke to former members of the 28th Marine
Regiment at 4:45 p.m. in the East Room at the White House. In his
opening remarks, the President referred to his own and the Vice
President's military service.
-------------------------------------------------
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/resource/speeches/1985/50585b.htm
May 5, 1985
Remarks at a Joint German-American Military Ceremony at Bitburg Air
Base in the Federal Republic of Germany
Note: The President spoke at 3:33 p.m. after laying a wreath in a
nearby military cemetery in Bitburg. He was accompanied by Chancellor
Kohl. Following the ceremony, the President returned to Schloss
Gymnich in Bonn, where he stayed during his visit to Germany.
------------------------------------------------------
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/12800.htm
May 5-6, 1985
Federal Republic of Germany --Bonn, Bergen-Belsen, Bitburg, Hambach
Castle
State visit; attended ceremonies commemorating 40th anniversary of the
end of World War II in Europe.
---------------------------------------------------
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/reagan-111185.htm
November 11, 1985
Remarks at the Veterans Day Wreath-Laying Ceremony at Arlington
National Cemetery
---------------------------------------------------
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/resource/speeches/1985/121685a.htm
December 16, 1985
Remarks at a Memorial Service in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, for the
Members of the 101st Airborne Division Who Died in the Airplane Crash
in Gander, Newfoundland
We are here in the name of the American people. The passing of
American soldiers killed as they returned from difficult duty abroad
is marked by our presence here. At this point the dimensions of the
tragedy are known to almost every person in the country.
Note: The President spoke at 10:38 a.m. at Fort Campbell Army Air
Field to family members and friends of the victims. The crash occurred
at 6:45 p.m. on December 12.
---------------------------------------------------
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/12800.htm
February 20, 1986
Grenada St. George's
Met with Governor General Scoon and Prime Minister Blaize, and with
the Prime Ministers of Dominica, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Christopher
and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda,
Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados. Dedicated a memorial to U.S.
servicemen.
-----------------------------------------------------
http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/resource/speeches/1986/51786a.htm
May 17, 1986
Radio Address to the Nation on Armed Forces Day
We're broadcasting live today from Fort Myer, a military installation
just outside Washington. And before me at this moment, looking tall
and impressive, are members of the honor guard of the five branches of
the military service: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast
Guard. These proud units appear at special ceremonies and are always
on hand to help me greet foreign heads of state at the White House.
------------------------------------------------------
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/regan-052686.htm
May 26, 1986
Remarks at a Memorial Day Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in
Virginia
=================
GEORGE H. W. BUSH
=================
http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/
Welcome to the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum.
------------------------------------------------------
http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/papers/1989/89053105.html
May 31, 1989
Remarks to Military Personnel and Their Families in Frankfurt, Federal
Republic of Germany
---------------------------------------------------
http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/papers/1990/90112203.html
November 22, 1990
Remarks to Allied Armed Forces Near Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
I guess like all of you, Barbara and I always try to spend our
Thanksgiving with our own family. I know that's true of these leaders
in the Congress. But after spending the morning visiting with the men
and women of our Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard, and now with
the First Marine Division here today, there could hardly be a prouder
moment than sharing Thanksgiving with this family, this American
family out here.
http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/
February 1, 1991
Remarks to Community Members at Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station
in North Carolina
We're now more than 2 weeks into Operation Desert Storm. My report to
you today is that we are on course, we are on schedule, and things go
well. Day by day, night by night, Iraq's capacity to wage war is being
systematically destroyed by U.S. and coalition military forces. And
our investment, our training, and our planning are paying off. And
yes, achieving our goals will require time and sacrifice, but we will
prevail -- make no mistake about that. And when we do -- and when we
do, we will have taught a dangerous tyrant and those few who would
follow in his footsteps that there is no place for lawless aggression
in this critical region and in the new world order that we seek to
create.
