Tribute on Navy Day.

This is the first Navy Day ever to be observed with the United States at war. As such it is the most significant celebration of its kind since Navy Day was first inaugurated in 1922.

As I salute the Navy, in company with 130,000,000 other patriotic American citizens, I am deeply proud of its heroic accomplishments in this war. I am proud not only because of my own long and happy associations with the service but also because as its Commander in Chief I am acutely aware of the tremendous role it is playing in the preservation of freedom and human decency.

When I greeted you just one year ago the Navy was on defense duty, a symbol of our hope that we could remain isolated and inviolable in a world where tyranny raged unchecked. As I greet you today the Navy is fighting hard in every corner of the globe to bring victory to our cause.

On this occasion I need not ask the people of the United States to pay tribute to our Navy, for I am sure that there is not a man, woman, or child in the land who has not been thrilled by its triumphs and inspired by its indomitable courage. They know that their Navy is doing the biggest job any navy has ever been called upon to do and doing it superbly.

They have the most profound faith in their Navy's ability to sweep our enemies from the seas and in conjunction with the Army, the Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard preserve America's place of honor in the community of Nations.