-
https://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/files/original/de2e5375990b16c2be177cff2ebbf9f1.pdf
223af5472cd210589314aa19554b88b0
PDF Text
Text
FOIA Number: 2006-0458-F
FOIA
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the William J. Clinton
Presidential Library Staff.
Collection/Record Group:
Clinton Presidential Records
Subgroup/Office of Origin:
Communications
Series/Staff Member:
Don Baer
Sub series:
OA/ID Number:
10140
FolderiD:
Folder Title:
D Day Memoranda Regarding D Day Events - Chronological Order
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
s
90
2
8
1
��D-Day Meeting
MEMO TO:
Participants
FROM:
Nancy
RE:
D-Day meeting
Soderber~~
We will be getting together at 10:30am Friday in the
Situation-Room to discuss the D-Day trip. The Roosevelt Room was
not available and the Sit room is small so please do not bring
additional people from your office unless they have been
specifically invited. There will literally be no where for them
to sit.
The-agenda will be as follows:
Schedule Overview:
Will Itoh/Ricki Seidman
(We need to resolve the few outstanding
issues, especially Cambridge cemetery)
Policy Objectives:
Jenonne Walker
Speech themes:
Jeremy Rosner
Public Affairs:
Tara Sonenshine
Briefing Schedule:
Will Itoh
Attached are several memos from the above outlining our
current thinking. We will try to circulate a draft schedule at
the meeting.
Attachments
Tab
Tah
Tab
Tab
Tab
A
B
C
D
E
Schedule iss·ues
Policy Objectives
Speech Themes
Public Affairs
Briefing Schedule
/
�SCHEDULE:
ACTION ITEMS
as of 4/14
The following is an update ori scheduling issues raised in Tony
Lake's meeting with NSC Staff on Monday, April 11:
·RoME SCHEDULE: We were advised today by Embassy·vatican that the
Pope will see the President at 12:30· PM on Thursday, June 2.
This decision now clears the way for fixing the ·rest of the Rome
schedule. We will be sending appropriate instructions to Embassy
Rome.
CAMBRIDGE CEMETERY EVENT: Attached are two draft revised
schedules which provide for the President's participation in the
Cambridge event.
Option ( 1) assumes that we can work with the ,·
Brits to have the Major meeting/press event in Cambridge (with
Major participating in our Cemetery event).
Option (2) assumes
that we have to start in Chequers with Major and then move to
Cambridge for the event.
NORMANDY EVENTS:
The suggestion that Bob Michel sing "God Bless
America" at the Coleville Cemetery event is under discussion and
pending comment by WH Legislative Affairs. Michel actually
··fought at Utah Beach so we should consider involving him in the
ceremony there. We are also trying to work into the Coleville
(ahd Nettuno) scenario time for the President alone at the
gravesites. We are also working to find time and opportunities
for contact with US veterans at each possible venue.
PARIS CEO EVENT: We have passed on to Embassy Paris and to the.
schedulers our preference for a larger and more inclusive event
involving Frgnch and American CEOs in Paris.
CABINET PARTICIPATION:
The plan for coordinating the
participation of Members of_the Cabinet and the Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff has been developed with Cabinet Affairs
(see attached). The participation of .the Secretary· of State
and the Secretary of the Treasury has been confirmed.
The
Participation of other principals will be confirmed soon.
Attachment:
Cambridge Proposals
Cabinet Participation
�DRAFT SCHEDULE: CAMBRIDGE OPTIONS
SATURDAY, JUNE 4
(Option 1)
7:05
8:15
8:25
8:45
am
am
am
am
10:45 am
11:00 am
12:00
~m
12:15 pm
12:55 pm
Lv Rome (Flying time 2: 10; time change -1 :' 00)
Ar RAF Mildenhall
Lv RAF Mildenhall
Ar Cambridge
Bilateral meeting/press availability with PM John Major
Lv meeting site accompanied by PM Major
Ar American Cemetery Cambridge
Memorial Service
Service ends
Lv American Cemetery Cambridge
Lv Cambridge
Ar Oxford
(Option 2)
6:30
7:30
7:45
8:15
am
am
am
am
10:15 am
10!45 am
11:00 am
12:00 pm
12:15 pm
12:55 pm
Lv Rome (Flying time 2:00; time change -l:Op)
Ar RAF Brize Norton
Lv.RAF Brize Norton
Ar Chequers
Bilateral meeting/press availability with PM John Major
Lv Chequers
Ar Cambridge
Ar American.Cemetery Cambridge
Memorial Service
Service Ends
Lv American Cemetery Cambridge
Lv Cambrl.dge.
Ar Oxford
�Suggested Participation by Cabinet Secretaries in World
War II Commemorative Events
To accommodate the number of request to travel with the White
_House delegation to Italy, United Kingdom and France for the
events commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Wor~d War II, a
second delegation will be formed which will include Cabinet
Secretaries, some Cabinet-level officials and a minimal number of
staff. When the President is not participating in certain D-Day
ceremonies due to bilateral commitments in Italy, The United
Kingdom and France, this delegation will move separately from the
President. Members of this delegation will be recommended to
attend events on behalf of the President.
Recommended participation by Cabinet Secretaries and/or Cabinetlevel officials for the June trip is as follows:
(Events not
invo~ving the President marked *)
ROME
June 2/3
Bilateral Meetings with Italian Government Officials
Secretary of State Christopher
June 3
Nettuno Memorial Ceremony and Reception ·IHO American Veterans
Secretary of State Christopher
Secretary of Pefense Perry
Secretary of Veteran Affairs Jesse· Brown
Chairman, Joint:chiefs of Staff General Shalikashvili
June 4
* Liberation of Rome
Secretary of Defense Perry
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jesse Brown
UNITED KINGDOM
June 4
* Cambridge Cemetery
Secretary of the Treasury Lloyd Bentsen
Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff General Shalikashvili
Bilateral Meeting with Prime Minister Major (Chequers)
Secretary of State Christopher
Oxford
Cabinet Participation TBD
(Note: Secretary Christopher to proceed to Portsmouth
Accompanying_Foreign Secretary Hurd)
�2
* Garden Party Portsmouth
Secretary of State Christopher
Secretary of the Treasury Lloyd Bentsen
Secretary of Defense Perry
Secretary of Veteran Affairs Jesse Brown
Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff General Shalikashvili
* Beating Retreat
Secretary of State Christopher
Se~retary of the Treasury Lloyd Bentsen
Secretary of Defense Perry
Secretary of Veteran Affairs Jesse Brown
Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff General Shalikashvili
June 5
Drumhead Ceremony
All
Flotilla Departure'to Normandy wjthe Queen
Cabinet Participation TBD
Reception for American Veterans
All
June 6
Memorial Service USS George Washington
All
FRANCE
Point Du Hoc Ranger Ceremony
All
UTAH Beach Ceremony
All
OMAHA Beach Ceremony (International Ceremony)
All
U.S. National Ceremony Colleville American Cemetery
All
* Caen Memorial Event (Normandy Foundation)
Cabinet Participation TBD
June 7
Bilateral Events with French Government Officials in Paris
Secretary of State Christopher
g:\execsec\normandy\cabinet
�President's June Trip:
Policy Objectives
OBJECTIVES
The World War II commemorations and the bilateral events planned
for the President's ~une trip to Italy, the United Kingdom and
France should sustain and build on the momentum his January trip
created. The President's principal objectives should be to:
o
Reinforce the American commitment to and engagement in
a prosperous, peaceful and secure Europe;
o
Invoke today's opportunity to base European security'
not on repelling aggression but on integrating the
whole continent, in economic and political as well as
military-security terms;
Underscore that the future of Central and Eastern
Europe lies in its full int~gration into Western
democratic institutions;
o
Specify what has been done and needs to be done to:
Improve market access in the West for the new
democracies of the East;_
Coordinate Western donor assistance to Central and
Eastern Europe better;
Strengthen habits of consultation across the
continent and across the Atlantic;
Adapt Western institutions (especially NATO, the
WEU and the European Union) to today's challenges,
particularly the accommodation of Europe's new
democracies -- including their full membership in
such institutions when appropriate;
Establish practical military cooperation with and
among former adversaries (Partnership for Peace)
while ensuring' against the possibility of new
threats (CJTF);
o
Emphasize that the European-wide commitment to
democratic values is the essential unifying impetus for
all these efforts.
This continuity of policy will also .run through the July trip,
with its focus on the economic aspects of security at G-7 and EU
Summits. Other events in Germany and Poland will carry through
the themes of integrati6n, cooperation, reform and
democratization.
·
The June trip's imperative of honoring those who fought and died
to secure freedom provides a·rich context for advancing o.ur
current objectives, provided they are framed to underline the
solemnity and primary purpose of the_ commemorative events.
�EVENTS
o
In the World War II ceremonies in Rome, Cambridge (?),
Portsmouth and Normandy -- when the President's m~in
message wili be about sacrifice, courage and legacy
he can also invoke the unity and shared purpose
displayed so valiantly in those places for the
challenges Europe and America.face together today.
o
Normandy is also. the venue to make a graceful reference
to role of former enemies (Germany and Italy) in
supporting the democratic, market-oriented rebirth of
Central and Eastern E~rope.
o
Bilateral meetings with Italian, British and French.
leaders interspersed among the World War II events will
advance our common European and country-specific goals
for the trip.
o
Finally, in each country, the President will have a
feature opportunity to articulate his vision of Europe
and-America's role to public audiences-- in Rome at
the Capitoline Hill, in the UK at Oxford, and in Paris
at the National Assembly.
I
I
�...
·.
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20506
April 14, 1994
MEMORANDUM FOR WILL ITOH
NANCY SODERBERG
t;<- (;..,
j/L
THROUGH:
JEREMY ROSNER
FROM:
ERIC LIU
SUBJ:
Themes for D-Day POTUS Remarks
~
During the President's trip to Europe in June, he will deliver
over twenty-five public speeches and statements.
·.
In addition to arrival, departure and bilateral press statements,
the other addresses include: Nettuno Cemetery remarks, greeting
to the citizens of Rome, speech at Oxford, remarks at Portsmouth
to American veterans, sunrise ceremony remarks aboard the USS
George Washington, remarks at'the Pointe Du Hoc Ranger ceremony,
a speech to the French National Assembly, remarks at Utah Beach,
and remarks at Colleville Cemetery. A full list of remarks is
attached..
·
We are working to develop and emphasize a consistent and coherent
set of themes in these addresses. Depending on the nature of the
event, certain themes (honoring veterans, for instance) will take
precedence,and othe~s will recede. Taken as a whole, the set of
·. sp~eches we :;produce wi'il articulate' the following substantive and
general themes: , . :. ·
·
·
...
·.. ;· . . . .
·:··: ..£. ~ !:: .
: '. ·..;'
Integration of a broader Eur6pe. The President should reinf6rc~
the message of the Janua~y trip.
History -- and Allied
dedication over two generations -- has given us a unique
opportunity: to build a future for Europe based not on division
but on economic, democratic and security integration. Discuss
Partnership for Peace and Russian relations in this context.
[For fuller articulation of policy themes, see attached
LeBourgeois memorandum at Tab II].
A new generation of leadership. Europeans of the World War II
generation have always worried whether the successor generation,
the children of their sacrifice, would appreciate the lessons
learned in the 1930's and 40~s.
In many cases, it will be
appropriate for the President to speak humbly as the son of a
veteran. But as much as possible, he should spe~k also to the
generation behind him -- to remind today's youth of all they take
or granted, and ~o inspire them to service.
norin sbldiers
ast ~nd resent. This is related to the
receding th~me, but focuses more explicitly on the military, on
�the heroism of individual soldiers and on the continuing need for
a strong defense in this new and still~dangerous era. This fs
the most delicate and perhaps most important theme to ·emphasize.
Patriotism, faith, optimism, sacrifice. These values are not
appendages to the President's speeches; to a great extent, they
are the speeches. Everybody knows the 'President is a master of
substantive policy. This is an opportunity fbr him to articulate
his core convictions and· values, all of which can be tied back to
domestic initiatives as well.·
Remembering why the Allies won; why America remains great.
Throughout World War II, people asked whether a democracy could
defeat a dictatorship in war; whether a free people were too
-undisciplined, too lazy or too selfish to overcome a totalitarian
threat. Here, the President promotes democraqy and celebrates
the power of a free and diverse people united in common ca.use.
Unity of purpose; moral equivalent of war. World War II, and D'Day in particular, brought the American people together as never
before. The President must issue a challenge: can we summon the
same unity of purpose in a time of peace? Can we muster that
·sense of community for the challenges we face today, at home and
abroad? His answer should be: We can, we must, we are.
Attachments
Tab I
List of Presidential Remarks
�PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS FOR D-DAY TRIP
Thursday, June 2
Arrival Statement
Wreath Laying Ceremony
Greeting to Citizens of Rome
PM Bilateral Press Statement
PM Dinner Toast
Friday, June 3
Nettuno Cemetery Statement
Reception with Americ~n Veterans
U.S. Embassy Remarks ·
·
Press Statement with Pope
Toast for President's Dinner
Departure Statement
Saturday, June 4
Arrival Statement, England
PM Majo~ Bilateral Press Statement
Speech at Oxford
Toast for Queen's Dinner
Sunday, June 5
Remarks for Drumhead Ceremony, Portsmouth
Reception with American Veterans
-,
Monday, June 6
. Mem~riai· servi~~·;··.-uss washington··._
Poin-te Du · Hoc Ranger Ceremony
· Utah ··Beach .. Ceremon-y
Colleville Cemetery Remarks
Tuesday, June 7
Remarks to U.S and French CEOs
Toast for Balladur Lunch
Speech to French National Assembly
Mitterand Dinner Toast
Departure Statement
'\
�PRESS CLUSTERS
We need to begin to schedule press clusters as soon as possible.
Normandy is the perfect example of the need for a series of
Presidential Clusters. Prior to the trip it is important to set
out some simple, yet substantive themes. By meeting with a
select group of foreign and domestic broadcasters and news
editors, it is possible to lay the groundwork for public
understanding.of our overall strategy and message vis-a-vis D-Day
and Europe. It is also one way to respond to the flood of
requests from the US and overseas media for time with the
President. Only through a system of rotation of major media is
it possible to accommodate some of·the'requests. The preNormandy clusters are designed to utilize radio, television and
print venues both at home and abroad to explain the symbolic and
substantive dimensions of the trip.
For the pre-Normandy trip, we propose (2) clusters; one
broadcast, one print:
BROADCAST CLUSTER:
BBC Television
French Television
VOA
C-SPAN
CONUS
CRPLF (combines Radio France, CBC Canada, Swiss Romande and
Belgian-French Radio)
PRINT CLUSTER:
The New York Times
washington Post
Newsweek
Time
U.S. News & World Report
Los Angeles Times
Chicago Times
�TO: ·
Nancy Soderberg
FR:
Tara Sonenshincffom Ross
RE:
Normandy--Style and Substance
It is important that the Normandy trip not become a blur of images and themes.
There is a tendency on major, historic trips to overplan, leaving little time to
f~cus on a couple of events and messages. · The goal should be to have etched
in the public mind an image and theme that stand out from all the rest.
There is no escaping comparisons with the 40th anniversary of Normandy and
the success of the Reagan trip. Point du Hoc, in particular, will become atarget for comparison with the past. · It is important that we agree upon ways to
differentiate the overall trip and the individual events from previous ones .
..1. Point du Hoc:
This event· will be and should be a focal point for planning. The imagery and
message must be different from the Reagan event. There are various ways to
create that differentiation:
a. Generational images/themes: Reagan was a product of the WWTI generation
and President at a time of Cold War thinking. This President is not only
younger but youthful in outlook and vision. The audience he addresses must
also reflect the generational spectnun. We propose that in addition to older
veterans, that we invite the children and grandchildren of those veterans. We
propose that we even find children or grandchildren of those who perished on
the beaches of Normandy. We propose that the President be able to address,
directly, the present and future generation by being able to either single out a
·few children or mingle with a crowd of them after his set remarks.
b. Young Troops. We propose that in addition to older _veterans. that .the . f'J~ ~ t~
audience contain some of the enlisted men and women who are currently
serving in the European theatre.
c. Honor Guard. We propose that the Pentagon assist in assembling an honor
�guard of Anny, Navy, Air Force and Marine servicemen and women that could
add to the event both symbolically and substantively.
d. The background behind President Clinton needs to be carefully considered
to avoid the potential of a foggy scene with an unclear sea and horizon.
e. When Reagan spoke at Point du Hoc the Berlin Wall had not fallen, Eastern
Europe was not a collection of newly emerging democracies, the Soviet Union
was still a monolithic empire. When President Clinton speaks, he must be
talking to and about an entire new generation of democratic-minded people.