---------------------------------------------------
http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/
February 1, 1991
Remarks to Community Members at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in
Goldsboro, North Carolina
This is a three-stop day for me. We just came here from the Marine Air
Station at Cherry Point, and from here we head to Fort Stewart. But I
want to tell you how very pleased I am to be able to spend some time
meeting and talking to at least some of you -- especially the kids --
because I know in my heart how tough these days can be. There's a lot
of waiting, a lot of uncertainty -- the not knowing. But each of you
do know this: The men and women from Seymour Johnson are doing a
fantastic job for this country, and we are very, very grateful.
-----------------------------------------------------
http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/
February 1, 1991
Right now, it's night in Saudi Arabia. The soldiers from Fort Stewart
are on duty, 1 more day in more than 5 long months away from home. Our
thoughts are with them, day and night -- America's finest, standing
against an aggressor who must be stopped, standing up for the best --
all that is best in us. Because those men and women know and you know
-- we all know that when the forces of aggression take up arms,
America cannot look the other way.
------------------------------------------------------
http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/
March 4, 1991
Remarks to Veterans Service Organizations
I'm glad to see the familiar faces from so many of our veterans
organizations -- particularly the VFW and the Disabled American
Veterans, the American Legion -- many, many others. I'm going to get
in real trouble now for -- [laughter] -- omitting some. But welcome,
again; welcome back to the White House.
---------------------------------------------------
http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/
March 17, 1991
Remarks at the Community Welcome for Returning Troops in Sumter, South
Carolina
You don't have to wear a star to be a hero. We're surrounded by such
people today. Let's start with the mother of all units at Shaw, the
headquarters. [Laughter] The 9th Air Force and the U.S. Central
Command Air Forces. And let's thank the 363d Tactical Fighter Wing.
[Applause] Look at these guys. And let's thank the 507th Tactical Air
Control Wing. [Applause] And all the other units and tenant units
here. And let's not forget other South Carolinians -- the McIntyre Air
National Guard Unit and the forces from all across this great State.
---------------------------------------------------
http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/
April 3, 1991
Remarks at the All-Star Salute to the Troops at Andrews Air Force
Base, Maryland
You know, it's just a few short weeks ago the fighting in the Persian
Gulf ended and complete victory for the coalition forces. And I
promised then that we would begin bringing Americans back as quickly
as possible. And tonight I have the privilege of welcoming you home.
And I'm delighted to see you here at Andrews Air Force Base. And
Barbara and I came here to say congratulations to you and to all the
men and women in our Armed Forces.
-------------------------------------------------------------
http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/
April 13, 1991
Remarks at Maxwell Air Force Base War College in Montgomery, Alabama
It falls to all of you to derive the lessons learned from this war.
Desert Storm demonstrated the true strength of joint operations: not
the notion that each service must participate in equal parts in every
operation in every war but that we use the proper tools at the proper
time. In Desert Storm, a critical tool was certainly air power. And
every one of you can take pride in that fact. Our technology and
training ensured minimal losses, and our precision -- your precision
-- spared the lives of innocent civilians.
--------------------------------------------------------
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/12801.htm
July 18-20, 1991
Greece -- Athens, Souda Bay
Met with Prime Minister Mitsotakis; addressed U.S. and Greek military
personnel.
-------------------------------------------------
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/bush-1191.htm
Remarks at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
By President George Bush
November 11, 1991
--------------------------------------------------
http://www.fas.org/news/iraq/1991/910114-168397.htm
November 22, 1991
Nov. 22 -- President and Mrs. Bush visit American soldiers in Saudi
Arabia on Thanksgiving Day.
---------------------------------------------------------
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/12801.htm
January 5-7, 1992
Korea -- Seoul
Met with President Roh and senior Korean officials, signed a science
and technology agreement, addressed the Korean National Assembly, and
visited U.S. military personnel.
