official texts and speeches 2007
Ambassador Salutes Polish World War II Heroes
1 June 2007
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| Ambassador Ashe addresses the guests. (see more photos) |
Klub Virtuti Militari, Poland's Congressional Medal of Honor organization, presented Ambassador Ashe an honorary Virtuti Militari award and special order citation which reads: “Please accept this honorary insignia of the Klub Kawalerow Orderu Wojennego Virtuti Militari along with our heartfelt gratitude for your goodwill to us old Polish patriots and to all of Poland. Mr. Ambassador, please wear this honor as a symbol of Virtuti Militari. We want you to know that we, old patriots, count you among our ranks; that your service to America and support of Poland is an example of all that is good in your heart and in the heart of America; and that although we old patriots are fewer in numbers almost every day, we will never forget you and what you have done for us!”
U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Victor Ashe
Remarks at a Special U.S. Armed Forces Day Reception
May 31, 2007
Warsaw, Poland
I would like to thank everyone for joining us today as we commemorate U.S. Armed Forces Day.
We gather annually to honor our Armed Forces because they defend and promote the principles and values that define us: national liberty and individual freedoms within a tolerant, democratic society. U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines are presently deployed alongside their Polish counterparts in distant areas of the world -- from the Balkans to Afghanistan and Iraq -- to oppose those who would threaten those values and to extend to others the hope for a better future.
The places where they serve and the means by which they perform their tasks change over the years, but the qualities demanded of them remain constant: selfless service to the Nation; dedication to duty, whatever burden it demands of them; commitment to professional excellence and to personal honor; and determination to meet any challenge and accomplish any mission.
However, these qualities are not exclusive to America’s men and women in uniform. The presence of Polish World War II veterans joining us this evening, particularly the recipients of the Order of Virtuti Militari, affirms that they are indeed enduring, that they transcend national borders and cultures.
As we stand today in the capital of a prosperous and independent Poland, one which is fully integrated within a greater Europe and which is a close ally of the United States, we must consciously remind ourselves that only a generation ago, the citizens of a newly resurgent Poland were called upon to defend their right to liberty and self-determination. The events of 1939 and the bitter years that followed attest to suffering and endurance on almost unparalleled scale. There no doubt were times during the Second World War when reasonable men questioned whether Europe could ever rise again from the darkness that had fallen over it. And it was during those uncertain times that Poland’s sons and daughters, many of whom are present here today, committed their energies, risked their lives, and suffered unimaginable privations to emphatically answer “YES!”
Their story is as glorious as it is simple. In the September campaign, having been invaded from all sides, Poland fought! In breaking the Enigma code, Poland fought! In the battles of Britain and of the Atlantic, Poland fought! At Normandy, at Arnhem, at Monte Cassino and in North Africa, on the many battlefields of both the eastern and western fronts, Poland fought! Throughout the Home Army’s underground resistance and during the great Warsaw Uprising, Poland fought! Indeed, during the course of nearly fifty years of totalitarian oppression and domination, Poland fought! Finally, just fifteen years ago, led by here “greatest son,” Pope John Paul II, and in solidarity with other nations of Eastern Europe, Poland won!
As we gather among the heroes of those struggles, saluting both them and their missing colleagues, we recognize -- with great humility and respect -- that the debt we owe them can never be fully repaid, that the thanks we offer them can never be sufficient. To truly honor their courage and their sacrifice, we must rekindle and nurture their spirit in each successive generation, ensuring that the values and principles which they cherished and for which they fought, against overwhelming odds, will continue to triumph.
Please join me and our Armed Forces in saluting these heroes, whose personal example continues to inspire us and to lead us, whose valor we can never and must never forget.