2. Colleville:
· The satellite hook-up between the Colleville Cemetery event and the Arlington
Cemetery event must be closely co-ordinated so as to make use of the fact that
technology has changed and it is now possible to create this kind of dual
imagery. We need to talk through how to make the messages and images work
in parallel; not fight one another.
3. Oxford:
The Oxford event must be rich in substance. · It cannot simply be a walk down
memory lane. It is an intellectually rich .environment which can be used to
foster meaningful discussion about a new Europe. We have received a request
from Oxford Radio for an interview with the President. We might think. about
.reaching the Oxford community with a message prior to the trip.
4. Cemetery Events:
·
(' /,
\:::
discussed, it is important that the President have time alone to reflect and
ncentrate on the power of the event. He should not be seen, constantly
by throngs of press. One image of the
in one moment of
alone through a cemetery, IS very powerful.
~ro~ed
~~~~
~ident,
~" ~:We ~~
Flesh:
should find appropriate times during the trip for the President to meet with
ordinary people and work a crowd. Perhaps he could do that with Oxford
students.
Finally, it is important that there be a series of briefings for the press prior to
the trip. We reconunend one major event at the National Press Club where the
Foreign Press Center can invite foreign journalists as well as US reporters to
hear about the trip from an array of Administration people. There should also
�be smaller, more individualized briefings on policy. As submitted under
separate cover, there should be at least (2) Presidential interview events for
domestic and foreign journalists, in a small group~ to interview the President.
The list of European television, radio, and ·print requests is endless.
We also should consider videotaping the entire trip as wen as documenting in
images and words,. the· events as they transpire. There should be a "President
Clinton in Normandy" glossy and/or video. We do have a request, by the way,
from lTV (Grampian TV) in London to follow the Presiaent on the. trip and to
shoot some behind-the-scenes events for a documentary on the trip. lTV
(Grampian TV) believes they could get a US network to' run portions of that
documentary. It is worth considering the request.
�D-Day Briefings
In addition to the press clusters, we will need to set
aside several sessions for briefing the President prior to
departure. Below is an initial list; additional briefings may be
needed.
veter~ns
and
milit~ry.historians.
1.
Dinner with D-Day
2.
1 hour meeting with outside advisors to disduss goals.
3.
Two one hour staff briefings to review policy goals.
4.
Two hour and a .half speech prep sessions.
5.
Possible Congressional meetings.
6.
Sessions as needed to review schedule.
�2814
THE WHITE HOUSE
·
Sch~dule
Proposal
_ _ACCEPT
date ____/_ _ /_ _
WASHINGTON
_ _ REGRET
_ _PENDING
TO:
Ricki Seidman
Assistant to the President and Director
of Scheduling and Advance
FROM:
Anthony Lake
REQUEST:
Informal dinner party ('10-20 people)
PURPOSE:
To prepare the President for D-Day
events
BACKGROUND:
Dinner guests will be able·to offer
personal and historical accounts of the
Normandy campaign
PREVIOUS PARTICIPATION:
None
.DATE. AND·TIME:
Prior to the President's departure for
D-Day events in early June
DURATION:
Even~ng
LOCATION:
The White House
PARTICIPANTS:
D-Day veterans and military historians
(see notional list, attached); Anthony
Lake; General ·shalikashvili; others to
be determined
OUTLINE OF EVENTS:
President hosts dinner, invites
recollections or comments .by
participants
REMARKS REQUIRED:
None
MEDIA COVERAGE:
White House Photographer optional
(2-3 hours)
FIRST LADY'S ATTENDANCE:
Optional
VICE PRESIDENT'S ATTENDANCE:
To be determined
SECOND LADY'S ATTENDANCE:
No
RECOMMENDED BY:
NSC
CONTACT:
Robert G. Bell
Attachment
Tab A
. D-Day veterans and historians
cc:
Stephanie Streett
I
�D-Day Veterans and Military Historians
Major General Adrian St. John, USA (Ret.)
Veteran of Normandy campaign (led his troops all 'the way
to Berlin); veteran 'of Korean and Vietnam wars; retired in
1992 after 50 years of government service;_ nominated for
Presidential Citizens Medal
Former Gove~nor and Senator Terry Sanford
Veteran of Normandy campaign
General Andrew Goodpaster, USA (Ret.)
Former Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR); was close
assistant to.Eisenhower; current Chairman of the Atlantic
Council
Bill Mauldin
Famed World War II journalist and ca.rtoonist; friend of the
average "GI Joe"
Congressman Sam Gibbons
President's Personal Representative to D-Day events; veteran
of.Normandy.campaign
Ken Bergman
Veterans Affairs consultant; assisting with planning for DDay events; former Ranger; scaled cliffs at Normandy during
initial landing
Ray Scherer
Was on a destroyer off the coast of Normandy as a Navy LTJG;
former NBC White House Correspondent
Carlo D'Este
Author of books on
Norm~ndy,
Patton, and Italian campaign
Martin Blumenson
D-:-Day historian; wrote definitive history of the Battle of
the Falais Gap
Forrest Pogue
D-Day historian; noted biographer of General Marshall
Steven Ambrose
D-Day historian; establishing a D-Day museum
John Keegan
Famed British military historian; his book Six Armies in
Normandy explains role not only of the U.S., but also of our
allies in the campaign
Brigadier General Hal Nelson
Chief of U.S. Army Office of Military History
�,
• !
•
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
2899
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20506
April 14, 1994
MEMORANDUM FOR WILL ITOH
NANCY SODERBERG
THROUGH:
JEREMY ROSNER ~ ~ ~fl..
FROM:
ERIC LIU
SUBJ:
Themes for D-Day POTUS Remarks
d
During the President's trip to Europe in June, he will deliver
over twenty-five public speeches and statements.
In addition to arrival, departure and bilateral press statements,
the other addresses include:
Nettuno Cemetery remarks, greeting
to the citizens of Rome, speech at Oxford, remarks at Portsmouth
to American veterans, sunrise ceremony remarks aboard the USS
George Washington, remarks at the Pointe Du Hoc Ranger ceremony,
a speech to the French National Assembly, remarks at Utah Beach,
and remarks at Colleville Cemetery.
A full list of remarks is
attached at Tab I.
We are working to develop and emphasize a consistent and coherent
set of themes in these addresses.
Depending on the nature of the
event, certain themes (honoring veterans, for instance) will take
precedence and others will recede.
Taken as a whole, the set of
speeches we produce will articulate the following substantive and
general themes:
Integration of a broader Europe.
The President should reinforce
the message of the January trip.
History -- and Allied
dedication over two generations -- has given us a unique
opportunity:
to build a future for Europe based not on division
but on economic, democratic and security integration. Discuss
Partnership for Peace and Russian relations in this context.
[For fuller articulation of policy themes, see attached
LeBourgeois memorandum at Tab II].
A new generation of leadership.
Europeans of the World War II
generation have always worried whether the successor generation,
the children of their sacrifice, would appreciate the lessons
learned in the 1930's and 40's.
In many cases, it will be
appropriate for the President to speak humbly as the son of a
veteran.
But as much as possible, he should speak also to the
generation behind him -- to remind today's youth of all they take
for granted, and to inspire them to service.
Honoring soldiers, past and present.
This is related to the
preceding theme, but focuses more explicitly on the military, on
�•
the heroism of individual soldiers and on the continuing need for
a strong defense in this new and still-dangerous era. This is
the most delicate and perhaps most important theme to emphasize.
Patriotism, faith, optimism, sacrifice. These values are not
appendages to the President's speeches; to a great extent, they
~the speeches.
Everybody knows the President is a master of
substantive policy. This is an opportunity for him to articulate
his core convictions and values, all of which can be tied back to
domestic initiatives as well.
Remembering why the Allies won; why America remains great.
Throughout World War II, people asked whether a democracy could
defeat a dictatorship in war; whether a free people were too
undisciplined, too lazy or too selfish to overcome a totalitarian
threat. Here, the President promotes democracy and celebrates
the power of a free and diverse people united in common cause.
Unity of purpose; moral eguivalent of war. World War II, and DDay in particular, brought the American people together as never
before. The President must issue a challenge: can we summon the
same unity of purpose in a time of peace? Can we muster that
sense of community for the challenges we face today, at home and
abroad? His answer should be: We can, we must, we are.
Attachments
Tab I
Tab II
List of Presidential Remarks
LeBourgeois Memorandum on Policy Themes
.~~-·-~~--~----
�...
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS FOR D-DAY TRIP
Thursday, June 2
rrival Statement
reath Laying Ceremony
reeting to Citizens of Rome
PM Bilateral Press Statement
PM Dinner Toast
-7 ~c."'V\,U__ c.\. -h ~~
-; N4_~
Friday, June 3
~ttuno Cemetery Statement
~;ception with American Veterans
U.S. Embassy Remarks
Press Statement with Pope
Toast for President's Dinner
Departure Statement
Saturday, June 4
Arrival Statement, England
M Major Bilateral~Press Statement
peech at Oxford -lus.
. o~,..Q.,. ~
cast for Queen's ~nner
Sunday, June 5
Remarks for Drumhead Ceremony, Portsmouth
Reception with American Veterans
Monday, June 6
Memorial Service, USS Washington
Pointe Du Hoc Ranger Ceremony
Utah Beach Ceremony
Colleville Cemetery Remarks
Tuesday, June 7
Remarks to U.S and French CEOs
Toast for Balladur Lunch
Speech to French National Assembly
Mitterand Dinner Toast
Departure Statement
�MEMORANDUM TO DON BAER
FROM:
RE:
Ann Walker
Experts and Specialists for D-Day Research and Prep
William Manchester
Michael Bechloss
Paul Kennedy (Preparing for the 21st Century)
John Keegan (Six Armies in Normandy: From D-Day to the Liberation
of Paris)
Stephen Ambrose
Jon Man
Albert Marrin
Richard Romer
John Frayn Turner (Invasion '44: The full Story of D-Day)
Sir Winston Churchill (Biographers)
?
"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many
to so few." (Tribute to the Royal Air Force, House of Commons
8/20/40)
"Not in vain" may be the pride of those who have survived and the
epitaph of those who fell." (Speech in the House of Commons
9/28/44)
Ernest Hemingway:
The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the
broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills
the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially.
If you are none of these you can be sure that it will kill you
too but there will be no special hurry. (A Farewell to Arms)
Definition of Guts:
"Grace Under Pressure"
"A man can destroyed but not defeated."
�THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
. May 11, 1994
MEMORANDUM FOR:
EUROPEAN TRIP PLANNING GROUP
I
MARKGEARAN
DEE DEE MYERS
RICKI SEIDMAN
ANNE WALLEY
LEE SATIERFIELD
ISABELLE TAPIA
WENDY.SMITH
DONBAER
DAVID GERGEN
GEORGESTEPBANOPOULOS
NANCY SODERBERG
TOM ROSS
TARA SONENSHINE
ERICLW·
JEREMY ROSNER
CALVIN MITCHELL
JAKE SIEWERT
GINNY TERZANO
FROM:
JOSHKING ·
SUBJEcT:
MESSAGE NOTES ON
THE PRESIDENT'S TRIP TO
.ITALY, ENGLAND AND FRANCE
Among my strongest feelings from the advance trips are the following three points:
· 1. Commentators and pundits will be quick to ask, in reference to President Reagan's
performance, what are you going to do to match Pointe du Hoc?
The answer should be that in addition to going to Pointe du Hoc (not only offering
remarks, as Reagan did, but spending time with veterans, their children and
grandchildren); the President will visit the beaches ofUtah and Omaha, walk with
�veterans on the sand and touch the water where, SO years ago, the overwhelming
majority of American action and casualties took place.
We should say that the President will pay tribute to the veterans ofD-Day by walking
· with two veterans, --one Army, one Navy- from the Overlook at Colleville Cemetery ·
to Omaha Beach. On the walk he will hear one more time the story of the invasion
through the eyes ofthe grunts who fought their way through the surt: across the beach
and up the bluff. Upon arriving at water's edge the walking party will present a last
offering to the sea as a :final rendition of taps are played. Shortly thereafter, in solemn
silence, the President will depart Normandy.
Staff should know that, while valiant and heroic, the actions by Rangers at Pointe
du Hoc constituted a small episode in the history of D-Day. Its fame is owed
largely to the President Reagan's speech. In the eyes of history, Omaha Beach
was where the invasion, and the liberation of Europe, was to be won or lost. I
would be pleased to refer you to numerous books, videos and personal accounts
which elaborate on that opinion.
While hundreds of thousands of G.l.s stormed the beaches of Omaha and Utah,
and thousands of paratroopers from the lOlst and 82nd Airborne dropped behind
enemy lines in villages like Ste. Mere Eglise, two hundred Rangers assaulted
suspected gun emplacements atop the cliffs ofPointe du Hoc.
When the Rangers :finally scaled the cliff, they found that the guns were not there.
Eventually, the Rangers who made it to the top of the cliffs were taken prisoner
and spent the rest of the war as P.O.W.s.
The Pointe du Hoc event will feature only Rangers and their families in the
audience and will number about 600. The Colleville (Omaha Beach) event will
feature veterans and their families from every American area of engagement and
audience is expected to approach 12,000.
The familiar appeal of the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc notwithstanding, the main focus
of the President's day should be the Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville
and .the adjoining-beaches of"Bloody Omaha".
2. We have an unprecedented opportunity to enlarge the President's stature as
Commander-in-Chiefby showing his.deep understanding of the history ofWorld War
II and reverence for the sacrifice of veterans of the Italian and No~dy campaigns.
From Friday at Nettuno, when the world's focus on the 50th Anniversary ofD-Day
will begin its most acute stage, to Monday on Omaha Beach, when it comes to its
most solemn conclusion, the President's public activities should revolve as tightly as
possible around commemoration of the allied war effort. In events both large and
small, substantive and symbolic, we can and should design events that touch every
�""
..
issue of concern and mterest to veterans, both for those in Europe and for the millions
unable to make the trip who will be glued to CNN for round-the-clock coverage.
This means, among other things, that the recommendation to move the Oxford
events to Wednesday, June 8, is a very wise move. A change in the Oxford events
will move them beyond the coverage ofD-Day weekend, beyond the D-Day week
magazine cycle, and out of the scrutiny of the massive press presence in England and
France.
Furthermore, we make very positive anticipated coverage of Oxford if we add to the
schedule a substantive town meeting with international students at Oxford. The event
could take the fonn of the Ostankino event in Moscow and serve as the uniquely Bill
'
Clinton form of honoring the past by discussing solutions to the challenges to world
peace that many of these students will face in the future.
·
3. The success of the President's trip will largely be judged by what he says at Nettuno,
Cambridge, the U.S.S. George Washington, Pointe Du Hoc, Utah Beach and
Colleville (Omaha Beach) and other opportunities.
At each opportunity, the President's remarks and actions should reinforce the theme
that President· Clinton and his generation accept the honor and duty of passing on to
successor generations the memory of the sacrifiCe made by veterans of World War
Two; that we proudly inherit the mantle of responsibility for guarding against future·
threats to freedom and liberty.
World War IT ended the way it did because of what the grunts did at D-Day. To the
veterans, those born after the war, born into freedom, are the cbHdren of their
sacrifice. President Clinton will speak for every American born after the war when he
pledges that we will never forget.
President Reagan's short schedule in 1984 was far less ambitious than President
Clinton's schedule in 1994. Reagan delivered brie( poetic remarks (attached) to small
audiences at Pointe. du Hoc and Colleville using both opportunities to show his
appreciation of history and sacrifice, particularly by focusing on the heroics of small
groups or individuals with whom he met directly or with their relatives.
By contrast, President Clinton will be speaking to large groups of veterans in each
location, as well as .thousands of spill-over general public.
Nettuno
hundreds of veterans ofltalian Campaign
10,000 general public
Cambridge
1,000 veterans
3,000 general public
'
�U.S.S. G.W.
ISO Veterans
1-2,000 Active duty sailors (optional)
Pointe Du Hoc30 Veterans
550 distinuished visitors and family
Utah Beach
400 veterans
2,000 French and American general public
Colleville
4,000 veterans
10,000 geneial public
The President could follow a loose structure to guide the crafting of each short
speech, backed-up by a "visual reinforcer" for each message. By the end of the D-Day
·Weekend, he will have touched on every branch of the anned forces seeing action at
D-Day, honor every type of veteran, show deep understanding of the history and
significance ofD-Day and remarks briefly on many of the foreign policy issues that
challenge the United States today.