----------------------------------------------------------
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=1992_public_papers_vol1_misc&page=934&position=all
June 14, 1992
Remarks at the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Korean War Veterans’
Memorial
------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/dest/ry/12764.htm
December 31, 1992-January 2, 1993
Somalia Mogadishu, Baidoa, Baledogle
Visited international relief workers and U.S. military personnel.
============
BILL CLINTON
============
http://www.clintonpresidentialcenter.com/
Clinton Presidential Center
-----------------------------------------------------
http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/html/briefroom.html
National Archives and Records Administration
The White House -- Clinton
--------------------------------------------------
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5188.htm
July 10-11, 1993
Korea -- Seoul
Met with President Kim, addressed the Korean National Assembly, and
visited U.S. military personnel.
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http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/wjc-053094.htm
May 30, 1994
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY WREATH
CEREMONY
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5188.htm
June 2-4, 1994
Italy -- Rome, Nettuno
Met with Prime Minister Berlusconi and President Scalfaro. Visited
U.S. Military Cemetery.
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5188.htm
June 4-5, 1994
United Kingdom Cambridge, London, Portsmouth
Visited U.S. Military Cemetery. Met with Prime Minister Major.
Attended state dinner with Queen Elizabeth II and heads of state and
government of Canada, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Australia,
New Zealand, Norway, and Belgium. Attended D-Day commemorative
ceremonies.
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5188.htm
June 6-8, 1994
France Colleville, Paris
Attended D-Day memorial ceremonies. Met with President Mitterrand and
senior French officials. Addressed the French National Assembly.
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5188.htm
July 10-12, 1994
Bonn, Oggersheim, Berlin
Met with Chancellor Kohl and German political leaders; delivered a
public address at the Brandenburg Gate and attended deactivation
ceremony for the Berlin Brigade.
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5188.htm
October 28, 1994
Kuwait Kuwait City
Met with the Amir of Kuwait and addressed U.S. military personnel.
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http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/wjc-111194.htm
November 11, 1994
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT VETERANS DAY WREATH-LAYING CEREMONY
Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia
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http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/wjc-052995.htm
May 29, 1995
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT MEMORIAL DAY ADDRESS
Arlington National Cemetery Arlington
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5188.htm
December 2, 1995
Baumholder
Addressed U.S. military personnel and met with Chancellor Kohl
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5188.htm
January 13, 1996
Italy Aviano
Met with U.S. military personnel.
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5188.htm
January 13, 1996
Hungary Taszar
Met with U.S. military personnel.
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5188.htm
January 13, 1996
Bosnia-Herzegovina Tuzla
Met with President Izetbegovic and addressed U.S. military personnel.
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5188.htm
April 16-18, 1996
Japan Tokyo
State visit. Issued joint statement on U.S.-Japanese security
relations. Addressed the Diet and U.S. Navy personnel.
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http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/n-america/us/archive/1996/speeches.html
April 17, 1996
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT TO U.S. MILITARY PERSONNEL
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http://www.cnn.com/US/9606/30/memorial.elgin/
June 30, 1996
Clinton pays tributes to airmen killed in Saudi bombing
PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Florida (CNN) -- President Clinton vowed
Sunday the United States will not rest until the terrorists who killed
19 American airmen in Saudi Arabia last week are captured, prosecuted
and punished. (380K AIFF or WAV sound)
The president made his remarks during a eulogy for seven of the airmen
-- the second of two memorial services he attended Sunday in Florida.
The earlier service was at Eglin Air Force Base.
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5188.htm
December 22, 1997
Bosnia-Herzegovina Sarajevo, Tuzla
Met with the Bosnian Collective Presidency and with Bosnian Serb
President Plavsic; visited U.S. military personnel.
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http://www.pava.purdue.edu/Refid/104852.html
Dover Air Force Base
White House Travel Domestic Trip
Dover, DE
Date : 05/08/98
The President spoke to a community of military families at Dover's
airforce base thanking the soldier's for their continued service and
praising them and the general armed forces for their work in foreign
operations and humanitarian deeds.
