Remarks on Armed Forces Day Aboard the U.S.S. Saratoga

I APPRECIATE the opportunity to speak to the officers and men of the United States Fleet. As I met many of you a few moments ago and thought back to the time--almost 30 years ago-when I was in the Navy in World War II, I never thought then that I would outrank an admiral.

I can assure you that the opportunity to be here is a very proud one for me, and a particularly proud one because of the chance I have had for the first time to see a coordinated operation such as I have witnessed over the past 2 hours.

There are some things that impressed me very much by what I saw. First, the magnificent teamwork, the teamwork that is so essential for an operation of this type. I realize that when we see a pilot or a captain of one of our very sophisticated, great airplanes, we see a man whose opportunities to do his job are only made possible by hundreds of men on the ground or on the flight deck, working together as a team.

When I saw that teamwork, it made me feel very., confident of the Armed Forces of this country and of the United States Navy and the various functions that it must carry out.

Another thing that impressed me was what happened as we were looking down on the flight deck from up above there, and we saw the number one catapult have troubles and for about 15 or 20 minutes they could not get off. The Admiral was saying to me that those men on that catapult team were probably somewhat embarrassed about it. Let me say, I was very impressed by what I saw, because when you really prove yourself is not when everything goes right but when something goes wrong and you make it right. What a great job it was to get that catapult back on and have those planes going off of it, just like the others.

And one other thing I would like to add is this: Earlier today--this being the Armed Forces Day in which the people of the United States pay honor and tribute to the 3 million men who are in our Armed Forces--I presented two Medals of Honor to two of our fighting men from Vietnam. It was a very moving ceremony for me to see these young men who had displayed such great courage under tremendous challenge in that battlefield so far away. The ceremony was held on the South grounds of the White House. Those of you who have visited the White House will recall how it looks. The great balcony of the White House overlooks it. All the tourists were in Washington in such great numbers in this beautiful spring--I suppose 3,000 or 4,000 were gathered there.

I escorted the two Medal of Honor winners with their families--each had his mother and father there--i escorted them from my office over to the residence of the White House and the platform, which was constructed, from which the honor guard was reviewed and the medals were officially presented.

As we walked along, most of the people were cheering and clapping their hands as these magnificent men were there to receive their honors, and, as is sometimes the case these days, one individual in the crowd shouted out: "Peace, peace, peace."

I would like to say a word about not what that individual said, but what you stand for, and what those two Medal of Honor winners stand for, and what our Armed Forces stand for in America. We today honor the Armed Forces of the United States. To me you are the peace forces of the world because without the strength of the United States of America there would not be peace in the world and there could not be the survival of freedom in the world.

That is the proud duty you have. I repeat what I said on television on Wednesday night ¹ and again this morning: that in four wars in this century--World War I, World War II, Korea, and now Vietnam--young Americans have fought not for conquest, not for the glory of battle, but because they believe in peace and because they believe in freedom, and they want it for themselves and their children, and they want it permanently and not just for the moment.

¹See Item 195.

So, as I address the magnificent men of the Atlantic Fleet today, and, through you, all the Armed Forces of the United States of America around this world, just let me say this: When you hear the criticism sometimes of the "military complex" in this country, when you hear what is wrong with the United States and particularly what is wrong with our Armed Forces and what we are necessarily doing in the cause of peace and freedom in Vietnam and every place else in the world, just remember that history will record that never has a great nation had military forces more dedicated to peace, and whose activities made a greater contribution to peace than the Armed Forces of the United States.

By what you do, by what you are, we will achieve peace in Vietnam and the Pacific and we are going to be able to keep peace in the world.

I am proud to be here as the one who has been elected to lead this country and particularly proud to stand in the presence of the men over whom I am Commander in Chief.

Thank you very much. My very best wishes to the peace forces of the United States and the world.