At most, the D-Day speaking series could include twelve sets of remarks, including:
1.
Scene-setter speech for European trip
IJ Y\A"-4-f () /
1,
5
Overall Theme:
Historical Reference:
.Military TnDute:
Great Subject:
Grunt Subject (S):
Historical Issue:
Policy Issue:
VISU81 Reinforcer 1:
VISU81 Reinforcer 2:
2.
First Division Monument Remarks on Departure for Europe
Overall Theme:
Historical Reference:
·Military Tn'bute:
Great Subject:
Grunt Subject (S):
Historical Issue:
Policy Issue:
VISU81 Reinforcer 1:
VISU81 Reinfon::er 2:
3.
Nettuno Cemetery remarks to commemorate the Italian Campaign
�"
.•
4.
Overall Theme:
Historical Reference:
Military Tnl>ute:
Great Subiect:
Grunt Subject (S):
Historical Issue:
Policv Issue:
VJ.SUal Reinforcer 1:
IIDEAl
Winston Churchill
(IDEA] The president tapes his weekly radio address at
the Cabinet War Rooms, the secret underground
bunker from which Churchill ran the British war
effort.
Visual Reinforcer 2:
5.
Cambridge Cemetery remarks to veterans, primarily aviators..
Overall Theme:
Historical Reference:
Military Tnl>ute:
Great Subiect:
Grunt Subject (S):
Historical Issue:
PDEAJ Air Force (then the Army Air Force)
(IDEA) The suc:cess of the home front
and the role of
women in the_war.
Policv Issue:
VlSWil Reinforcer 1:
VIsual Reinforcer 2:
6.
(IDEA) En route to Cambridge, the President's
helicopter lands at Duxford Air Base where a vintage
B-17, the Sallie-B. sits idle on the tarmac. A veteran
crew has gathered to remember old times, and the
PreSident and Secretary Bentsen, himself a veteran of·
B-17 sorties over Germany, spend a few minutes
the crew and "
tales of their~oits.
(IDEA) En route to the speaking site, the President
walks with two widows, one from World Warn and
one from the Gulf War.
Remarks to Active Duty sailors on the U.S.S. George Washington
I Overall Theme:
�Historical Refenmce:
Military Tn"bute:
Great Subject:
Grunt Subject (S):
Historical Issue:
Policy Issue:
VISWll Reinforcer 1:
· VISWll Reinforcer 2:
·7.
Sunrise service and wreath laying on U.S.S. George Washington
Overall Theme:
Historical Reference:
Military Tn"bute:
Great Subject:
Grunt Subject (S):
Historical Issue:
Policy Issue:
VISWll Reinforcer 1:
VlSWll Reinforcer 2:
8.
(IDEA] U.S.S.
Corey
Nayy_and the Merchant Marine
(IDEA] The U.S.
Pointe du Hoc remarks to Ranger Veterans
Overall Theme:
Historical Reference:
MilitarY Tnbute:
Great Subiect:
Grunt Subject (S): ·
Historical Issue:
Policy Issue:
VISWll Reinforcer 1:
(IDEA) After his remarks, the President greets Ken
Bargmann. his SOD Michael and grandson Brendan to
view the spot where Ken scaled the cli1fs.
VISWll Reinforcer 2:
9.
Utah Beach remarks to veterans
--
Overall Theme:
Historical Reference:
.Military Tn"bute:
Great Subject:
Grunt Subject (S):
Historical Issue:
Policy Issue:
(IDEA] Utah Beach
�..
•
VISWll Reinforcer 1:
'
[IDEA) After the formal ceremony in which President
Clinton greets President Mitterand has concluded, and
the French president has left, Clinton invites any
veteran of Utah beach to join bim on the bluff
overlooking the water for a moment of silence and a
few minutes of private reflection and conversation.
VISWll Reinforcer 2:
10. '
Colleville Cemetery remarks to veterans
Overall Theme:
Historical Reference:
Military Tribute:
Great Subject:
Grunt Subject (S):
Historical Issue::
Policy Issue:
VISWll Reinforcer 1:
Visual Reinforcer 2:
11.
IJDEAI "We are the children of your sacrifice... "
IJDEAI Omaha Beach
[IDEA) Upon arrival, the President escorts
a decorated veterand paralyzed since D-Day, down
honor cordon from helicopter landing zone to speech
site.
(IDEA) The President, escorted by
a
decorated Army veteran and his grandson, and
a decorated Navy veteran, aDd his
grandson, frOm the overlook position down the path to
the sands of Omaha Beach. En route, the· President
hears.eyewitness accounts of the action at "Bloody
Omaha." He, and eVelyone who hears the
conversatioD, will never be able to forget the valor.
After a final tribute and taps, the President leaves his
party and departs for Paris.
French National Assembly speech
Overall Theme:
Historical Reference:
Military Tnbute:
Great Subject:
Grunt Subject CSl:
Historical Issue:
Policy Issue:
VISWll Reinforcer 1:
VISWll Reinforcer 2:
12.
.
Oxford Event
I
'
�,~-:
Policy Issue:
Vuual RciDfim:er 1:
VISU81 Reinfon:er 2:
I
�..
Radio Address to the Nation on the Trip to Europe
june 2, /984
Mov 31 I Admlnutratton of Ronald Reagan, 1984
Proclamation 5206-D-day National Remembrance
Mo" 31, 1984
Bp th6 Prmd8nt of the United Statu
ofAmmm
A Proclamation
On Tuesday, June 6, 1944, General
lowed, from the hedgerows to the Ardennes, hold a place of highest honor in the
tradition of the United Stales Armed
Forces. The brave, often heroic deeds of ·
our fellow Americans and others in the
Allied Armed Forces set In motion the liberation of Europe and brought unity and
pride to all free people.
Welded by the experiences of war, the
old world and the new formed an enduring
alliance . which shared the rebuilding of
Europe and forged a shield that has kepi
the peace in Europe for almost forty years.
A common dedication lo remain strong can
continue that peace which these brave men
and women fought so hard to secure.
In recognition of the fortieth anniversary
of this historic event, -the Congress, by H.J.
Res. 487, has designated June 6, 1984, as
"D-day National Remembrance" and has
authorized and requested the President to
issUe a proclamation in observance of thai
day.
Now, Thel'ffforr!, /, Ronald Reol(arl, President of lhe United Slates uf America, do
hereby proclaim June 6, 1911-1. as IJ-day National Remembrance, a national day commemorating the fortieth annl\·ersary of Dday. I call upon the people of the United
Stat~'S lo commemorate the \'alor of those
who served in the D-elay assualt forces with
appropriate ceremonies and observances.
In Witness Wlrerr!Of. I have hereunto set
my hand this 31st day of May, in the )'ear of
otir Lord nineleen·hundred and eighty-four,
and of the Independence of the United
Slates of America the two hundred and
eighth.
Dwight D. Eisenhower made a dramatic announcement from London:
"People of Western Europe: A landing
we made this morning on the coast_ of
Franc:e by troops of the Allied Espedltion·
ary Force. . . . The hour of your liberation
Ia approaching."
Operation Overlord, the invasion of
Adolph Hitler's "Fortress Europe" forty
yean ago, thrust approximately 130,000 ·
American and AIUed ttoOps under General
Eisenhower's command onto beaches now
known to history as Utah, Omaha, Gold,
Juno, and Sword along the coast of Normandy, France. Anoiher 23,000 British and
American airborne forces were parachuted
or taken by glider to secure critical lnlarid
areas. Some 11,000 sorties were Rown by
allied alrcrall, and innumerable sabotage
operations were carried out by Resistance
rorces behind the lines.
On that day and -in the ensuing weeks,
the soldiers, sailors, and airmen of the assault forces, and the men and women who
supported the landing, displayed great skill,
unwavering tenacity, and courage. The
Americans who landed at Omaha Beachwhere sharp bluffs, strong defenses, and the
presence of a powerful German division
produced enormous difficulties-wrote an
especially brave and noble chapter in the
military history of the United States.
Opposed by bitter enemy resistance, the
landing forces gained the beaches at great
sacriRce, pushed inland, and expanded their
RONAI.Il Rf:ACiAN
beachheads. Feats of leadership and courage by Individuals and small groups turned (Filed witlr the Offire of tlrr Ft•deml Rel{i.<·
the tide. The great battles of 1944 that fol- ter. -1:3.5 tJ.tn. May 31. 198-11
782
·
M~· fellow Aml'ricans:
Top o' the mornin' lo you. J'm"speaking
from a small town named Con!l in Wl'Siern
Ireland, first stop on a 10-day trip that will
also takf' :'IIane~· and me lo Franc•• and Eng·
land.
We're in an area of spectacular beaut~·
overlooking a large lake filled with islands,
ba)·s, ami coves. And those of )"OU who. like
me, can claim the good fortune of Irish
roots, may appreciate the. tug I fell in mr
heart y<!slerday when we saw the Emerald
Isle from Air Force Orw. I thouRhl of words
from a poem about Ireland:
A plac" as kind as il is green,
The greenest placl' I've e\'l'ry Sf't•n.
I told our W<!lcorning hosts thai lo stand
with them on the soil of my anl'f'Siors was,
for this great-grandson of Ireland, a , ... ry
special moment. II was a moment of joy.
Earlier today we were in Galway, a coast·
al city celebrating its SOOth anni\'ersary.
· Legend has it Columbus prayed at a church
there on his way to the New· World. For a
thousand years, Ireland was considered the
western edge of ci\'ilizalion and a .place thai
continued lo revere lea.rnin!l during a lime
of darkn..S. on the continent of Europe.
That re,·erence earned Ireland its reputation as the Island of Saints and Scholar§. I
was pleased to address representatives of
University College in Galway to speak to
them of Ireland's manv contributions to
America and to gi\•e thanks for those gr<'at,
great forces of faith and Jo,·e for liberty and
justice that bind our people.
The president of thai inslilolion, Dr
O'hEut:ha. also dtain•d a !(roup callt•d the
New lrHand l'orum, whit-h has sou!lhl lo
foster a spirit of loleranct• and reconciliation
in :-.orlht•rn Ireland. so lht• spiral of violent.·£" that has cast so tnan\· innocf"nt li\·es
thcn·-ur cost so tnarl\·, I d{ould s;:n·. can be
finalh· •·nd..d.
·
.
lreiancl is a beautiful. proud, and ind.,.
pend•·nt land \\"ilh a ~·ounl( and talented
population. But lh<!y have an employment
problem. lly the slrcn~~:th of our economy,
and by lht• pre..,nce of somt• 3UO U.S. firms
here. :\nwricans can and will help our Irish
cousins c:rl'ale jobs and grc:tiL•r opporluni·
lies. And, of count', what ht•lllS lhl'm will
h••l11 us, too.
Tomorrow, Nanc\· :mill willlra\·l'llo Bal·.
l)·port't'n li>r a nosialgil' \"isil lo the oriRinal
home of the Rt•a~~:an dan. On ~Iunday, we'll
be in Dublin, where I'll havt' the honor of
addrf'ssing a joint session of tht• Irish Parlia.menl, as John Kenn<'dy did lll're 21 ~·cars
BRO.
When we leave Ireland, wl'"ll be participating in two events that m:trk :\m••rica's
.determination to help build a safer, more
prosperous world.
On June 6th. I'll join fornll'r l'.S. :\rmy
Rangers at the historic balllefidd ·of Pointe
du lloc and, later. Pn•sidcnl ~fillcrrand and
other American \"<'lerans al Omaha llo·:tch
and Utah lleach· on the :'\onnandv coa'l of
Frnnce. Together \n•'ll commem-;,ralt• the
40th annivl'rsarv of D-da''· lht• great .-\llied
in\·asion that 1 ~t·l EurnJ;t• on tht- L'OIUSE'
toward libt•rt)·, democral'y. and lll'aC'c.
Thai l(n•:.l batilt• :.nd th1• ";or il lll'lp"'l
,\drninistrotif>fl of Rmmld Rrtii{Ofl, /'1'·1 1 }11111' ;
brim! lo an end mark the beginning of
nearly 40 years of peace in .Europe-a
pea1·e preser\'ed not by good will alone, but
by the strength .and moral coura11e of lh••
NATO alliance. On June 6th I will reaffirm
America's faithful commitment to !IIATO. If
NATO remains strong and unified, Europt•
and .-\merica will rf'main fri•e. If NATO can
continue to dt•ler war. Europe and America
can c:ontinul' lo enjoy peace--IU morl'
years of pcac:t•.
And let 1111' make one thing \"err plain: .-\
strong NATO is no lhrf'al lo the So\'it•l
Unimi. NATO is the world's grl'alesl peac<'
mo\'i•menl. II never threatens: it defends.
And we will continue trying lo promote a
beth•r dialog with the SO\•iel Union. The
So\'it•ts could gain much ·by helpinR us.
mah• the world safer. particular!)· through
arms reduclinns. That-would free them to
dc\"ote mort• n•smuccs lo their peopll' and
econnr.ny.
Growth and prosperity will occupy our
altl'ntion whf'n we return to London for
the annual t•t-onomic summit of lhl' major
· industrialized rounlries. And we'll be mark·
ing another irnportant annh·ersar~·: ~0 yt•ars
ago, America's lf'aders had tlu· ,·ision lo
enact legislation known as tht· lll'l'iprol'al
Tradl'. Agrl'emcnls :\cl of 193~ It_ hl'l(ll'd
brin!l an end lo a lt•rriblt• era nl pruleclion·
ism
nt~arl~·
that
drstro~·("d
tlw
world'"
CC'OriUIIIiCS.
w.. ·n talk about how lwsl to rnamtain till'
rec.,nt pro>!rt•ss that ha, lifl•·d hop••• for ·'
worldwiclt• n•eo\'t•n· fnr our t•nnunnn
prtJ\· ·
pl'rit,·. You 1':111 ho·· prund that tht• •trl'ngth
of lh•• United Sl:.tcs t•t•nnom\· '"" lt•d 1111'
way. I l)(•lit~\-t' contimu·d pro2n·~'l:~ lit•s wilh
freer tradt• and nmn• npr'n tnarl.a•ts. l..t·s~
protct·tionisrn will nwom rnon• pro~n·s~.
rnon• growth. rnon• joh... a bi~J!t'r slit'(" nl
the pi•· for
o\s
W("
,.,·er~·om•.
mc-t•l in ~onnanclv and l..ondnn.
wf''ll have mudt lu In• thankful for. much lu
be optimistic about. but ,liiJ mul'h to olo.
Till lli'XI Wl'f'k. thank' for lish•nin)!. and
God hlt•ss yuu.
Nt>tl': 71re Prt•sidl'lll .•,.,,.,. "' .5:f/fj I'· m fmm
Ashford Cn.<tle ;, l<ml{. c.i•rmt11 .\ln!i••. In··
la11d.
�lldmini&tration of Rorwld Reol(an. 1984 I ]u11e .<;
Text of Remarks to the French People on the 40th Anniversary of
the Normandy Invasion, D-day
june 5, 1984
among these, in the words of the American
Declaration, are "'Life, Liberty and the pur·
the scene of that momentous landing 40 . suit of Happiness ... It is this shared commit·
years ago. This week hundreds are, like ment to human freedom that has formed
myself, pests In your country as we join in· the bedrock on which our fast friendship
remembering that day. On behalf of all has been built. And it wns in the name nl"
Amerfcans, I thank you for your gracious this human freedom that so many bra\·e
men risked their lives on the benches of
hospitality.
Franco-American friendship has a long Normandy 40 years ago.
Those courageous men. living and dead,
and proud past. Indeed, one of the great
heroes of American history Is a Frenchman. gave us a priceless legac~· of peace and
Many towns, streets, and squares-even a prosperity in Europe-a legacy that ha.~ I'll·
college-In America bear his nome. A beau· dured now for two generations. To prcsen·••
tlful park that I look out upon each day- that legacy of peace, those of us who chcr·
directly across the street from the While ish liberh· must continue to labor togetht•r.
Your c~untry and mine bl"long to an :tlli·
House In Washington-Is named In honor of
him. He was the Marquis de Lafayette, and once conunitll"d to democracy, individual
he seryed with George Washington as a liberty, and the rule of law. Of course.
general In the American Revolutionary membership in the alliance imposes its bur·
Anny. Yet despite the Importance of Lafay· dens. To demonstrate the American com·
ette's military skill, he took a step as a legis· milment to this continent, thouSIInds or
lator that had perhaps even· greater signiii· American troops are stationed here in
cance for the two centuries of friendship Europe, far from their homes and families.
and aiUance between your country and France, the United Stales, and all the alii·
ance nations, must spend more on defense
mine.