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http://www.cnn.com/US/9808/13/bombings.albright.03/
August 13, 1998
Emotional memorial for bomb victims
ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Maryland (CNN) -- The 12 U.S. citizens killed
in last week's terrorist bomb attack in Kenya were honored Thursday as
"the best America has to offer" during a tearful memorial service
attended by hundreds of mourners, including President Clinton, shortly
after their flag-draped coffins arrived in the United States.
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http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/africa.htm
August 14, 1998
Murdered Americans Return Home
ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. -- To the strains of "Nearer My God to
Thee," the remains of 10 Americans killed by the terrorist bomb in
Kenya were borne home Thursday and received at a solemn ceremony by
President Clinton.
Clinton watched the precision-drill ceremony with tears streaming down
his face as the silver trumpets of the Air Force Ceremonial Brass Band
swelled with a lush arrangement of "America the Beautiful."
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5188.htm
November 20-22, 1998
Korea, Republic of Seoul, Osan
Met with President Kim Dae Jung; addressed U.S. military personnel.
http://usinfo.state.gov/regional/ea/easec/clin1122.htm
November 22, 1998
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT TO BASE PERSONNEL AND THEIR FAMILIES
Osan Air Force Base Republic of Korea
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5188.htm
March 8-9, 1999
Honduras Soto Cano Air Base, Tegucigalpa
Discussed reconstruction aid with President Flores; addressed U.S.
military personnel.
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http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/New/html/19990412-3908.html
April 12, 1999
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT TO THE PERSONNEL AT BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE
Now, I wanted to come here to Barksdale today for two reasons. One is,
you're involved -- with the B-52s and what we're trying to achieve
there. The other is, Barksdale has a rich heritage of being part of an
allied effort, where America does not act alone, but with others who
love freedom and are prepared to defend it.
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5188.htm
May 4-6, 1999
Germany Frankfurt, Ramstein and Spangdahlem Air Force Bases, Bonn,
Ingelheim
Addressed U.S. military personnel; met with Chancellor Schroeder; met
with Kosovo refugees.
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http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/wjc-99.htm
June 1, 1999
Clinton Praises Nation's Veterans
On the final Memorial Day of this century, President Clinton asked
Americans to honor the nation's war dead by rededicating themselves to
"liberty" and "optimism" and to understand NATO's purpose in Kosovo.
At the traditional wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National
Cemetery yesterday, Clinton made the NATO campaign against ethnic
cleansing in Kosovo the central theme of his holiday message and
acknowledged America's reluctance about NATO's air strikes.
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5188.htm
June 22, 1999
Macedonia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Skopje
Met with President Gligorov; addressed Kosovar refugees and NATO
military personnel.
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5188.htm
June 22, 1999
Italy Aviano
Addressed U.S. military personnel.
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5188.htm
November 23, 1999
Serbia-Montenegro (Kosovo) Pristina, Urosevac, Camp Bondsteel
Met with Kosovar Transisional Council; addressed the Albanian
community and U.S. military personnel.
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http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/wjc-0500.htm
May 29, 2000
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE
Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia
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http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/topics/apam/Clinton-APMOH.htm
June 21, 2000
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT CEREMONY HONORING ASIAN AMERICAN MEDAL OF
HONOR RECIPIENTS
South Lawn Pavilion 4:45 P.M. EDT
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http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/vetday-2000b.htm
11 November 2000
President's Address At Arlington: 11 November
Later today, I will go to the groundbreaking of the World War II
memorial to honor the service and sacrifice of the greatest
generation: those who fought and died to free the world from tyranny,
totalitarianism and hate. And we will pledge there never to stop
trying to build the world for which they sacrificed so much.
