the boys of pointe du hoc. these are the men who took the cliffs. these are the champions who he lped free a continent. these are the heroes who helped end a war Gentlemen, I look at you and i think of the words of Stephen Spender's poem. You are men who in your lives fought for life and left the vivid air signed with your honor i think i know what you may be think ing right now ng we were just part of a bigger effort; everyone was brave that day We one was. Do you remember the story of Bill Millin of the 51st Highlanders? Forty years ago today British troops were pinned down near a bridge, waiting desperately for help Suddenly they heard the sound of bagpipes, and some thought they were dreaming Well, they werent. They looked up and saw Bill Millin w ith his bagpipes, leading the einf orcements and ignoring the smack of the bullets into the ground around him Lord Lovat was with him-- Lord Lovat of Scotland, who calmly announced when he got to the bridge, Sorry, I'm afew minutes late, as if he'd been delayed by a traffic jam, when in truth he'd just come from the bloody fighting on Sword Beach, which he and his men had just taken There was the impossible valor of the Poles, who threw themselves between the enemy and the rest of Europe as the invasion took hold; and the unsurpassed courage of the Canadians who had already seen the horrors of war on this coast They knew what awaited them there, but they would not be deterred. And once they hit Juno Beach, they never looked back All of these men were part of a roll call of honor with names that s poke of a pride as bright as the colors they bore; The Royal Winnipeg rif les, Polands 24th Lancers, th Royal Scots Fusiliers, the Screaming Eagles, the Yeomen of Englands armored divisions, the forces of Free france, the Coast Guard's Matchbox Fleet "and you, the American Rangers Forty summers have passed since the battle that you fought here. You were young the day you took these clif fs; some of you were hardly more than boys, with the deepest joys of life before you. Yet you risked everything here. Why Why did you do it? What impe lled you to put aside the instinct for self -preservation and risk your lives to take these cliffs? What inspired all the men of the armies that met here? We look at you, and somehow we know the answer. It was faith and belief. It was The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity faith that a just god would grant them mercy on this beachhead or on the next. It was the deep know ledge --and pray god we have not lost it-- that there is a profound moral dif ference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. You were here to liberate not tothe boys of Pointe du Hoc. These are the men who took the clif f s. These are the champions who helped f ree a continent. These are the heroes who helped end a war. Gentlemen, I look at you and I think of the words of Stephen Spender's poem. You are men who in your "lives fought for life and lef t the vivid air signed with your honor." I think I know what you may be thinking right now -- thinking "we were just part of a bigger ef fort; everyone was brave that day." Well everyone was. Do you remember the story of Bill Millin of the 51st Highlanders? Forty years ago today, British troops were pinned down near a bridge, waiting desperately for help. Suddenly, they heard the sound of bagpipes, and some thought they were dreaming. Well, they weren't. They looked up and saw Bill Millin with his bagpipes, leading the reinforcements and ignoring the smack of the bullets into the ground around him. Lord Lovat was with him -- Lord Lovat of Scotland, who calmly announced when he got to the bridge, "Sorry, I'm a few minutes late," as if he'd been delayed by a traffic jam, when in truth he'd just come from the bloody fighting on Sword Beach, which he and his men had just taken. There was the impossible valor of the Poles, who threw themselves between the enemy and the rest of Europe as the invasion took hold; and the unsurpassed courage of the Canadians who had already seen the horrors of war on this coast. They knew what awaited them there, but they would not be deterred. And once they hit Juno Beach, they never looked back. All of these men were part of a roll call of honor with names that spoke of a pride as bright as the colors they bore; The Royal Winnipeg Rifles, Poland's 24th Lancers, the Royal Scots Fusiliers, the Screaming Eagles, the Yeomen of England's armored divisions, the forces of Free France, the Coast Guard's "Matchbox Fleet, " and you, the American Rangers. Forty summers have passed since the battle that you fought here. You were young the day you took these clif f s; some of you were hardly more than boys, with the deepest joys of life before you. Yet you risked everything here. Why? Why did you do it? What impelled you to put aside the instinct for self -preservation and risk your lives to take these cliff s? What inspired all the men of the armies that met here? We look at you, and somehow we know the answer. It was faith and belief . It was loyalty and love. The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead, or on the next. It was the deep knowledge -- and pray God we have not lost it -- that there is a profound moral dif ference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. You were here to liberate, not to