On July lith, 1789, as a Deputy In the than any of us like to do in peacetime. Out
French National Assembly, Lafayette intro- the burdens we bear in defending our fret··
duced a bill calling for the passage of a dom are far less than thr horrors we would
Declaration of the Rights of Man. Formally ha\'e to endure if we lost that freedom.
I believe that the best wa\· we t·an honnr
adopted by the assembly 6 weeks later, the
Declaration appeared as the Preamble to those who gave so much 40 ·years ago, is b~·
the French Constitution of 1791. This Dec· rededicating ourseh·t's today to the canst•
laratlon of the Rights or Man embodied the for which ther fought: freedom-freedom
same fundamental beliefs about human lib· for ourselves, freedom for nur chiidrrn. ami
erty as those expressed In the American freedom for generations ret unborn ..
Thank ~·ou, and Gml blt•ss you:
Declaration of Independence and Bill of
Rights. Together, those French and Ameri·
can documents proclaim that all men are .Volt': TIJt• rf!lllllrlcs u·t•re hrotltlnul rm
endowed with equal and sacred rights, that Freoch·televisimitFR·JJ.
ThiJ year, thousands of Americans are re·
turning to the Normandy shores to revisit
lldminisJ,fllinn of Rmwld Real{ao. 1984 I )<mer,
Just recently in Washington, I met with
16 Foreign Ministers that make up the alii·
ance. And I couldn't help but think, ns we
sal :~round the table, there has ne\"t•r in
history been such an alliance. dedicated to
the preservation of peace and frel"dom.
With wisdom and courage. peace and
fret"dom will not be lost again. They can
and will be preserved. Wt" can live up to
Winston ChurehiU's vision of frt"edom in
1941. He looked at the past and sow light
which flickered; he looked at his lime and
saw light which flamed: but he looked at
the future nnd saw "'a light which shines
over all the land and sea.·· lie had another
statement. lie said that "When great forces
are on the move in the world, we learn that
we arc spirits, not animals. and that thert• is
somdhing going on in tinie and space and
be~·und lime :md •pace which. wh .. tht•r •n•
likt• ,.,. not, •pells duty ...
W.-11. I thank all of \"OU n•n· much. ;nul I
feel ~reath· honort•d. ·God bless all of ~·ou.
.Vott·: 71u! Presitlt·ot .rpoA·•· tit II:JJ a.m. ,,
\Vin]lt•/J /louse. u·h,•re lw mrt u·ith a R"'"''
of 2.5 Consen:atin· .llt•miH·r.f of rarliamt'lll.
wlr11 11resertted him tL·itlr 11 letter demon~
stratilll! their supl'ort fi~r the U.S. mmmit·
rnerJt to the ,V,\ TO alliance.
Pet•·r l'iRI(er.r i.t tire CoiJten·ati_n; Party
.rpo/w.noorJ fi~r deji•rue ajftJir.r.
lis l'rinted abm·t•. tllis itt'ltl fi•llm.-s the
text of the U·1Jite llmrse prt·.rs release.
Remarks at a Ceremony Commemorating the 40th Anni\'ersarv of
the Normandy Invasion, D-day
·
·
·
june 6, lf!84
We're here to mark that da~· In history
when the Allied armies joined in battle to
reclaim this continent to liberty. For 4 long
years, much of Europe had been under a
tenible shadow. Free nations had fallen,
Jews cried out In the camps, millions cried
out for liberation. Europe was enslaved, and
the world prayed for its rescuP. Here in
Normandy ·the rescue began. Here the
Allies •toad and fought against tyranny in a
giant undertaking unparall .. ied in human
histor~·.
The Rangers lookt'tl up ;md saw till'
soldiers-thr edge oi" thc cliffs •hoot·
ing down at them with machinegun< and
throwinl! grenades. .\nd tht• .\mrrican
Rangers began to dimb. Thl'y shot rope
ladders O\'er the face of the•e cliffs and
began to pull themseh·es up. When one
Rangl'r fell. another \vould take his plact•.
When nne ropt' was cut. a Ranger would
grab another and begin his dimb again.
The~· dimbed. shot back. ;ond held their
footinl!. Soon. one I"· ont•. th.. Ranl(er.
pulled lhem•ei\"CS o'·e~ the lnp, and in •~·iz·
ing th•· firm land at tht• tup nf thcSt• diffs.
the\· bt·l!an to Sl'iZ<' hack II"· conlinl'nt ni"
enem~·
We •tand on a lonl"ly, windswt'pl point on
the. northern shore of France. The air is
. soft, but 40 years ago at this moment. the
air was dense with smoke and the cries of Eu;ope. Two hundn•d and twt•nh··fin·
men, and the air was filled with the crack came lwre . .\ftt•r 2 da~·s of hehting. mil~· 911
of rille fire and the roar nf cannon. .\t could still bear arms.
B('hind rnP is a IUPmorial I hat svmhnlizt•s
dawn, on the morning of the .6th of June.
I 944, 223 Rangers jumped nff the British · the Ranl(er daggers thai.,.,.,. thru>t into
landing craft and ran to the bottom of these the lop of thl'St' difi"s. And loo·i"un• m•• an·
. cliffs. Their mission was one of the most the mt•n who put tht•m tht•n·
difficult and daring of the im·asion: to climb
TheSt• arc tlw hun oi" I'· ·onh• tlu I lot·.
these •hcer and desolate cliffs and take out These arc thc mt·n· who I· ·01k thr diffs.
the ent·my guns. The Allies had been told Tht•<t• ""' the t•hampimts "h· ht•lpt•tl i"n•t• a
that some of the mightiest of these guns contint•t.l. The'<' are tht• h••••· ., whn lll'lpt•d
were lu·re and the\' would bt• trained on C"nd a'' 1r.
the beud1cs to slop ihc Aliied adunce.
Gt•ull··men, I look at ~·m1 •ntl I think of
'117
�~-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
«
/une6 I Adminutrulinn of Ronald R"''"an, /984
the words of SIPphen Spender's poPm. rou
are men who in your .. lives (ou~ht for life
... and left the ,·ivid air slRJled with )·our
honor."
I think I know what you may ht' thinking
right now-thinking "we \vert' just part of a
biggPr effort; evei)'One was brave that d;n·. ··
WPII. PveryonP was. Do )'OU r<'mt!mbcr lh<'
story of Bill Millin of the 5Jsf llighland .. rs?
Forty years ago today, Rrilish troops w<·re
pinned down nPar a bridge, wailing desp••ralely for hPip. Sudden!)·, lh<'y heard thr
sound of 'bagpipPI, and some thought llu•)·
were drea~ing. Well. they wrrrn't. Th •.,.
looked up and ..,.. Bill Millin with his hag·
pipes, IPBding the reinforcemPnls and ign.orinR thE' smack of lhl' bull.,ts into thr
ground around him.
Lord Lo>-al was with him-Lord Lo\·at uf
Scotland, who calmlv· announcl•d wh<'n hL•
l(ol to the bridge, "sO-rry I'm u ft•w minuh•s
lat<':· us if he'd JX.<'n dt'lavcd hv a traflic
jam, whpn in truth h<•d jusi com~ from lh<'
blood)· fightinll on Sword Rt'ach. which· h••
and his men had just taken.
Tht'r<' was lhP impossible ,·alor of lh<'
Poles who thr<'"' themseJ,·ps bctwpen tht•
t>nem,· and- thr f('sl of f:utopc- as the in,·;•~
sion took hold. and lh<' unsurpas~·d l"OUraJtt'
of lh<' Canadians "·ho had alrt'ad•· seen lht•
horrors or war on this coast. The\' lcm·w
"·hal awaitro tht>in thPr<'. but th ..\· would
not bc deiMrro. And once the)' hit Junu
Beach. they ne•·pr lookro back.
All of thpse mPn wprp part of a rollcall uf
honor with names that spokt' of a pridt• as
bright as lhl' colors the•· borPo the Ro,·al
Winnipt>l( RiOt's. Poland's' 24th l.;tnC<'rs, ih<•
Ro)·al Scots t'usilit'rs. thP Screaming Eal(l<·s.
the \"romcn of F.ngland's armon•d divisicms.
the -ron•es of Frt:'e France, the Coast
Guard's .. ~la.lchbox fo1c:-ef' and '·ou. tluo
.\ml"riCan Ranttcrs.
.
Fort~· summc:-rs ha\'(" pas~d ~inc(' tht•
battle that ~·ou fou~ht hcrl". l'nu wt·n·
youn~ thr day ~·ou took thrsc cliffs: smnr nf
~·ou \H'rt- hardly morr than ho~·~. with llw
dt"("pt.'."'l jn~·~ nf life lk•fon• you. Yet. ~ ou
risked t·n~n·thin~ ht~rr. \\'tn-? \\'In· did , .., ..
do it~ \\'hai iiiiJ)('IIt•d \'OU in put ·asitl<• .lh••
inslim·l for ~t.·lf-prrwn·ation and risk nmr
li•·es In lakt' lhrsr rliffs? What in•pin•;l all
thE" mt•n of Uw armit•s thai mt"l ht•n·:.. \\·,.
look :11 ~·m1. :md somrho\\· W(' know th•·
IIIII
answer. II wos faith and belie(; il was lnvalh·and Inn•.
·
. The 11;<'11 of :O.:ormandv h:od f:oith that
"·hat lh•·y wpre doinll wa~ ri~thl, faith that
they fou11ht for all humanity, faith that a
just God would ~rant thrm men•y on this
beachhead or on the nrxt. It wa.• lht' deep
knowledge-and pray God Wt' ha,·e not lost
it-that there is a profound, moral diffPrPnce bctween lhP use of force for libcralion
and the USP of fnrce.for conqu<'sl. You Wt're
here to liberate. not to conquer. and 50 you
and lhOSt' others did not doubt \'OUr cause.
And you were right not to doubt.'
\'ou all knew that some things arp worth
(h·ing for. One's country is worth dying for,
and democraC)' is \\·orl h d)·inR for. Jx.("ause
it's the most dt"t"J)I)· honurablt• form o( R:OV·
t•rmnf"'nt t"\'<'r dt~\·iwd .,,. ,man. .-\II of ,·ou
lun•rl libt•rl)'. :\II of yu;1 \\'t•rt• willin~· to
fiJ.ehl t~·rannr. and ~·ou lmt"w th(" f)('(Jfdt" of
your countries \\'Cre behind )'OU.
The ."-mericans who fnuf(ht hen! that
morning knew word or the in\·asion . was
sp,..ading through thf.' darkness hack home.
Th•·•· foughl-<>r f<'h in tht>ir hearts, though
lh<')' couldn't know in fnrl. that in GrorJiia
lh•·• Wt'rt' fillinl[ lh<' churcht's at 4 a.m .• in
Kansas thr~· wert" kn~ling on thl"ir porches
a11<l pra)·inl!. ;ond in PhiladPiphia the)· were
rin••n~t the l.tbt'rt)· llell.
S.·mrthin~t dsP helpt-d lh<' nwn of D..J...,
tlwor rockh;trd brlirf that l'rm ori<'IICP wouid
ha" · a grl'al hand in the ewnts that would
uni.,Jd ht're; thai <:od was nn all,· in this
cause. :\nd so. lht• nil[hl b.;fort' th"
irn·:hu»n. whrn Colunrl \\·ul\'l•rton a'ikt"d his
parac:hutr troop~ to knt•t•l with hirn in
pra~ •·r lit" tnld ttu•m: l>u nol hnw ~·our
hC"o.~ch, but luok up so you can set" ( ;uct and
adr; lli'i hiP"i'iilll!: in who11 "'"·,.. ubnul to do.
.\lsu that ni~ht. General \latthew ltidgway
un hi\ cot, lhh•ninR: in lh.- darknt''" for the
promi~'" God rnadp to Ju,luJa: "I \nil not fail
thrt• nor for~alw lht•t• ...
Tht•\r ar(" th<- thinf!'i lh.•l itnJN•II•·d th('m;
tht'"ie' are lht• thilll:'i thai .. hatK•d tlw unit~·
or lh•· .\IIi····
\\'ht•n tht• w:u "·a" n\·1·1. tht•n· "''"' lh·rs
to bt• n•buill and ~un·rmm•nts lo bt• rt•·
turm·d to tht• Pl'UI)It•. n ••.•.. Wt"r(' nation!' to
ht• u·hnrn . .\hun· all. llll'n• \\:1' a nt•w
fJt•ou.·•• to ht• il'\llrt•cl. The'"' \\'l'rt' flll~~tr ami
II'""'
Adminitlmtion nf Ronald RraRan. /911-1
I
Jrmr ,;
daunting tasks. But the .'tllics sumrnorwcl face of lht• ~:Orth thr lerriblt• W<'apons that
strength from the faith, belief, loyalty, and man now has in hi~ hands. :\nd ( tell wm.
low of those who fell herP. Tht•v rpbuill a we are realf,· to st•izt' that bPachhcad. · \\.("
new Europe together.
·
.
look for son;e sili(n from lht' So\iet enion
There was first a great n•c.·oncili.-lion that thcv an· willin~t to mow forward. lhilt
among those who had lx-en t•m·mi("s, all uf the)· shi.rt• uur dt~sirc and ICJn.~ for pt•act·.
whom had sufTerro so greatl'· Titc Unih•d and that tlw~· will ~i\'(• up ... ,. wa~·s or rnn·
Stales did its part. creating the Marshall qut•st. Thrrc must IK" a changing there that
plan to help rebuild our allies and our will allow us to· turn our hope into action
former enemies. The Marshall plan led to
We will J>ra)· fow,·er that some da)· th.<l
the Atlantic alliance-a great alliance that changing will comt•. Out frir now, particular·
serves to this day as our shield for freedom, ly today, it is good and filling to renew our
for prosperity, and for peace.
·commitmPnt to each other. to our frrt"dom
In spite of our grpal efforts and SUcct'S5<'S, and to the alliance that prolt'CIS it.
not all that followed the end of the war wus
w.~ are hound toda\' b\· \\·hat bound U!i .•• ,
happy or planned. Some libcral~-d countries ·years ago, the same IO~·aitif.os. tr3ditions._aud
were lost. The grrat sadne" of this loss bcli<•fs. W<'r" bound b,· realil,·. Th··
echoes down to our own time in the slwels strength or .\merira's o.lllit.·S is vitai to th·
of Warsaw. Prague, and East lh•rlin. So,·iel Unitt.-d Stah·s. and the .-\m("rkom u~uru·.
troops that came to thP cenl<'r of this conli· guamnlee is essential lo tht• conhutlt'd fn·t·
nt"nt did not lea,·e when pt"ace carne. dom
Europe's c.fcmocracies. \\"t• Wt'Jt'
They're still there. ·uninvited. unwant<-d. with \'OU then: we art" with \'OU unw. Your
"nyieldinl(, almost 40 years allr.r the war. hope.~$ an• oitr hoJK"s. and ~·ou~ dt•,!in~ is utH
' :o:cause of this, allied forces >till stand on destin)'.
·
. his continent. Today, as 40 y..ars ago. our
llere. in this place whPre the •~'<'sl hl'l<l
armies ore here for only one purposP-to togl'ther. lt•t ·us make a ,·ow lo mar dt":tcl
proiPCI and defend democran·. The only Let us show thrm b,. our action' that "t'
ll•rrllories wp hold are memorials like this undc.•rstaml what lht·~· dit•(l rnr. 1.4.'\ l)llr .1("·
•me and grave)·ards where our heroes n~st. lions sa,· to lht•m tht; words for \\hkh \1.at·
We in America havP IParnrd biiiPr les- thew Ridgwa~· lish·nt•d: "I will nul fail tht•t•
•ons from two World Wars: It h bcller to be nor forsak•• I he<' ...
here read)· to proiPCI' the pt'<«e. than to
Slr<'ngthenPd b'· I heir coura~<'. h<'arlt•rw.J·
take blind shPIIer across the "'"· rushin11 to bv tht'ir ,·aim· (,·;,lnr(, ;~nd bonll' b)· th,·ll
rPspond only after frcroom h lost. \V•' ,.e
niemou·.
lt•t U5o c·untinut• lo· slotml for lht'
learnf'tl that isolationism ne\ ••r W"dS and
never "ill be an acceptable n·,.ponse lu ty· ideals f~r \\·hich th,.,. lin•d and dit"d.
rannicnl govrrnments with an ••:.:pansitmlst all.Thank .\'OU n•n· ~~mch. and Ccul hit·~~ '''"
intent.·
But wp In· alwan to lx- prrpared for
peace; i •repa.red lo · deter UJ{Io!rt•ssion; prt•· N11tt': Tlw l'rrslllt·llt fJX•A:~ tJt /:_'() p.m ,,,
pared I· I -negolialr the rE'dU("IIOO or Olflll'i; the siil' of tht· l :S RtiiiiU'T .\l••,lllttll""' •''
and, n·· 1nepan~d to rl"ach out .1gain in the Pointe tlu /lot'. l:rtllll't'. ,,.,,.,,. 1 r·tt•ran' ··I
spiril. ot rr-conciliation. In truth. ther~ i\ no the NtiTmtllltly· llll"flfirm had t/Hr·mblt•d f •r
reconn :ation we would \u·h-ome murr the rt'Tf'llltiiUt.