==============
GEORGE W. BUSH
==============
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/02/20010214-2.html
February 2001
Remarks by the President to National Guard Personnel
Yeager Field
Charleston, West Virginia
And the men and women of the West Virginia National Guard and Reserves
continue that tradition. When it comes to readiness, as the Governor
mentioned, the state's Army and international Guard units are ranked
at the top of our nation. And the West Virginia National Guard has
more people than openings. It's a darn good sign that things are
right in the ranks here in this important state. (Applause.)
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http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/bush-052801.htm
May 28, 2001
President Bush remarks at Arlington National Cemetery:
My fellow Americans, a few moments ago for the first time as president
I paid tribute at this tomb where American soldiers were laid to rest.
Their names are known only to God, but there's much we do know about
them and about all the others we remember today. We know that they all
loved their lives as much as we love ours. We know they had a place in
the world, families waiting for them and friends they expected to see
again.
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5218.htm
July 24, 2001
Yugoslavia (Kosovo) Camp Bondsteel
Addressed U.S. military personnel.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/07/20010724-1.html
July 2001 -- Remarks by the President to the American Troops in Kosovo
Camp Bondsteel Kosovo
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http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/07/20010726-5.html
July, 2001
Remarks by the President in a Ceremony Honoring the Navajo Code
Talkers
Rotunda, U.S. Capitol
Today, America honors 21 Native Americans who, in a desperate hour,
gave their country a service only they could give. In war, using
their native language, they relayed secret messages that turned the
course of battle. At home, they carried for decades the secret of
their own heroism. Today, we give these exceptional Marines the
recognition they earned so long ago.
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http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/gwbush-10112001.htm
11 October 2001
Remarks by the President at the Department of Defense Service of
Remembrance
The Pentagon
Arlington, Virginia
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http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/vetday-2001.htm
November 11, 2001
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, Va. -- Vice President Dick Cheney said
the service members of today can take as examples a long line of
American veterans who have defended freedom around the world.
Cheney, who represented George Bush at the Presidential Wreath
Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns, said every veteran has
contributed to the advance of this nation and the advance of human
freedom.
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http://www.help-for-you.com/news/Nov2001/Nov21/PRT21-139Article.html
22 Nov 2001
Bush Rallies Troops
President Bush says the most difficult part of the U.S. military
mission in Afghanistan is still ahead. The President rallied troops of
the 101st Airborne Division at a pre-Thanksgiving meal in the state of
Kentucky.
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http://www.usembassy-israel.org.il/publish/peace/archives/2001/december/120810.html
07 December 2001
Transcript: Bush Speaks at Pearl Harbor Day Commemoration
There is still much difficult and dangerous fighting to come in
Afghanistan, President Bush says, but the struggle will not end with a
truce or a treaty but with a victory for the United States and its
partners.
The president spoke in Norfolk, Virginia, December 7 during ceremonies
aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise marking the 60th anniversary of the
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5218.htm
February 19-21, 2002
Korea, Republic of Seoul, Dorasan, Osan
Met with President Kin Dae-Jung, visited the Demilitarized Zone,
addressed U.S. military personnel.
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http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/05/27/memorial.day.wrap/
May 27, 2002
-- An American day of remembrance
President Bush marked Memorial Day at the American Cemetery in
Normandy on the northwest coast of France, where nearly 10,000
Americans who died in World War II's European campaigns are buried.
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http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/trvl/pres/5218.htm
May 26-27, 2002
France Paris, St. Mere- Eglise, Colleville
Met with President Chirac and delivered a Memorial Day address in
Normandy.
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http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/terrorism/july-dec02/bushpent_9-11.html
September 11, 2002
The president speaks at the Pentagon memorial ceremony, reflecting on
the toll the Sept. 11 attacks took and the resolute response of the
U.S. military.
-------------------------------------------------------
http://www.georgewbush.com/News/read.aspx?ID=1660
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/vetday-2002.htm
November 11, 2002.
