Reagan’s ‘The Boys of Pointe du Hoc’ Speech on the 40th Anniversary of D-Day

“We re here to ░░░░░░░░ that day in history ░░░░░░░░ the Allied armies joined ░░░░░░░░ battle to reclaim this ░░░░░░░░ to liberty For 4 ░░░░░░░░ years much of Europe ░░░░░░░░ been under a terrible ░░░░░░░░ Free nations had fallen ░░░░░░░░ cried out in the ░░░░░░░░ millions cried out for ░░░░░░░░ Europe was enslaved and ░░░░░░░░ world prayed for its ░░░░░░░░ Here in Normandy the ░░░░░░░░ began Here the Allies ░░░░░░░░ and fought against tyranny ░░░░░░░░ a giant undertaking unparalleled ░░░░░░░░ human history We stand ░░░░░░░░ a lonely windswept point ░░░░░░░░ the northern shore of ░░░░░░░░ The air is soft ░░░░░░░░ 40 years ago at ░░░░░░░░ moment the air was ░░░░░░░░ with smoke and the ░░░░░░░░ of men and the ░░░░░░░░ was filled with the ░░░░░░░░ of rifle fire and ░░░░░░░░ roar of cannon At ░░░░░░░░ on the morning of ░░░░░░░░ 6th of June 1944 ░░░░░░░░ Rangers jumped off the ░░░░░░░░ landing craft and ran ░░░░░░░░ the bottom of these ░░░░░░░░ Their mission was one ░░░░░░░░ the most difficult and ░░░░░░░░ of the invasion to ░░░░░░░░ these sheer and desolate ░░░░░░░░ and take out the ░░░░░░░░ guns The Allies had ░░░░░░░░ told that some of ░░░░░░░░ mightiest of these guns ░░░░░░░░ here and they would ░░░░░░░░ trained on the beaches ░░░░░░░░ stop the Allied advance ░░░░░░░░ Rangers looked up and ░░░░░░░░ the enemy soldiers the ░░░░░░░░ of the cliffs shooting ░░░░░░░░ at them with machine ░░░░░░░░ and throwing grenades And ░░░░░░░░ American Rangers began to ░░░░░░░░ They shot rope ladders ░░░░░░░░ the face of these ░░░░░░░░ and began to climb ░░░░░░░░ the face of these ░░░░░░░░ and began to pull ░░░░░░░░ up When one Ranger ░░░░░░░░ another would take his ░░░░░░░░ When one rope was ░░░░░░░░ a Ranger would grab ░░░░░░░░ and begin his climb ░░░░░░░░ They climbed shot back ░░░░░░░░ held their footing Soon ░░░░░░░░ by one the Rangers ░░░░░░░░ themselves over the top ░░░░░░░░ in seizing the firm ░░░░░░░░ at the top of ░░░░░░░░ cliffs they began to ░░░░░░░░ back the continent of ░░░░░░░░ Two hundred and 20 ░░░░░░░░ came here After 2 ░░░░░░░░ of fighting only 90 ░░░░░░░░ still bear arms Behind ░░░░░░░░ is a memorial that ░░░░░░░░ the Ranger daggers that ░░░░░░░░ thrust into the top ░░░░░░░░ these cliffs And before ░░░░░░░░ are the men who ░░░░░░░░ them there These are ░░░░░░░░ boys of Pointe du ░░░░░░░░ These are the men ░░░░░░░░ took the cliffs These ░░░░░░░░ the champions who helped ░░░░░░░░ a continent These are ░░░░░░░░ heroes who helped end ░░░░░░░░ war Gentlemen I look ░░░░░░░░ you and I think ░░░░░░░░ the words of Stephen ░░░░░░░░ s poem You are ░░░░░░░░ who in your lives ░░░░░░░░ for life and left ░░░░░░░░ vivid air signed with ░░░░░░░░ honor I think I ░░░░░░░░ what you may be ░░░░░░░░ right now thinking we ░░░░░░░░ just part of a ░░░░░░░░ effort everyone was brave ░░░░░░░░ day Well everyone was ░░░░░░░░ you remember the story ░░░░░░░░ Bill Millin of the ░░░░░░░░ Highlanders Forty years ago ░░░░░░░░ British troops were pinned ░░░░░░░░ near a bridge waiting ░░░░░░░░ for help Suddenly they ░░░░░░░░ the sound of bagpipes ░░░░░░░░ some thought they were ░░░░░░░░ Well they weren t ░░░░░░░░ looked up and saw ░░░░░░░░ Millin with his bagpipes ░░░░░░░░ the reinforcements and ignoring ░░░░░░░░ smack of the bullets ░░░░░░░░ the ground around him ░░░░░░░░ Lovat was with him ░░░░░░░░ Lovat of Scotland who ░░░░░░░░ announced when he got ░░░░░░░░ the bridge Sorry I ░░░░░░░░ a few minutes late ░░░░░░░░ if he d been ░░░░░░░░ by a traffic jam ░░░░░░░░ in truth he d ░░░░░░░░ come from the bloody ░░░░░░░░ on Sword Beach which ░░░░░░░░ and his men had ░░░░░░░░ taken There was the ░░░░░░░░ valor of the Poles ░░░░░░░░ threw themselves between the ░░░░░░░░ and the rest of ░░░░░░░░ as the invasion took ░░░░░░░░ and the unsurpassed courage ░░░░░░░░ the Canadians who had ░░░░░░░░ seen the horrors of ░░░░░░░░ on this coast They ░░░░░░░░ what awaited them there ░░░░░░░░ they would not be ░░░░░░░░ And once they hit ░░░░░░░░ Beach they never looked ░░░░░░░░ All of these men ░░░░░░░░ part of a rollcall ░░░░░░░░ honor with names that ░░░░░░░░ of a pride as ░░░░░░░░ as the colors they ░░░░░░░░ the Royal Winnipeg Rifles ░░░░░░░░ s 24th Lancers the ░░░░░░░░ Scots Fusiliers the Screaming ░░░░░░░░ the Yeomen of England ░░░░░░░░ armored divisions the forces ░░░░░░░░ Free France the Coast ░░░░░░░░ s Matchbox Fleet and ░░░░░░░░ the American Rangers Forty ░░░░░░░░ have passed since the ░░░░░░░░ that you fought here ░░░░░░░░ were young the day ░░░░░░░░ took these cliffs some ░░░░░░░░ you were hardly more ░░░░░░░░ boys with the deepest ░░░░░░░░ of life before you ░░░░░░░░ you risked everything here ░░░░░░░░ Why did you do ░░░░░░░░ What impelled you to ░░░░░░░░ aside the instinct for ░░░░░░░░ preservation and risk your ░░░░░░░░ to take these cliffs ░░░░░░░░ inspired all the men ░░░░░░░░ the armies that met ░░░░░░░░ We look at you ░░░░░░░░ somehow we know the ░░░░░░░░ It was faith and ░░░░░░░░ it was loyalty and ░░░░░░░░ The men of Normandy ░░░░░░░░ faith that what they ░░░░░░░░ doing was right faith ░░░░░░░░ they fought for all ░░░░░░░░ faith that a just ░░░░░░░░ would grant them mercy ░░░░░░░░ this beachhead or on ░░░░░░░░ next It was the ░░░░░░░░ knowledge and pray God ░░░░░░░░ have not lost it ░░░░░░░░ there is a profound ░░░░░░░░ difference between the use ░░░░░░░░ force for liberation and ░░░░░░░░ use of force for ░░░░░░░░ You were here to ░░░░░░░░ not to conquer and ░░░░░░░░ you and those others ░░░░░░░░ not doubt your cause ░░░░░░░░ you were right not ░░░░░░░░ doubt You all knew ░░░░░░░░ some things are worth ░░░░░░░░ for One s country ░░░░░░░░ worth dying for and ░░░░░░░░ is worth dying for ░░░░░░░░ it s the most ░░░░░░░░ honorable form of government ░░░░░░░░ devised by man All ░░░░░░░░ you loved liberty All ░░░░░░░░ you were willing to ░░░░░░░░ tyranny and you knew ░░░░░░░░ of your countries were ░░░░░░░░ you The Americans who ░░░░░░░░ here that morning knew ░░░░░░░░ of the invasion was ░░░░░░░░ through the darkness back ░░░░░░░░ They fought or felt ░░░░░░░░ their hearts though they ░░░░░░░░ t know in fact ░░░░░░░░ in Georgia they were ░░░░░░░░ the churches at 4 ░░░░░░░░ M in Kansas they ░░░░░░░░ kneeling on their porches ░░░░░░░░ praying and in Philadelphia ░░░░░░░░ were ringing the Liberty ░░░░░░░░ Something else helped the ░░░░░░░░ of D day their ░░░░░░░░ belief that Providence would ░░░░░░░░ a great hand in ░░░░░░░░ events that would unfold ░░░░░░░░ that God was an ░░░░░░░░ in this great cause ░░░░░░░░ so the night before ░░░░░░░░ invasion when Colonel Wolverton ░░░░░░░░ his parachute troops to ░░░░░░░░ with him in prayer ░░░░░░░░ told them Do not ░░░░░░░░ your heads but look ░░░░░░░░ so you can see ░░░░░░░░ and ask His blessing ░░░░░░░░ what we re about ░░░░░░░░ do Also that night ░░░░░░░░ Matthew Ridgway on his ░░░░░░░░ listening in the darkenss ░░░░░░░░ the promise God made ░░░░░░░░ Joshua I will not ░░░░░░░░ thee nor forsake thee ░░░░░░░░ are the things that ░░░░░░░░ them these are the ░░░░░░░░ that shaped the unity ░░░░░░░░ the Allies When the ░░░░░░░░ was over there were ░░░░░░░░ to be rebuilt and ░░░░░░░░ to be returned to ░░░░░░░░ people There were nations ░░░░░░░░ be reborn Above all ░░░░░░░░ was a new peace ░░░░░░░░ be assured These were ░░░░░░░░ and daunting tasks But ░░░░░░░░ Allies summoned strength from ░░░░░░░░ faith belief loyalty and ░░░░░░░░ of those who fell ░░░░░░░░ They rebuilt a new ░░░░░░░░ together There was first ░░░░░░░░ great reconciliation among those ░░░░░░░░ had been enemies all ░░░░░░░░ whom had suffered so ░░░░░░░░ the United States did ░░░░░░░░ part creating the Marshall ░░░░░░░░ to help rebuild our ░░░░░░░░ and our former enemies ░░░░░░░░ Marshall plan led to ░░░░░░░░ Atlantic alliance a great ░░░░░░░░ that serves to this ░░░░░░░░ as our shield for ░░░░░░░░ for prosperity and for ░░░░░░░░ In spite of our ░░░░░░░░ efforts and successes not ░░░░░░░░ that followed the end ░░░░░░░░ the war was happy ░░░░░░░░ planned Some liberated countries ░░░░░░░░ lost The great sadness ░░░░░░░░ this loss echoes down ░░░░░░░░ our own time in ░░░░░░░░ streets of Warsaw Prague ░░░░░░░░ East Berlin Soviet troops ░░░░░░░░ came to the center ░░░░░░░░ this continent did not ░░░░░░░░ when peace came They ░░░░░░░░ still there uninvited unwanted ░░░░░░░░ almost 40 years after ░░░░░░░░ war Because of this ░░░░░░░░ forces still stand on ░░░░░░░░ continent Today as 40 ░░░░░░░░ ago our armies are ░░░░░░░░ for only one purpose ░░░░░░░░ protect and defend democracy ░░░░░░░░ only territories we hold ░░░░░░░░ memorials like this one ░░░░░░░░ graveyards where our heroes ░░░░░░░░ We in America have ░░░░░░░░ bitter lessons from two ░░░░░░░░ Wars It is better ░░░░░░░░ be here ready to ░░░░░░░░ the peace than to ░░░░░░░░ blind shelter across the ░░░░░░░░ rushing to respond only ░░░░░░░░ freedom is lost We ░░░░░░░░ learned that isolationism never ░░░░░░░░ and never will be ░░░░░░░░ acceptable response to tyrannical ░░░░░░░░ with an expansionist intent ░░░░░░░░ we try always to ░░░░░░░░ prepared for peace prepared ░░░░░░░░ deter aggression prepared to ░░░░░░░░ the reduction of arms ░░░░░░░░ yes prepared to reach ░░░░░░░░ again in the spirit ░░░░░░░░ reconciliation In truth there ░░░░░░░░ no reconciliation we would ░░░░░░░░ more than a reconciliation ░░░░░░░░ the Soviet Union so ░░░░░░░░ we can lessen the ░░░░░░░░ of war now and ░░░░░░░░ It s fitting to ░░░░░░░░ here the great losses ░░░░░░░░ suffered by the Russian ░░░░░░░░ during World War II ░░░░░░░░ million perished a terrible ░░░░░░░░ that testifies to all ░░░░░░░░ world the necessity of ░░░░░░░░ war I tell you ░░░░░░░░ my heart that we ░░░░░░░░ the United States do ░░░░░░░░ want war We want ░░░░░░░░ wipe from the face ░░░░░░░░ the Earth the terrible ░░░░░░░░ that man now has ░░░░░░░░ his hands And I ░░░░░░░░ you we are ready ░░░░░░░░ seize that beachhead We ░░░░░░░░ for some sign from ░░░░░░░░ Soviet Union that they ░░░░░░░░ willing to move forward ░░░░░░░░ they share our desire ░░░░░░░░ love for peace and ░░░░░░░░ they will give up ░░░░░░░░ ways of conquest There ░░░░░░░░ be a changing there ░░░░░░░░ will allow us to ░░░░░░░░ our hope into action ░░░░░░░░ will pray forever that ░░░░░░░░ day that changing will ░░░░░░░░ But for now particularly ░░░░░░░░ it is good and ░░░░░░░░ to renew our commitment ░░░░░░░░ each other to our ░░░░░░░░ and to the alliance ░░░░░░░░ protects it We are ░░░░░░░░ today by what bound ░░░░░░░░ 40 years ago the ░░░░░░░░ loyalties traditions and beliefs ░░░░░░░░ re bound by reality ░░░░░░░░ strength of America s ░░░░░░░░ is vital to the ░░░░░░░░ States and the American ░░░░░░░░ guarantee is essential to ░░░░░░░░ continued freedom of Europe ░░░░░░░░ democracies We were with ░░░░░░░░ then we are with ░░░░░░░░ now Your hopes are ░░░░░░░░ hopes and your destiny ░░░░░░░░ our destiny Here in ░░░░░░░░ place where the West ░░░░░░░░ together let us make ░░░░░░░░ vow to our dead ░░░░░░░░ us show them by ░░░░░░░░ actions that we understand ░░░░░░░░ they died for Let ░░░░░░░░ actions say to them ░░░░░░░░ words for which Matthew ░░░░░░░░ listened I will not ░░░░░░░░ thee nor forsake thee ░░░░░░░░ by their courage heartened ░░░░░░░░ their value valor and ░░░░░░░░ by their memory let ░░░░░░░░ continue to stand for ░░░░░░░░ ideals for which they ░░░░░░░░ and died Thank you ░░░░░░░░ much and God bless ░░░░░░░░ all.”