FtJ/Iou.·iuJ,!. lti' rc·mnrJ.:s. thr /'rnult•IJI 11 ' '
than a · ••('onciliation with lhr Soviet Uniun.
so. to~• thcr. we can lessen tht• risks of war, t-eilrd rru•mnrwl ''''''llll'f to t'''' _',/ ''"'' lth
Rou~tt'r Ballalioru. 71Jt'll. ,·.n·ort,-,1 b!t i'luf
now a1d fort'vt"r.
'
It's l·lling to rrmemixor ht•rt• tht" l(rl'at Rin•r.t. ffi/H:r,IPIU!t'lll ••l ,,,. , .•
losses ,,l,o suffc.•n"() h~· the lh''"''an 1Jt'llltlc Anwnnur C.i·rru•t('"'· tlu· .i'rt•.tu/,.,11 tlrul \In
durinc World War IJ, 211 milli"" p<'risln·<l. a RrtiJ,!tllJ JITUt'f'l'tlnft, tlu· llllt•nr•r -~{ tltt· ,;,.
trrrihl•· price that testifi<'S to .<II lhl' wnrl<l .rernlliou J,,,.J.,•r. O•r lnll"lth! till' /m11l.rr.
the nt•t•t'S"iih· or ··ndinR war. I t.-11 you from t/11• /'rt•tidt'lll tltltl .1/r' Jlull.!tUI J..' ~,·,·t,·tf r ·I• i;
.
mv ln•arl that wr. in thr l'mr.-cl Stah·~ ,fo oftlw •·t'temtn
(Jtht•r .41/wtl rtJIJIII11• • rt'l"~"''."''''i ''' !'"
n~t woml war. \\'r w:ml lo \\'I''' from th••
or
,,,.,,,,;,1
'-.)'•
�Administration tJ{ Rmrold ReoRon. 1984 1 Jrme 6
jun11 6 I Administration of Ronald Rml(an, 1984
anmonv b11 their heads •if stair a11d 1(111>·
emment uv:re: (Juee11 Elizabeth II •if the
United KilllldtJm, Queen 1/mtrix •if 71re
Netherlands. 1\inll 0/a,· I' •if .\;,..,·nv. 1\illll
BaudtJuill I "' Belllirun. C:ra11t/ /Juke jeo11
of Luxemhot~Til, o11d J•rimr Ali11ister l'ie"e
El/itJtt Trudenu •if Corrmla.
Interview With Walter Cronkite of CBS News in Normandy, France
june 6, /984
.Vr. Crrmldle. ~lr. Pn•sidcnt. it\ •tuih• a
day out h••re. We"rl' obsen·inl! tht• la•·t that
American soldiers can do the impossible as
represented here at Pointe du JIDC.' when
they're commanded to, but. on the other
hand. at a ll'rribl" •ost. Isn't it?
77., Prr1ideut. l't•s. As I said in Ill\' rt•·
marks, 223 of thrrn enmr up lhoSI' ~liffs.
und 2 d3\'S later. tlu~rc \\'t•r(" nnh. ~Jf) of
thPm abl.-· to tukr part In combat. ·
~ttr. Crrmkite. ~lr. Pnosidenl. lnu know.
this war-World Wnr II. thai is-:was called
a popular war, us opposed to thP arlions
wp'\·e had recently-\"it'tnam. l.t•hanon.
GrPnada. I suppnst•. What arr lht• rondi·
lions II tak.., lo h:n·p u J>Opular war. for
hea,·en sakt~s~
71rr Prnidrrrt. \\'rll. I doubt thai am· war
can be-if \\·r real!)· deS<'ribc it. can 1,.; IHI(lular. ~o one wants it. Out he-rt> \\·as a ca~
in which the issues or right and wromr: \\"t•r("
so c-learl)· drfint'd and delint'Dit'd hrlort• ",.
e\•en Rot into the war.•\nd tht'n ,, f" dicln't
chooSP to .pull thr trittR("r: thr triS!I!"' was
pulled at us .."'-nd Wt' wt•n• in a wou a~; nf a
Sunda~· morninR. l>t•c"mbrr ith. in th•• l,a·
cifir. ·
.\nd 1\·e:· alwa~-5 n•mt•mbt•r('(l 111\ nr~t ill;·.
siJilnmrnt as a n•st•rn• nffiC't•r t·.ellt•d to
arti•·e dut)· was at tht' tHirl of ••mb:ukatinn
in San t•ranciSl"'..\ncl it wa' a jnh a~ liaiscm
offlcl"r loadimc thC" c.:onnn·s rur out in tht•
Pacific..."'-nd standinR at. thr runt nl" tht•
gangplank nnt~ do1~· as tfu·~·--c.·umm~ alum!
full pul·k and ~··ar and rl·•·r~·thinJ!". n·acl~· to
go up the ~t:oiiiKtJI;mi-:-and onr ol tfwmtht•rt• wois a p;.m~;t•. •• hitd1 in th1· lint·~•m·
standing thrn•. just ;I ~·cnuu!sh•r . .-\nd 1 ,;~id.
''I low del ,·ou h•t•l:-··
.. \\.("11:·· h•• \aid. '"I dun"t woull lo l!O ·· lit•
said. ··~onco nf us \\";1111 In ~o." hut h•· ,,mi.
'"\\'r all knoll. tlw 'hurtnt \\il\ home .,
throu11h Tnk•·u.··
·
1120
,t/r. C:rrmlcitt•. \'uu knnw. nuw \\"t"rt· in
tlu• nudl•ar age, und as lt•rrihlt' as this war
''·as. i'li it possible in a nudt•ar a,;c that we
would han• another war that could be re·
stricted to an)·thlng 11s horriblr us thi< e•·en?
Tire r,..•sid<'tll. Waller. I lnn·r <aid, and
will continue lo sa~·. u nuclrar wur cannot
In• \\"on. It rnust lll"\'t~r bt• fnnJ(ht. .-\nd this is
wh~- th(' gn.al must bt.• to rid tht• wnrld oncr ·
and for all nf those~ \\'t•atxms.
.llr. Cnml.:ite. Yon don't think '"' could
light a strategic war likt' this wilhoul im·okin2 nuclt•ur wt•aporu?
'
Til.. Prr.ridrrrt. Wrll. this wr don't know.
llut ir it "·as <'\"er to n•sort to tho<r wrapons-wr did. in Wnrld War II, wt• saw the
powrr of dl'terrenct•. .\II the nations had
cht"rnical wnrfart", had gas. ltut it w:ts nf'\'Cr
US<'d. bt'CaUSl' ('\"l'r\"One had it. \la\·he thr
sam" thing would ~ppl~· il1-\\"ith rt~A:ard to
nuclt'ar war. (Jut \\·hy tak(' thai <"h3ncr!-' rr
t'\"l"!~·hody i'li hd\'iiiJ! thc:o \\"t'OIJKUU ;Iii ;t dt•IC'r·
rt•nt to till' otht-r. tlu-n lt·t'~ clu il\\";&\· with
th" dt•tt~rrrnt~.
·
.\lr. Crtmkilr. Do \"OU-\UU had )om.- n·· ·
monks (lrt'JJout•d. I ;lnn't .think \·nu c:ol a
cham·(· to dt•liH•r llwm 111 a lurt:~horh-rll'd
spt.•c•t·h in lrc•land in which \"UU saul that
ynu \\t•n• oplimisht' that JJt.•rholps \H' l'uuld
R:et nudt•:tr limitation taiL:s w;oinl( iiJ.!:ilin \\·ith
tht• So\ it•h. \\'hat l!in•s \Uti t•aust• rur that
nplimillim!-'
.
Tltt' l,rt•.utlc·nt. I just think t·ummon wn~;t·.
I think riJ:ht now tiH' So,·i•·t l'ninn i'-\\dl.
lht>rt> w;.as ~~~~ ••rtidt• in Tht• Et·unmni'l th;.tl'
'nrt nf ch·,nilx•d it Tht•\··n· hil~t•rtlilltnl!
\\·,.·n· 'u ll.'iNI to thinkin~ that lhc·,-·,..
otlw;t\"'0 in tlw mid,t cJI 'UIIU' Lintlur dt•\ ;.... ,
plan." I jml don't think tht•\ ha\c• ;Ill\ ;Ill·
~wt•rs ri~ht now .. ami the·\··~,. Yilt ul fum1.-t•rt•cl du\\n tn·inl! In dtTuit•.
.1/r. .C:rot~A.·IIf:_ Do \\"I' h;:t\ •• a plan:.O
Th" Pnsident. Whati
/ltr. Cranl<itl!. Do we han' a plan"{
71r,. President. Yes. and the plan is to-we
ha\·r maintained contact. We're neJ!Otlaling
other things or mutual interest to the two
countries. making: some progress on them.
But on those talks-my idea of the goal is if
we can once start down the road of achie•··
lng reductions In the armaments. I just ha\"l'
to believe that we'll see the common sense
in contlnuinll down the road and eliminal·
in11them.
Mr. Cronl<ite. Have you had a chance
with ·your busy schedule on this tour to
catch up with the fact that the Soviets on
this anniversary, the 40th anniversary of D·
da\·. are making much of the fact that
they\·e cited before-<~ fact, I mean, by
their token, of the fiction that we deliber·
ately delayed this landing by 2 years in
ordN that the Germans would "at up the
So.-il'IS by attrition. and that we camr
ashore virtually unoppo.ed beeause of con·
ni•·ance with the Germans. Have vou heard
that they're repealing that all over Europe~
The President. Oh. I know that. As a
matter of fact. recentl)·. our ceremony for
the funeral of the unknown soldier from
Vietnam, thev referred to that as "a milita·
rislic orgy.''l.sometimf"s wonder-.1/r. Cronl<lte. So rt>frrenre to Afghanistan. huh?
The President. I "·onder sometimes, when
the\· talk about healetl rhetoric coming
rro.:O me. doesn .• - an\·one listen to what
the~··rt" sa)·ing? nut hOw anyone l"ould say
that this was on almost unopposed landing.
we know bt-uer. And lh(" e\'idence is riR;ht
here: and the sun·i\·ou. man\; or th("_m. are
right h~re.
·
Th~)' had not won I ht• war. and we had
nol dt•lnyrd for om~· n•n!iiOII ur that kind. I
ha\"t' some rcasun fur Stl\'ing that. I»N"aus"
my nwn war st·n·ict' was Spent in a unit that
was directly t.nlcl"r .-\ir Corp\ Jntdlit:tent·t•.
and lYe had acct;-5s to all th" inh•lliR<'nt·c
information about things. £"\"t•n incllulin~
this . .-\nd therr was an awful lot of war to
be foURht.
·"'- Cnmlcitr. l't.•s. :\!ii a muller ut r..d. \ Otl
know. 40.000 otirnlt'n R&l''<' tht"ir Ji,·,•s o·'."'
Europe. I coven-d thr .-\ir Fore" us •• corrr·
spondent. and I think of that. Whrn )·ou
talk about 10.000 dying here on D·da)·.
40,000 died in ordt'r to get th" Luftwaffe
out of the skies before D-da)'-TIIe Prrsitltml. Yes.
.\tr. Croll/cit~. --<>r this wouldn"t han•
been possiblr.
Lt•t rne u!iik ~-ou mu• mor~ qu(.'stion ht•fort·
\'OU hav(' to 1(0. Sproaking or wars ancl.)nliti·
Cal t•:tmpotil(ns. \\·hat's ~-nur 1>lan lur ll·cla~
ascainst Mundult•. llart. or whot•n•r it h":'
Tl1r Prr.ridmt. )mt It'll tlll'm "h:tl ,..,.-,.,.
dont' und what wr·,..· qoinJI to do ;IJid lln'·
tend they're not th••rt'. (Laul/llterl
.llr. Crrmkit•·· Wt·ll. )·ou ma)· han• 111
dirnh u hundn••J.ruut cliff. but I gm•ss
~-ou\·r
got
~-our
\\"t'3J>nns-fltlll~htt·rl-i11
vour read\·.
· Tire p,-,.S;d,•ut. l't•-..
.\lr. Croukitl'. Thank ,·uu
\"('J\" mm·h. \lr
Pre!iiid"nt.
.
.
Tlu• Prt'.Jit/,.ut \\",·11. it''l Rood '" 't•t• ~~~~~
ttRain.
.\lr. Cmnkitt•. Thomk ~ nu
.\'ott•: The;,,,.,.,.,,. '"'l!tlll 111 :...':.)11 I'm at
PoitJtt d11 lltlf" .-\t the• nmdiiU•HI ••/ tlu·
illt~rt"ieu·. tlr~· /'"'"''''''' tlltd .\In R~·tu!O 11
detmrtt•d
till lltlf" dtlll triin·lf'll. I••
r,;,.,,.
Ouurlra n..,rdr.
Remarks at a United States-France Cerernon\" Commemorating thl'
40th Anniversary of the Normandy Im·asion." D-da'"
.
juue 6. /984
\h. Pr('sidC'nt. distintluisht'cl Rllt.'Sh. \H'
statui tociay al a l,l;u·•· uf ba1tl1·. cim• th01t ·10
:11(0 'iiW .md lt-h lht• \\111'-1 of \\,11
\lt·u hh·d .uul dit·d lll'r_.. lor 01 h'\\ h't'l col-
\('ilr"
�•
june 6 I A.dminislrtJiion nf Ronald Real{an. 1984
or inches or sand, as bullets and shellllre cut cial for h..r family ..~nd like all the ramilies .
through their ran!<J. .-\bout them, General or those who went. to war. she describ..s
olnar Bradle-y later said.· ""Every man who how she camt• to rt'alize her own fatht'r"s
set root on Omaha 8t!"dCh that dav was u ,;un·i,·al was a miradr: "So man)· nt('n dit"d.
hero.""
·
I know that Ill)' ratht•r Wlltcht-d many or his
No speech can ad<"<tuatt'l~· portray thl"ir friends be kill<-d. I know that he must have
suffering. their sacrifice, thC'ir heroism. dit~l inside a little each time. llut his t'xpla·
President Lincoln once reminded us that nation to me was, 'You did what ~·ou had to
through their deeds, the dead or battle ha\·e do, and you kept on I(Oing. • ..
spoken more . l"loquentl)· ror thl"mscl\·es
When men like Pri\·ate Zanatta and ;all
than &nY or the livinlll t"\"l'r COuld. IJut Wl' our allied fOrt'\'S stonnt"d the lx•acht'S or
can only honor them by rededicating our· !':orrnand~· 40 )·can ago the~· came not as
Selves tO the CaUse ror which thl"y J13\"C a conqueror.. hut as liberators. Wht'n these
last run measure or de\·otion.
troops '"""Pt across the French countryside
Today we do rededicate oursel\"t'S to thai and into the forests or IMI(IUIII and UlXl"DI·
cause. :\nd al this place or honor. \\'\'"re houri( tht'~' eame not to take, but to return
humbled by the reolizaiion or how much so what had bcen wrongly seized. When our
many gave to the cause or rrc....tom and to forces marched into Gt'rman•· lh<•v came
their fellow man.
not to pre~· on a bro'"' and d..r"elltl'tt" people.
Some who sun·i,'l'<f the battle or June 6, but to nurtUrt' thl' set.ifS of dcmocracv
1944. are here toda~·. Others who hoped to among thtise who ~·earned to be free again.
return never did.