President Commemorates Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery
President Bushcloses his eyes for a moment during the singing of 'God
Bless America' during a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National
Cemetery,
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http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030326-4.html
March 2003
President Rallies Troops at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa
Remarks by the President to Socom and Centcom Community
Macdill Air Force Base
Tampa, Florida
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http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/04/20030403-3.html
April 2003
President Discusses Operation Iraqi Freedom at Camp Lejeune
Remarks by the President to the Military Personnel and Their Families
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much. Thank you all so very much for
that warm welcome. It's such an honor to be here. Especially pleased
to be traveling today with a great First Lady, Laura Bush. (Applause.)
We really appreciate your welcome and we're proud to be with the
Marines and sailors and families of Camp Lejeune. There's no finer
sight, no finer sight, than to see 12,000 United States Marines and
Corpsmen -- (applause) -- unless you happen to be a member of the
Iraqi Republican Guard. (Applause.)
-------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/breaking_news/story/72464p-67147c.html
http://www.wral.com/news/2085312/detail.html
http://newstribune.com/stories/040303/wor_0403030033.asp
Thursday, April 3, 2003
President mourns with dead troops' families
WASHINGTON (AP) -- It is among a president's grimmest duties: meeting
with relatives of soldiers killed in the service of their country.
That was the task awaiting President Bush on Thursday as the commander
in chief was meeting the families of Marines from a North Carolina
base that has absorbed a large number of the U.S. war casualties.
http://usinfo.state.gov/regional/nea/iraq/text2003/0403bush.htm
3 April 2003
Days of Brutal Regime in Iraq Coming to an End, Bush Tells Marines
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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,87820,00.html
May 26, 2003
Bush Honors War Dead in Arlington
ARLINGTON, Va. — President Bush (search) led the nation on Monday in
remembering all Americans who have died in war, including soldiers
killed in Afghanistan and Iraq, some now resting in fresh graves at
Arlington National Cemetery just beyond the Tomb of the Unknowns.
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http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/06/05/iraq/main557056.shtml
June 5, 2003
Bush: Troops Defeated 'Great Evil'
DOHA, Qatar,
(CBS/AP) President Bush on Thursday told U.S. troops in the Persian
Gulf that America will "stay the course" in Iraq until the job of
rebuilding the war-torn nation is done.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.talkingproud.us/Military060503.html
June 5, 2003
Shine him up, Mr. President!
President Bush rubs the head of staff sergeant Michael Brown after
addressing U.S. troops at the U.S. Army Central Command (USCENTCOM)
headquarters in Doha, Qatar, on June 5, 2003.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/special/iraq/1976211
July 2, 2003
Bush: U.S. to stay in Iraq
Poll shows slippage in support for war
The president's remarks, made at an event honoring military officials
who have re-enlisted, come as news reports indicate the top U.S.
administrator in Iraq, L. Paul Bremer, is asking for additional troops
and U.S. officials to help quell the chaos that has plagued U.S.-led
forces.
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http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/08/20030814-2.html
August 2003
President Bush Thanks Military
Remarks by the President to Military Personnel and Families
MCAS Miramar, California
I'm honored to be in the presence of the men and women who wear our
nation's uniform. I'm proud of you, and I want to thank you for your
service to our great country. (Applause.) Each of you serves in a
crucial time in our nation's history. And this nation is grateful for
the sacrifice and service you make.
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http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/09/20030912-3.html
September 12, 2003
Remarks by the President to Military Personnel and Families
Trent Field
Fort Stewart, Georgia
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much. Thanks for the warm welcome.
It's a fine day here in Georgia. Of course, the Governor told me every
day is a fine day in Georgia. (Hooah!) It's a great day to visit the
soldiers and the families of the Third Infantry Division and to visit
Fort Stewart. When I came here in February of 2001, it was my first --
one of my first official trips, my first visit to an Army post as
Commander-in-Chief, and my first chance as President to say: Hooah!.
(Hooah!)
===============
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