On November 24, U.S. Ambassador to Poland Victor Ashe and the staff of U.S. Embassy Warsaw’s Office of Defense Cooperation joined 29 members from the 183rd Springfield, Illinois Air National Guard Unit at Krzesiny Air Base near Poznan, Poland for a Thanksgiving dinner. The 183rd is helping Poland integrate the first four Polish F-16s in to their Air Force. The first four aircraft arrived at Krzesiny on November 9.
Ambassador Victor Ashe
Remarks at Thanksgiving Dinner at Krzesiny Air Base
November 24, 2006
I am pleased to be part of this Thanksgiving Dinner with those who are directly engaged in making Poland’s F-16 program a success.
For centuries, people of different cultures have celebrated the autumn harvest and thanked God for the fruits of his bounty. Although their customs have varied, their desire to reflect on life's blessings has remained the same.
Of course, in the United States, this day is called Thanksgiving. Its history dates to 1621. At that time, the Pilgrims -- who had left their homeland in search of religious freedom -- shared their harvest with the Native Americans who had helped them survive in the New World. In 1863, President Lincoln declared the fourth Thursday in November as “Thanksgiving Day.”
Traditionally, on Thanksgiving Day, American families gather to feast, celebrate good fortune, and enjoy one another’s company. Naturally, the families of many American servicemen also gather to remember their loved ones who are serving abroad.
As I look around the room, I can tell that long deployments and time away from family are nothing new to seasoned veterans like yourselves … but I know that it must be difficult to explain your absences to sons, daughters, wives, parents and friends who wish they could be with you today.
I want to thank you for your sacrifices and I would ask you to view them in a broader context. Two weeks ago, after Poland’s first F-16s landed here, I mentioned Kosciusko and Pulaski – two “sons of Poland” who left their families and homeland to fight for American independence. Today, you “sons of America” are here to work on a history-making program that will bring peace and stability to Central Europe and ensure the hard-fought independence of Poland. When you return, you will be able to tell your loved ones about the important work that you’ve accomplished.
Additionally, I would like to note that other Polish and American servicemen are also serving far from their families – in Iraq, the Balkans, and Afghanistan. They are keeping the peace and preserving our way of life.
I would like to again thank all the participants of this dinner and wish you continued success. We all have many reasons to be thankful, so please take a few seconds to look around at each other and reflect on them. It is thanks to the sacrifices of those in uniform that other Americans and Poles can celebrate such days.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and especially to your families who unfortunately cannot be here.
• Office of Defense Cooperation
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