We salute them toda~·. But. )fr. Presi·
. ""Someda~·. Lis. 111 go back, .. said Pri,·att'
dent. \\"t• also salute thost' who. like yourself,
First Class Peter Robert Zanalla, or the
wC'rc ~•lready l"ngaginR the enemy inside
37th Engineer f".ombat Battalion. and' first
assault wa,·e to hit Omaha Beach. ""111 go ~·our b..lo"ed countrr-the Fr<'nch Resist·
back, and 1"11 $l"(' it all again. 1"11 sce the ance. Your \"aliant strUJIRie ror ··ranee did
so much to cripple the l'nemy and spur the
beach. ·the barricades. and the Rra,·es. ··
Those words or Prh·ate Z:malla come to ad•·ance of tht' armies or lib..ralion. The
us rrom his daul(hter. Lisa Zanalla llenn. in Freneh Forces or the Interior ";II fort'\"er
a heart-rending stor~· about .. the event her ~rsonif~- couraJ(c and national spirit. They
father spoke or so ollen. "In his words. the will be a timeless inspiration to all who are
Normandy inva.•iori would chang<" his lift" frl"t' and to all who would ,,.. frt'r.
Toda\·. in tht'ir memon. and for all who
l"orever," she said. She tt"lls some or his stories of World War II but sa\"5 of h<"r father. fought .ht·r<'. wr cel..hrair thr triumph or
"'the story to l"nd all storii'S was D-da~·:· democra.-·. w.. n•affirm tht' unih· of dt'mo·
··ne made mt' r....l lhr rrar or beinl( on cratic P'..;t>lt'S "·ho foul!hl a war and lht•n
that boat. waitinR lo land. I can smrll the joint.-d with tht• ~~o·anquislu"l in a firm n•·
oeean and fl!t'l thr St'asicknt'ss.-1 can St't' the •ol\'t' to .t't'P tht• pt'aCt'.
From a terriblr war Wf' lramed that
looks on his rellmv soldiers races-the r..:.r.
the ani(Ufsh. tht' Unl"t'rtaint~· of ;,·hat Ia~· unity mallt• u~ in,·inf'iblt•: nnw. in pC'an•:
ahead. .~nil when tht'\" landt•d. I can fet'l that samt• unit)· make! u~ st·curl". Wt• souJ(ht
the !ilrength and t"CJUr~ge of th(' mt•n who to· bring all frl"t"<lmn-Jo,·in~ naliuns togcth""r
took those first <tt'ps throu11h th<" tidt• to in ol communih· clt."flirah-.:1 to the~ defense•
what mu~t ha\'r ~un•l\· lookl:'d likr instant and pn•,;t•n·atin"n nf nur ,.ant•d ,-alm•s: Our
alliaOf.'l'. rorJt:ed in the crudhle of wur. tcrndeath."
·
Prh·oatP Zanana·~ domRhlf'r wr~h· to mt•: IJt'r<"d and shapt·d b~- thc· realitit·~ ,,( tht•
''I don "t know huw or wh\· I can ft'f.•l I hi~ fKtStwar world. has 'iUt:t'C't'tlc•d. In 1-:urup••.
t>mptinrss. this ft·ar. or thi., dl•lt•rminilliun. llu• lhu·al ha!'i ht•t.•n t•nrll:aint•tl. till' pt•:u:c•
·
but I do. Mu,·l>t• it"s lhe bond I had with nl\· hots ht•t•n kt•pt.
TtKia,· tht· li,·it)i! ln·rt· asSemblt·cl-nllifathl'"r ..\II l.kno\\" i5 tho1t il brina:~ 1t•o1n 1~,
m\· f"\"CS tO think ahout 111\" ratht•r OIS 01 ;!(). t·ial'. ,:t•h•rolns. dtizt•tu-.trt• . '' tribute.• tu
"·hat "oL,; at·hie\"(•d hen• -lit \·ears ago. This
re"ar·old boy ha,·in~ to fact; that ht"ach."
Tht- annh·rrsar~- nr D-day \,·a~ always spt·· land i'i. ~•·cuw. \\'c· 01rt• ,-,..,:. Tht•sp thin.:"
1122
Administration of Rflllald R~oRon. 19114 I ju111·"
are worth fighting and dying ror.
Usa Zariatta Henn began her story b~·
quoting her rather. who promised that- he
would return to Normandv. She ended with
a promise to her father. ~ho died 8 years
ago of cancer: "Tm 110ing there, Dad. and
111 see the beaches and the barricades and
the monuments. 1"11 see the graves, and 1"11
put Dowers there just like you wanted to
do. 1"11 feel all the thinl(s you made- me reel
through your stories and your t'yes. 1"11
never rorget what you went through, Dad.
nor will I let anyon" rise rorget. And. Dad.
111 always be proud...
Through the words or his lo\·lnl( daugh·
ter, who Is here with us today, a D·day
veteran has •hown us the meaning ·of this
da\· far bcttt.•r than an,· President can. It ''
en~u,:h for us to sa)· a·lxmt Prinlh."" Zanatl~
and all the 1m•n of honor and coura~t· whu
fou~:ht bcsidt• him four dt:"cadt•s aR,o: \\ ...
will alwa)·s n•memhcr. \VP \\"ill alway~ lu·
proud. \Ye will always be pn•pan•d. so ",.
rna,- alwa\·s b~ frN". ·
Thank )·ou.
Nfllt': TIJe r,·sidt•rll .SJNIA.,• at -I:J3 p.m. •II
tile Omalrn Bt•nciJ .11t."llwrial til Ouwhrl
Bl"'lt·h. Fraun.·. l11 his UJN!IIitlll r••markt. It,·
rrji·rrt'tl ltJ Prt•.ridrlll Fro"f'';., .\littrrmnd ,.,Frarrn·.
FollmL"inll tl~t' ("BTl"llltJIIy,
rrr.rulnlt
RrnRnn lrnl"C•It-d It> t.:talr Broclr.
Remarks by Telephone to the Crew of the U.S.S. Eisenlwu:er
Following D-day Ceremonies in ~ormandy,·France
june 6, 1984
The .o\merican JK'Opl£- and our allif"5 in
Greetings to aU of you, the officers and
men or the U.S.S. Eisenlrnwer. Delleve me. Euro(Jt" and lw~·oml otrt- all mort" Sl•cure brall of us up here are. inspired by the sight or cauSl' men nr ,·our calib<>r are on Station
your magnificent ship and the battle group wht"n and whl•i-e needM. · .-\dmiral Flail<"~.
which aecompanied you to the coast or ;\;or· Captain Cle-:tton, officers and nu~n or tht•
'"lke''-1 salute ,-ou for ,·our d~,·otrd '!><'n·ict•
mandy.
We're returning_from a commemoration to lht• t•auSl' of freedom·.
You know. I'm up herr hopm~ th;al
of the 40th anniversary or the D-day land·
ing-the heroic operation that was planned vou\·t• been abl~ to hear mr. 1"11 just "".
and commanded by General Dwight D. Ei· God hlt"ss \"OU all, and if it wouldn "t be ,.;.,
senhower. The memor~· or ""Ike:· our gr~:tt demoroaliziflg. "'-a,·t". and rn knOw will"tht·r
allied leader. still Inspires heroic efforts on vou\·t· ht-ard this.
· Thank \"OU. Thank •·ou aiL Good <ailin ...
both sides or the Atlantic.
·
Today, as 40 years a~o. our :-.Ia'·~· and all and God bless .-ou.
of our .-\rmed Forces are ad,·;.mcing tht•
.\',,tr:
Tlrt'
Pn.•.ntleut
SIJf•ke
nt ;: /fl tun •.,
cause or peace and freedom. The dt'dicatiun.
of vou. our sailors and marines. particularly ih.NJTtl .\ftJrim• Ollt' tlunu.: tilt' _11t&!hl ,-,,,,
du;ing )'our recent deployment in thE" fo:a~t· l."tah n,.,,,·J,. 1-"rtwce. ,,, l.omitlll
.·h tJrirtlt"d tJbaa·t•. tlli.f tll'm _1;•//.m·f rlu·
em Mediterranean. is in the highest _lrath·
It'd,~,- tllr \l'lntt• llmut• tJrru -•_•It·~"·
lion of the SPrvice.
�June 6, 1944:
American troops
advance under heaVy
machine-gun fire.
...... ···..
..
.
,
..
...
.~
.....
:··::~. ·.~·~:··:·
. ~·-·· .:. ....
·. '
.;.'_:.,..... ..
~ ·..... '.
..
. .. ·.·.
:
~·-::_~·. ... ·.: ...·.· ·.' .:.:....·.:.'.i. ,.:·.-~-.
'
:
�•
•
This is a story· of the months
prior to June 6, 1944, and a few
of the days following, told.through
some of the letters my twenty-three-yearold father, Frank Elliott, wrote my mother, ·Pauline,
while he was with Company A of the 741st Tank Battalion,
and some she sent him at the time of the Normandy landings.
It begins with three telegrams to my mother,
one sent on the day of my birth from ~amp
·Young, near Indio, California, where he was in
desert training, although, as it turned out, the
unit never went to North Africa.
All correspondence was read and approved
or disapproved for mailing prior to making its
DeRonda Elliott
way to the addressee, so there is scant indicaand her father,
lion of truup n1ovements or other military
Frank, at home
in the summer
matters.
'of 1943.
My parents were from New Castle, PeQnsr!_vania, a town with a wartime population of about fifty thousand,
and home to steel, bronze, and a few other heavy industries. My father's father and his uncle, Reuben, owned a small family steel mill,
which is still in operation today. My parents met while my mother was in
college in Erie, Pennsylvania; my father was a senior ar Georgetowp
MAY/jUNE 1994 · A~IERICAN HERITAGE 61
�•
University when he enlisted in the
Army.
I'm publishing these letters now for
those who remember that war or
any war, for anyone who might not
understand what war does to each life
that it touches, and as a tribute to those
whose lives have not turned out the
way they planned.
-DeRonda Elliott
.
i
;
TELEGRAM
. S•. Louis, Mo., january 19, 1942
I HAVE TiiE BLUES DARLING AND ST. LOUIS
HAS NOTHING TO DO Wmi IT MUCH LOVE
FRANK
. J
TELEGRAM
Indio, Calif., january 8, 1943
·DARLING YOU'RE TOPS ENROUTE TONIGHT MAY TAKE 3 DAYS LOVE FRANK
TELEGRAM
Chicago, Jl/., january 11, 1943
NO FINGERNAILS LEFT WILL BE BUYING
BOXING GLOVES OR BABY DOLLS FRANK
Camp Polk, La.
April 28, 1943
My Darling,
I was working today when your telegram was delivered to me and ·I
dropped everything. After reading it I
went back to work with increased fervor because your letter or gram was so
consoling and heartening. My darling
I never could have believed that my
love for you could grow to any greater
proportions but it has darling. It has
become .unspeakably intense, so great
that I can't encompass it. Pauline darling, you are so restrained so so very
warmingly withdrawing and controlled. Your love for me must be great .
and in its greatness it makes me unworthy. I hustled you in shopping and
rushed you across a street and I only
had two days with you. I loathe the
. impulse that leads me to such mad
action. Your kinqness, yolll' demuring
withdrawal from fighting back is all '
so endearing so inexplicably adorable that I feel like a drowning rat. Perhaps I never knew.'you till just this
weekend. Perhaps it's because I discovered more and more about you that
62 AMERICAN· HERITAGE· MAY!JUNE 1994
November 5, 1943
is so lovable. Perhaps it's the total lack
of any taint in your makeup. I don't Hello Mrs. Frank,
know what it is my darling but I do ... I was counting on Christmas with
know I have never loved you like this my daughter-you know that and I
before and I have loved you so much . am human; only my feeling for you is
it's awful to remark. Every word you super human .... Until we are again
spoke, every syllable, every part of together I live in the past. We converse
your body, every hair on your head, nightly darling and we walk togethevery expression that found itself on er through the day.... Please enjoy
your beautiful lovely features, just your holidays darling as it will be your
served to increase to gigantic extremes last one without me. . .. So it is my
the humble love my inadequate heart wish for me to enjoy this strange land
at Christmas to be sure in my heart
feels for you ....
Your worthy-wanting husband, that Dee and her angelic mother are
Frank also enjoying this gay festive Yuletide. Give my greetings to Kate, Eb,
We got our implements
and on our particular weapon
was the message "Good luck
boys I. hope .you win soon. Love
and kisses-! am a little girl."
Darling I just heard these songs and
shut my eyes and listened and saw you
across from me and felt you moving
smoothly in my arms in a certain
Zephyr Room.
"Swanee-How I Love Yah"
"Strike Up the Band"
"The Man I Love"
"Lady Be Good To Me"
"Somebody Loves Me"
"Embrace Me"
"I Got Rhythm"
"I Got Plenty of Nothin'"
"Summertime"
"It Ain't Necessarily So"
jack, Ann & Ma & Pa Lynch and
my best wishes for this coming year
which will see peace come to the
world. The boys are discussing the English. monetary system so I had best
lend them my banking experience to
settle the discussion. All my love my
angel madonna I love you and how
well you shall realize it by Christma~
in '44.
Frank
November 12, 1943
Dearest,
... To-day we got our implements
and on our particular weapon was the
November 1, 1943 message "Good luck boys I hope you
My Dearest Wife,
win soon. Love and kisses-1 am a litIf this writing appears to be extraor- tle girl." Cute, don't you think? It was
dinarily wavy, it is due to the environ- written in a childish hand. (Such as
ment. We are en-route across seas in . mine.) Kiss our very beautiful little girl
a large boat but none with any name for me darling....
to speak of. The meals are cooked by
All my love,
limeys and sure taste it....
Frank
�November 25, 1943 and will put forth supreme effort to get ualize and preconceive the agony I
Dearest Wife,
my wife and sweet child a gift. But would experience if I ever sent a poem
The people of this vicinity of the Brit- · since I'm going on a Sunday I don't as I feel I could right now. I can see the
ish Empire have good reason to give know what fruits my efforts will bear. amused glances, the contemptuous ,
thanks on this Thanksgiving day. The There are so many things I should smirks, the jeering silence of the cenreason; the sun is actually shining. The llke to tell you dearest but some of sor's eyes as we passed on the street.
sun, ol' sol, that immense planet that them are censorable and some are too I should be like the killer whose own
gives its life heat to that part of the sacred to us to be written--even in a , conscience condemned him. Oh well
world where I was born. Last seen by whisper. I was sorry to hear about you probably wouldn't like the poem
myself in New York, I thought it phe- the glass top to our coffee table. That anyhow and it isn't so complicated
n9menal that it was no longer in evi- particular glass top held many pleas- .that I can't boil it down to-Ilove you
ant memories of tangy beers and very much darling.
Frank
good books-ah well! It served
us well and sentiments should not
December 11, 1943
be wasted ....
I love you I love you Dearest Polly,
Frank ... We had a windshield laying on
the table in the barracks to-day and I
DecemberS, 1943 unthinkingly tossed my cigarettes and
lighter on it as being the most conveDearest Polly,
I never mentioned about nient spot. I reached for them later
the car. It will inconven- · and was struck immediately that they
ience you a great deal and reminded me of something past. In
the decision is therefore one just that common rearranged picture· I
for you to make. I am glad of was swept on a wave· of nostalgia to
course that you were able to our own warm living room. I won't
realize such a good price on it. pretend that the polished surface of
Figuring the radio and heater, our coffee table in the least resembled
I
I
we lost only about 150 $. If I this crude clapboard table nor that the
·/
figured in the repair bills I would . shining glass. top at home bears any
have to·consult Morgenthau .... similarity to the dirty mine creased
I wonder what kind of car we will windshield of a tank but the basic eleb~ buying after thiswar? Since you
ments of glass and wood were there
have a more practical mind than I and my second gear brain ground out
and excellent taste as well I will leave the rest. Actually darling I could perceive the sounds and smells that so
that also to you ....
Frank much endear me to our home. I half
expected to hear you speak. Ah I guess
A sampling of Frank's Y·mailletters.
December 11, 1943 all this sounds exaggerated or melodramatic or acutely sentimental but
Dearest Wife,
dence. I scanned the papers in vain for Ah the dreadful ways of fate. Woe the feeling l have just tried D describe
some clue as t6 its departure but, fail- to the lover if he is an E.M. in the was a moving thing ....
Your lo\'ing husband,
ing to see it mentioned, I decided it E.T.O. (enlisted man in the EuroFrank
came under that v~st category-a mil- pean Theatre of Operations). Here is
itary secret. The tri-partite powers have what I mean. A beautiful moon, the
December 12, 1943
condescended to let it reappear at the. ·censor, and you. The moon tonight
appropriate time ....
resembles the mythical silver dol- My darling wife,
s'incerely I love you, lar, a romantic moon in a starry sky. . .. This is in your hands probably
Frank Remember ho~ I used to compose just two or less days before Christpoetry to your beauty when I was at mas. It is a matter of record that this
Decemher 3, 1943 . Georgetown? Well I have the same is the one event in my daughter's life
Hello dearest,
feeling now. The words are formed, that I shall miss most keenly. Her
... Rondy is a cure pseudonym for the stanzas composed, the meter is first Christmas .... Me, I'm saving
our daughter but it will b~ DeRonda established but-enter cen.sor. Oh, for the Christmas that sees me kissing
whenever she misbehaves-as if she tut, tut, they wouldn't let it be known you just before we go to Mass and for
ever could! I get a pass to Bristol soon to my compatriots but I can just vis- the Christmas Eve when I get to read
MAY/jUNE 1994 ·AMERICA:\' HERITAGE 63
�"'Twas the Night etc." to our angel.
