Remarks Upon Presenting the Distinguished Service Medal to Gen. Thomas S. Power

Distinguished fellow Americans:

We have come this afternoon to honor an outstanding officer and to express this Nation's gratitude for his long and his faithful service to his country.

When General Power was born, Orville and Wilbur Wright were still trying to sell the Army Signal Corps, over at Fort Myer, our first military airplane. He has lived to see the United States Air Force become the greatest air arm that any nation ever possessed.

By his dedication and his great personal effort, often at sacrifice, he has helped to make that Air Force a bulwark of peace around the globe. Not only was he one of the distinguished air strategists of World War II, leading and directing the first large-scale raid on Tokyo, which hastened the end of that bloody and that costly conflict, but in his role as Commander of the Air Force Research and Development Command, General Power has contributed vitally to the scientific and the technical development of the foremost space-age air force in all the world.

For the past 7 years he has directed our Strategic Air Command, that airborne armada on which free nations rely for continued peace and for their security. No matter how impressive our aircraft, no matter how ingenious our weapons, they would all be worthless without the skill and the lifelong dedication to duty of the men who man them.

General Power has displayed such skill and such devotion, steadfastly and unstintingly all through his career.

So, as we tardily meet here this afternoon, in the presence of his friends and his associates, on behalf of a most grateful Nation I am privileged and I am proud to present General Power with another addition to his long list of honors, his second Distinguished Service Medal.

Secretary Zuckert will now read the citation.

[Secretary of the Air Force Eugene M. Zuckert read the citation, the text of which follows.]

CITATION TO ACCOMPANY THE AWARD OF
THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL
(FIRST OAK LEAF CLUSTER)
TO
THOMAS S. POWER

General Thomas S. Power distinguished himself by exceptionally meritorious service to the United States in a position of great responsibility as Commander in Chief, Strategic Air Command, from 1 July 1957 to 30 November 1964. During these years General Power's outstanding command ability and professional knowledge have contributed significantly to developing and maintaining our nation's deterrent forces. In a time of revolutionary change in military weapons systems, he directed the introduction of operational missiles into the Strategic Air Command weapons inventory and brought the missiles to a high state of readiness despite stringent schedules, thereby providing a significant addition to our deterrent force. His inspiring leadership, resoluteness and exceptional managerial ability in building and maintaining a superb world-wide strategic organization have contributed immeasurably toward promoting the security and prestige of the United States. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of General Power culminate a long and distinguished career in the service of his country, and reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

LYNDON B. JOHNSON