All my love,
Frank
Also-you asked for this, so start
duckin' Could I have some shaving
lotion please!-its the key to my power over women ....
Me
I did not find a letter dated Christmas
Day. There was an Army greeting card
january 3, 1944
and the following clipping from The
· New Yorker magazine.
Darling Pauline,
Love in War
Your Christmas cards are in excellent
We are now masters of the
taste and the captivating child pictured
present tense,
thereon can not be my daughter. She is
so much bigger it seems. Take a close
Having imposed upon ourselves
· look and you will notice that her leg
a law
Prohibiting the future. The once
is not only touching the ground it is
actually bent at the knee. That means
immense
Treasure of words is halved as
she is at least two inches taller than
we withdraw
Into this moment only, now,
today,
Or. into the past; and each of us,
separate,
Is haunted by the things he dare
not say
For fear of tempting a pen•erted
fate.
This is no speech for lovers. The
silence aches
With unuttered dreams of child
and home and peace
And life at last together. The
heart breaks
With so much that the lips may
not release.
the last time I saw her.... Did you
ever hear of powdered eggs? That is alNot even in each other's arms,
ways on the menu morning after mornnot ever
ing day after day. I would sacrifice a
great deal just to eat a fried egg cooked
Can we permit ourselves to say
"forever."
sunnyside up by you, darling....
-Marya Mannes
Frank
outline the idea to you. It had to do
with the rolling and thinning of steel
as it is done on a four high Steckle Mill
of the type used at our plant. I wondered if it weren't possible to weld a
section of the sheet of steel to itself so
that the strip instead of having to be
run through several times could be run
to the desired degree of thinness by
one continual. passing....
I love you
Frank
january 16, 1944
Dearest
A cold frosty Sunday morning. The
I want to tell you how
those enveloped letters affect
me. Like the 12th bottle of
Duque~ne
beer, like a double run
in Pinochle, like a parachute jump.
january 2, 1944
Dearest Wife,
. I wrote you on New Year's day but
I immediately messed up the letter
so I'm rewriting it. I want to tell you
how those enveloped letters affect
me. Like the 12th bottle of Duquesne
beer, like a double run in Pinochle,
like a parachute jump, it goes to my
head, my heart, my feet, fingers, ears.
Oh darling Oh mercy is all I can say. I
love, idolize you. I have received two
subscriptions to the Readers Digest,
one from Mom, one from mv sweet
wife. You two should get rog~ther or
send me a Sub to the New Yorker.
64 AMERICAN HERITAGE· MAY/jUNE 1994
kind of Sunday when I'll freeze my
fingers wiping the frost from the windshield as you and Dee sit huddled
closely near the heater which gives
only a promise of heat. Those Sunday morning sojourns in fulfillment
of our religious duties will be worth
the trouble because I can already smell
january 11, 1944 the bacon frying as I lounge comfort- ·
Dearest Wife,
ably back reading the paper. So get
Last night in one of my pre-dream up, go to church, meet your obligareveries I was dreaming of an idea that tions but bear in mind the satisfywas designed to revolutionize the strip ing breakfast and comfortable chair
steel industry. However, with the dawn that awaits you after Mass. To you,'
of an English day the idea began to on whose shoulders rests the necessity
look like a drunkard's dream (and me of creating breakfast, it will be just
a teetotaler) and I have at last cast it another day with the added handiaway to the winds having first mem- . cap of a husband underfoot .... Let's
orized the faults of the idea. I hesitate go to Youngstown this afternoon and
to mention the idea for fear of being see a. show darling or do you expect
scoffed at but since Firestone and Edi- friends in for a game; if so where did
son were both successful inventorS and you hide the beer?
attributed their successes to the counI love you darling
sel of their wives I am going to briefly
Frank
�•
.
February 18, 1944
january 24, 1944
Dearest Wife,
. Hi Mrs. Elliott,
If there is anything, any single item There has just been a hot crap game reto which the dogface in the ETO could . ported to me from the next barracks
point as being the cause of a tremen- and the fact that I sit down to write
dous lowering of morale it is this; the my wife a letter is indi.:ation of a
Sunday funny papers. Blondie, Pop- strong indomitable power of will. Eieye, and others of their kind are sorely ther that or I'm broke .... My "longlacking in the papers of the U.K.... johns" which I told you I washed out
We just list Maggie and Jiggs among last night. are still decorating the barthe folks we left behind and
long to return again to their
company. How does my daughter react •o the colorful antics of the funny folk? I don't
suppose she fully appreciates
them as:.yet but it won't be
long until you are reading
them to her ....
Frank ,
February 1, 1944
Dearest Wife,
l don't knaw = r rhar oromisedtrip to Ftlgjand aftertlie
.. yvar darling. This consistent
murky weather is very de·pressing. Of course when you
come over with me the sun
will certainly shine all the
time. If not for the benefit of
all, certainly in my heart, because your presence will make
it so. That would. be a good·
experience ·for Dee ~o come
over here at about the age of
six. It will be a fine contribution to her education so we
will set '49 as the year when
we will make the visit. That is of
course unless she is such a prodigy
that she will surpass all knowledge
that traveling will benefit her little at
that time: ...
The Elliotts just before Frank went oveneas.
racks clothesline-My but I'm in a romantic vein tonight. It is just the homing instinct that causes me to mel:nion
that darling-! have never seen you as
you will be after a hiud day's laundering. Hair disheveled 'and all tired
ll.J.~X~ Frank out
with dish-water hands and pow· February 4, 1944 .· derless face. That is when I'll love you
most ....
Dearest Wife,
Did I ever ask you to send me the
Frank
words to "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes"?
That is a beautiful song and properly
February 21, 1944
sung is very moving. You say Dee is Dear Polly,
walking. Gosh a mighty am I ever out The matter of you accepting work is
in the cold with my daughter.
a decision entirely up to you to make.
Love, I can't say anything pro or con beFrank cause I have no definitive or construe-
. 66 AMERICAN HERITAGE ·MAY/jUNE 1994
rive thoughts in either direction ....
I love you,
Frank
Febru.:~ry 28, 1944
Hello DarlingCold and dark is this typical English
evening and morning will bring only
change in the latter element. If any
of my old football jerseys are laying
around anyplace I would like
to have them. The blue and
gold silk one or any of the
green or red ones. Don't send
anything that's good or buy
something new but these
would do the trick of warming the blood in rhe wee small
hours .... Keep grinnin' IrishFrank
a
March 1, 1944
Dear Polly
Today was $ day and all the
boys are sitting around raising, fading, shooting and anteing. But me, I have waged a
bitter yet successful battle
against the tempting e\'il devil of the dice and am nicely
penning my darling wife a
love note. Was quite closely
studying the map of Europe
today and it's ahell of a big
place. Where do people get
that "small world" routine
they pass out. Such is life:1 love you
Frank
March 4, 1944
Dearest Polly,
It amazes even your husband. that in all
my writing to you I have never mentioned the one thing that affects my
life most deeply, i.e., the Army chow
line. This phenomenon quite resembles a snake. A long, coiling, many
vertebraed snake. To the distant ob-.
server the rattler is brought to mind
due to the continual rattle and hiss
coming therefrom. ·There are in this
coiling line every manner of dogface
goldbrick (up front) chowhound, and
boot polisher in the Army. I know one
fellow who has a photo of a chow
'
�•
ing strenuous labors. In a tank outfit
such as the one I am in there are three
types of labor 1) tank maintenance
work of a type calling for crew cooperation, 2) company group labor or
such things as calisthenics and road
marches, 3) classes on pertinent subjects taught by the company officers,
or mental anguish. Any person who
avoids participation in group number
tion them as to the reasons for their ways of saying boy is she stubborn.
absence is subjected to first, a sneer So now it is your plain duty to direct
of disdain, second, an impenetrable DeRonda's purposefulness 'into the
attitude of indifference and lastly, they · proper channels. I will plead guilty on
become audience to a dissertation on all charges that she inherits her ahthe circumstances that caused the class determination from her Dad and so it
in question to be missed. So lengthy is that I beg of you to use whatever
is the oral thesis that the interrogator method seems best to see to it that her
is only too glad to forget about the beauty is not marred by a personality
whole thing and let you off with a dominated by bull-headedness and lack
warning. I look for a man- of sufferance. If children could only
power shortage after this be made to realize that acquiescence is
even more intense than the the better part of accomplishment.
one that now exists but I Then again we move into hazardous
also expect to see a boom in grounds since we don't want our child
the market of fantastic mys- to be made a fool of....
tery stories....
Frank
I love you,
April 11, 1944
Frank
Dearest Pauline,
April 9, 1944 Tell my sister Mary that her gift of
Dearest,
sheet music to Maresy Doats was very
Honey, did you ever see a much appreciated .... Tell Dandy Elly
football game? Well the play- Elliott that her Dad loves her and prays
ers on the various teams and plans for the day when he can
wear sweaters on which are come home to live with her. Tell Doroprinted numbers. The sweat- thy Wadlinger that when Mr. Elliott
ers are various colors-the comes home she can expect mo're than
texture of the sweater dif- a Coke and less conversation when
fers from that of a knot she comes to spend the.evening. It will
wool. I thought that per- be my policy to keep the Frigidaire
haps I still had a few re- bursting with 3.2 in case some of your
maining from the day when friends drop in. A case just in case I
I played ball and that they always say. . . .
could be sent to me here. I
Frank
know that I described it as
gold with blue numerals but
April 23, 1944
· "My wife and sweet child": Pauline and DeRonda.
I never thought you would Dear Wife,
take it to mean my fresh- All this time in this army and I haven't
one is an out and out bum and never man numerals which I gave to you improved myself an iota. To~ay I had i
will work in his life, he is a poor crew anyhow and which is yours darling, an occasion to saw a piece of wood
man and not the type to be relied on not mine. If it is too late I will (as soon about two feet long and to my amazein the event of battle. The type who as they arrive) send them back. The ment and deep chagrin discovered that ·
avoids category two are a \vily breed green sweater I will keep and wear- my abilities as a carpenter are limitedand cause the poor greying first ser- but even in rhe case of the green but definitely. So when a cellar sten
geant no end of worries. They are the sweater I meant the practice jerseys comes loose in our lif
me I '"'i
most difficult to detect because they we wore at John Carroll. It's a mere g a y turnish you with the hamme,r
usually have a legitimate excuse for technicality and_I can't blame you for and nails. I who assure you that I \viii
patiently endure the noise of hammertheir absence .... The third element making such a mistake ....
I love you, ing whilst you attend the ailing step.
is made up of a group definitely posFrank I praise your talents to the end darsessing dass. :-.:o crude stock t:xcusc
ling, you have the ability to perform -in
is good enough for them. In their
April II. 1944 any capacity and I'm sure you will
subtleties they del\'t: dt:t:p inro f,tnt•tsy
and come up with something that Dear Polly,
save us many dollars by being a regular
would do credit to Jules Vernt:. The "Generous a mount of determination," .\tlrs. Fixit. A house is an odd piece of
person in authority who dares ques- "knows her own mind." Nice subtle equipment as it is in a constant state of
' \IAYIJLI:-.:E 1994 · .l.\IERIC.-\~ HERITAGE 69
�I
i~
~;,.
line with an officer (a 2nd Looey) standing about mid-way through with mess
gear in hand. This is such a rarity that
he has been offered thousands by the
Smithsonian and the London Museum for the negative thereof. Me? I'm
just another one of the vertebra previously mentioned. It causes me to say
that :I'd wait a ·century just for your
burnt biscuits.
Frank
!
1:.
\
'
i
i
!
!·.
!
,.
;·
I
1.
years. Will the day ever return when of love and understanding and a
I can come home to you and expect meekness. . . .
Frank
you to furnish the scores of all the
games played that day.... James CagMarch 30, 1944
ney was in person here last night
and the place was jammed so I didn't ·Hi Hon,
bother to go see him, however a cou- Somehow when I write out the 'United
ple of guys from this outfit went in States of America' it gives me a sort of
through the stage door claiming that a moral boost. Writing it, looking at it,
Jimmy and they were boyhood bud- and reflecting on the powerful meaning .
of that word 'united' is good for a perdies from 96th St. in New York. So
son.
The immediate reflection and
2nd Looey let them in on the weight of
this tale so you can see what the boys knowledge that it is no trite symbol
think of a Lieutenant's gullibility.... and. that these 48 are really one with
All my love, one common purpose is some gigantic
Frank thought to encompass. Compare the
March 23, 1944
Dearest,
. . . The problems of supply are not
ones that ordinarily trouble me but
today I had reason to be involved on
th~ side lines of a humorous squabble
that ended happily for all concerned. It
seems that there was an excess of ammunition boxes in the company and
that there was an order issued from
somewhere that they were robe turned
back to the tanks and there placed in
the best available space. This was car- '
ried out from supply and it was a matter of time (and very little time at that)
before every member of every victimized tank crew was storming the doors
of the supply room with obvious intentions of manslaughter in mind. The
sergeant of supply beat a hasty and
not too well ordered,.retreat to more
March 29, 1944 continent of North America with its
peaceful surroundings leaving the Dearest Polly,
175 million odd and see what other
henchmen in charge to care for the I don't know how to say thank you for continent is so singular in purpose.
irate crews. It all ended happily for your extravagance and generosity. You Australia, mebbe! but then it is a
all concerned when some Samaritan worked for a good month a.s a school midget-Europe, Asia, Africa and even
brought order out of chaos when he teacher and then you send me money. the presently peaceful continent Soutp
investigated and had the order rescind- Well I have myself to blame. I could of us is disrupted with powers and
ed and the little ugly boxes (which in- hardly blame you for interpreting my claimants to power, with rulers and
cidentally may someday be the cause of expression of my gambling losses as claimants thereof. It seems that the
saving a life or two of the protesting . a request for money. You lovely ador- word 'united' should be the one reasgroup) removed. All of which has little able imp. Didn't I tell you before that suring, encouraging word, the word
to do with the way I miss Hamburgers I'm merely existing over here in an- that must cause the defeatist and skep- .
aIa Coney Island, American beer a Ia ticipation of my life's beginning with tic some worried moments. Class disDuquesne, American shows a Ia Penn you? Darling I love you sincerely with missedI love you,
Theatre and American girls a Ia YOU. I more overwhelming' power than the
love you.
ordinary heart could endure. Ours is
Frank
Frank the perfect formula for love everlasting.
Nothing of the world could rise to
April 3, 1944
March 27, 1944 separate us from each other. Darling Dear Polly,
Dearest,
we fit like the last piece of the puzzle. No doubt you have often heard of the
... Are the kids at home starting to Please don't send me any more money. army-bred expression "goldbrick," and
play baseball yet? It is in the air ov~r I'm the guy who is supposed to be th.e . I suppose you would like to know just
here but the major league warmups providerand you make me feel cheap what are my impressions of this anlack the color and punch of former and at the same time cause a surge cient and honorable method of avoid-
It gives me a sort of
a moral boost. Writing it,
I
'
looking at it, and reflecting
on the powerful meaning of that
word ''united" is good for a person.··
68 A~IERICAN HERITAGE· ~AY/jUNE 1994
�deterioration but my worries along
that line ended with a certain lovely
marriage. I have learned one trade in
the army-I have been washing my
own clothes for these many monthsso I shall buy you a carpentry set for
Christmas and you can buy me a washing machine. I love you.
Frank
April 26, 1944
Dearest Polly:
Well when l get to' thinking of home
. I just get ~1omesick as the dickens but
one consoling thought is that the thing
is bound to be half over and I guess
I can do the balance of my time in
this army on my head. The day we
plan for will, please God, someday
dawn and when I get off that train in
Mahoningtown since that has always
been the method I used to enter Ne
Ca. But it may be a boat in New York,
or a 'plane in Pittsburgh-but who cares"
as long as I see you.
I love you,
Frank
April 28, 1944
Dearest,
Ah ha the hidden secrets of the clouded past do in time come out in sharp
relief. I knew that one so fair could
not go long with but a single swain
but my expectations never considered
so great a rival. ... Da,rling please say
you love me, please· say it is me and no
one else. Please please forsake all past
regards for James Cagney.... If you
say adieu to him in my behalf-! shall
strip the tank, the barracks wall, yeah,
even my recoil guard will be bared of
all appealing pin-ups. If this isn't
enough I shall go whole hog-with
your promise. of unfaltering devotion
I shall have your name tattooed on
my leg beneath an appropriate image
of Gypsy Rose L.-uh, I mean Miss
Liberty. What joy of security will then
be yours ....
Frank
May 3, 1944
Dearest Polly,
I sincerely pray that if you fail to hear
from me for a while, you will recall the
70 AMERICAN HERITAGE· MAY!JUNE 1994
words of the Gospel, "A little while
and you shall not see me and again a
little while and you shall see me." But
in your thoughts I shall always be and
you in mine, no matter how great
grows the gap of physical relationship.
The A.P.O. has been a pretty good
method to. use thus far and I don't
expect it to tail us at this point. It's
funny how the Post Office includes all
the acts God in it, with wind, rain,
snow, sleet. but the most devastating
act of man, war, is not considered a
surmountable element by the government courier.....
Frank
of
y admonjtjgn we make I don't hold
With the 'theory of the inevitable'
school and so you may he sure that I
won't invite disaster in any form. In
prep school we had a quarterback who
always qualified his pre-game prayers
with the phrase, "Not my will God,
but Thine" and so it is sweetheart and
so it must always be-we must trust
our God unflinchingly, unquestioningly. But enough of this heavy stuffschool's out.
I love 'em all but Polly best of allFrank
Well, sweetheart, don't
worry, please. It is possible
I may be a member In the
assault but no more possible
than that I may someday die.
May 6, 1944
Dearest Darling,
All day I have been fighting the feeling
which has been dominating me of late.
I keep continually thinking of home
and longing for honie in the worst
way. All your letters of how beautiful
mg; daugpre~ 1s becoting by_ t~e ~
T e reabzat10n that am m1ssm a
May 10, 1944
Dearest Wife,
... You know something that makes
me pensive even brings on a sort of
nostalgic sentimentality. It's a Blondie
comic strip with its down-to-earth,
American, homely comedy. It is like
a look into our future and sort of
bewilders me. I query myself as to will
I .be like that, am I that dumb, will
Polly do this? But however it may be
~=------=...:::.--~-..:--it's a nice feeling even if it does cause a
I love you, homesick hangover. What a hangover
Frank I anticipate on my arrival in Ne Ca.
I love Paul-y,
May 9, 1944
Frank
Dearest,
... The invasion, I read, is a topic of
May 18, 1944
daily conjecture among the people at . Dear Polly,
home and I guess you are a mite wor- I can't begin to tell you how much
ried. Well, sweetheart, don't worry, that picture affected me. I saw my
please. It is possible I may be a mem- daughter as though for the first time.
ber in the assaUlt but no more posst She stood alone and grown. Unsup6le than that I may someday die. It is . ported by adult h~nds with flowers
-
�...
of much bedimmed beauty m her
hands ....
I love you,
Fra'nk
May 21, 1944
i.
! •
Hello Darling,
I sat down to write this about ten minutes ago'. In the interim we had a mail
call. I was ·unanimously elected to represent my group at this sometimes disheartening ritual. As I expected and true ro precedent I was
nor mentioned in rhe list. So
now I lack the original spirit
which I had when I first sat .
down. My adoration for Polly
hasn 'r been affected in the
least l,ur somehow or other
my greedy nature went withour being satiated and I feel
like panting. See what a big
boob of a baby you .ue wedded
Remember that
slogan, "Lucky Strike green
has gone to war"'? Well, rhis
must be it because today we
drew rations and those who
smoke Luckies saw the pack
coated with irs homesickening green. I luckily procured a
Liberty magazine recently and
got on the Cock-eyed Crossword puzzle-for a moment
there I thought I was slipping
bur I finally did get it solved
though no time records were
challenged. The ·one that
stumped me \vas 50 Across:
When a landlord can't collect
rent for this, he Sioux. Answer: TEPEE.
So ... I still retain some of. my masterful touch. (And do I hare to hrag.)
Today I took a shower. To you that is
a ,·ery commonplace statement of an
. even more commonplace evenr-but
nor to me. On this island England,
water is a rationed item (but not to
civilians). Hor water is as rare as scorch
whiskey •ll1d in such l)Uantitics as to
make a shower feasible. well it just
a in "t h.1d. Thus we experience rhc rigors of war. I once wrote and coiJ you
of rhe contents of the army food ration-K. :'\ow I can rcll you of •111 even
more tempting ration known as 10-
in-1 milk, butter, jam, bacon, sausage,
stew, cereal, salt, just everything. Well, ·
the other day someone left a box of
said rations sitting out in front of the
CP tent. Ashby and I schemed to relieve the owner of such an oppressive .
burden- and carried it off. We removed
the delectable contents of the box and
refilled it with sod in order to escape
immediate detection. Well, the gag of
the month is that the box belonged to
tor ...
72
.-\\!ERIC:.\:'\ HERIT:\<;E · \1.-\Y/.fl!:'\F 1'1'1-1
livery. I protest most vehemently, it
ain't right. As Patrick Henry once said,
give me liberty or give me some mailyeah and even a long liberty over here
couldn't.make up for some little mail
from my darling wife ....
Frank
May 27, 1944
Hi Darling,
... Darn it darling, I would certainly
hke to be on hand when Deeg0'5 co see her first movie.
lake her to Youngstown, l'ltts~rgh or Cleveland to oneof those theatres with a"tong
impress1ve lobb,· with caiiay
'COunters and attractive ptsrers. I'll bet she \VIII love-it.
I5"on't postpone her en~
rill I come home, bur let me
ltriow how she reacts to i'Ill
tile glamour of A'ullywboa~
productiOns ....
Frank
May 31, 1944
The lakeside cottage where Pauline waited.
Ashby in the first place and was placed
there without his knowledge .... By
the way-what's happened to the baseball boys-even with all the 4-F's and
over/under aged players there is no excuse for the Philadelphia (Blue Jays?)
Phillies being subjected ro the alriru.de
of 3rd place. Something is surely amiss.
It won't he long till Judge Landis is
pctition~d ro investigate the situation.
G'night love and all my love.
Frank
M.1y 26, 194-1
Dc~1rcst,
And again today there is no mail de-
Dearest Wife,
'Lucky guy' is the way the paper described this particular
guy and then they went on
to tell his story. He had been
in action on several fronts;
he had quire an enviable reputation as· a brave guy and a
fighter. He was given a furlough to go home and rake a
subsequent bond-selling tour
through the states. At the completion of the trip he was asked
by General Arnold what he would
like the most and he was to be granted
his wish. So now he is back with his
old outfit overseas and sleeping iri his
old bunk. Talk about nauseating, talk
about disgusting-ugh! Just ask me
what I would like and darling our days
. of separation would be limited . . . .
Frank
.June 1, 1944
Dearest.
I have a sneaking suspicion that these
letters are not being sent via V-mail
but rather on the long, long sea voyage
before reaching you. If such is the case
�'i
,.
I
let me know and I will switch imme- of our humble abode. Tonight I am
diately to steady air-mail and at least sitting here admiring the appearance of
we will know how it is going and that our living room since the furniture has
it will make it eventually. I hope it been re-arranged in never-before-tried
isn't a military secret when I tell you fashion. I finally got around to putting
that we have been away from our our small radio into the living roomcooks for quite some time. I just bnng . sounds good now-but this sentimenup the point to extend a little human tal music, darling, it makes me miss
interest. As you must know the cooks you so terribly. We haven't heard from
are always a brow-beaten, bullied lot you now in a week-but tomorrow's
no matter what outfit they are in. Well Saturday and there may be several letthe other day the poor dears cooked ters .... I. wonder if you are missing
up a batch of huge cookies and sent me tonight even almost as much as I
them down here to where we are sta- . am missing you. I wish you had had a
tioned. Now wasn't that nice of them "hard day" at the mill today and I
after all the verbal criticism they have had housecleaned very industriouslygotten for their pains in the past.-But
I love Polly so much-I'd even eat her
biscuitsI love you,
Frank
her Daddy does-I'll bet that she will.
I adore you,
Polly
June 5, 1944
Darling,
After a wonderfully lazy weekend at
the cottage, I had to engage myself in
quite an argument this morning before I was able to convince me that I
could arouse enough ambition to do
the weekly wash! How cruel grim
reality can be!! ... This is a beautiful·
summer evening, darling. I am sitting
at the kitchen table (and not even
noticing the noise of the refrigerator)
Here it is Sunday again.·
*
~sunday
May 20, 1944
Darling,
Dad sent a fellow today to fix up our
yard and he really did a super job-it
looks nice. There is so much shrubhery here and so many with plants all
around that I can never find enough
time to keep it looking as it should
look. Now it looks wonderful. All the
spring flowers are beginning to bloom
now and the sight of them just increases my longing for you .... Sometimes I sympathize with myself by
counting up the months since I've seen
you-and because they are too manynearly eight now-I feel very, very sorry for myself.... Really dear, I try not
to feel sorry for me-there are m·any
who are much worse off than 1-you
are the one who is undergoing all the
hardship-! have Dee who in herself is
enough to compensate for anything.
Without her, I don't see how I would
endure this separation. Yet constantly, darling, all of me longs for you. It
can't.be much longer now, sweethean.
I love you,
Polly
May 23, 1944
Dearest Frank,
Housecleaning time spurs me to make
all kinds of changes in the furnishings
74
A~tERICA:"
HERITAGE·
~IAY/jU:'\:F.
1994
night. I think this
·is the most lonely time of the
whole week for me. I am so darn
lonesome for you, Frank.
then we had spent a pleasant evening
toget\ler-and now we were in each
other's arms.
I love you,
Polly
May 28, 1944
DarlingHere it is Sunday again-Sunday night.
I think this is the most lonely time of
the whole week for me. I am so darn
lonesome for you, Frank darling. Oh
I'm nor the only one and I know itthere are millions just like me, wishing
with all the strength of their hearts
and minds for the return of ·peace and
loved ones .... Dee is sleeping on this
Sunday night, and the radio· is playing old and beautiful music-and I am
thinking of the Sunday nights to come
when you will be listening to such music with me.... Took Dad to a ball
game today-Dee went along-maybe
she'll learn to like baseball as well as
from which place by merely lifting
my head and looking out the window
I can gaze upon a truly silvery, full
moon. It's beautiful, dear-really beautiful, and it has succeeded in making
me very sentimental. I had hegun to
think that I was becoming immune to
the moon's enchantment-so often I
have looked at it without you and to
keep myself from going mad told myself "It's pretty, yes-but, so what?" ...
That's not the way it really is though,
darling-the sight of that shining moon
up there-the moon that shines on
you, too-fills me with romance-;
and even though it's just a dream now,
it's a promise of a glorious future with
one I love more than life. The darned
old moon keeps shining for· us, darling-and even as it now increases that
inescapable loneliness, it also increases
my confidence in the future. I truly
love you, darling.
Saturday, just after I finished writing
�•
you, a bulletin to the effect that the
Allies had landed in France was read
over the radio. Nor having heard from
you in over 2 weeks you can imagine
what my first thought and prayer was.
The announcement, however, was
"killed" about 15 minutes later. Nevertheless we still think "something's
up." Suspicious, aren't we?? The man
in that moon keeps winking at me ev-
the time I was writing you last night .
"D-Day" has finally arrived. The news
had begun to be broadcast around
midnight last night, I believe, but I
didn't know of it until 7 o'clock this
morning when I turned the radio on.
The news brought a kind of relief and
great concern. The first thought of all
of us here at .home was a prayer. I
can't deny, darling, that anxiety for
your well-being fills my
heart. True, I don't know
that you are taking part in
this phase of the invasion
bur it is very probable that
you are. And my thoughts
are with you. Spiritually, I
am with you . . . . You are
the one who is making all
the sacrifices-and yet you
.J
are the one who could find
the proper words to give us
both strength. The letter in
which you reminded me that
the desire of both of us is
that "God's will be done"
continues to be my favorite
"bedtime story," darlingit's a masterpiece .... I am
unable to tell you of the
depth of my emotion on this
day-but without my telling
you I think you know and
understand.
All day the radio has
broadcast invasion newsconstantly-all regularly
Frank was amazed at how DeRonda had grown.
scheduled programs have
been cancelled-and I have
ery rime I look up-must be a mes- been virtually "glued" to the radio.
sage from you-because that's proba- News broadcasts and prayer led by
bly what you'd be doing when we told eminent clergymen have occupied most
you we thought "something was up.'~ ·of the time. Bob Hope's regular broadRondy thinks that man in the moon is cast tonight was altered because of
a pretty funny guy.
''D" Day-there was no clowningAs ever, I don't seem to have much bur Bob ~arne through with what in
news for you today, sweetheart-life is my opinion was one of the most
rather evenrless ar present, bur it's a worthwhile thoughts I heard today....
good life when there's our future to Narurallv none of us here at home can
dream of. Please kiss me-and hold think of ~nything else. But people took
me close to you, Frank. I adore you- the news ~almly and soberly-how
Polly else wuld it be taken but soberly....
Among the things distributed to rhe
}1111e 6, 1944 soldiers crossing the channel was a
Darling,
vomit bag, I understand-and the comWdl, ··something was up"-c,·en at . mentator added that most of them
were used. That has its humorous
slant-but really it's not humorous at
all-it has more of grimness about it.
How little we here at home sacrifice in
comparison with you and all the fellows like you.
Little DeRonda was the only one
not affected by the D-Day news-she
went about her happy little business of
living as usual, entirely unaware of the
great event. I hope and pray that she
will never remember any of this but
only the happiness of the hours that
will follow her Daddy's homecoming
step on the porch. Good luck to you,
darling, wherever you are. We are
waiting for you and loving you with all
our hearts.
Polly and Dee
June 7, 1944
DarlingOn this second day of the invasion
the news reports say that 'all is going
well'-and that knowledge is some
comfort. If only I could know where
you are and that you are safe-bur
wherever you are dearest, my heart is
with you.
Today I was surprised and pleased
when the father of one of the girls I
went to Mercyhurst with stopped off
here while on a business trip. He
stayed for lunch and we had a pleasant
conversation. I hadn 'r seen him since
before Dee was born and he was
amazed at what a 'big little girl' she
is. He admired her pretty blue eyes
bur I don't think that was the reason
she wanted to go right along with him
when he left-she doesr.'r recognize
such compliments yet but I hardly
think it will be long until she does.
I haven't listened so closely to the
invasion news today-but I'm waiting now to hear the news before I go
to bed. Kay Kyser is just signing off
-whatever the news will be my darling, like Mr. Kyser, I'm just "thinking
of you."
I love you adoringly..
Polly
June 8, 1944
DarlingA most wonderful thing happened
\otAY/jU:-.iE 1994 · .ntERIC.-\l'\ HERITAGE 75
I
I
I
----~ --~-----
�-'
•
today. I had a letter from you-the first
one in 3 weeks-there was no date on
the letter and you didn't impan much
information bur it was a blessed letter
because it was your words and your
writing again. Your Mom was in this
·afternoon and read your letter rooyou will never know-you couldn 'rhow we yearn for the sight of "our
guy" over there.
Bing Crosby is just signing offI know how you like him-the way I
d~and as I listened to his program.
I could only enjoy it half as much as
I will when you are here with me lisrening roo ....
I love you,
Polly
I
I,
I
June 12, 1944 Monday
Dearest darling FrankToday I feel like the lowest kind of
heel. I had 5 letters from you this morning and in two of them you told of
receiving no mail and of the despondent feeling that followed. I have tried
ro write regularly, sweetheart, and
don't often miss a day but it so happens that Dee and I were at the cottage
again this weekend and although I did
get a letter off to you on Friday night,
I went astray on Saturday and Sunday. During the day it is necessary that
I watch Rondy almost constantly and
in the evening we play cards 'til late.
On both nights everyone suggested
that I wait 'till "tomorrow" to write
you-and now look what's happened.
I am tormented by the thought of all
the others in your outfit getting mail
while you just stand by. Actually the
thought makes me ill. I really can't
understand why there should be such a
length of time when you didn't hear
from me-but I have a guilty feeling
roo, because of the two days I did miss
on these past two weekends .... I love
you so mltch and the picture I create in
my mind of you not getting a letter
when the other fellows do makes me
hate myself.... When I wrote you on
Friday night I didn't mention that I
had received 6 letters from you on that
day. After three weeks of silence it was
wonderful to receive all those letters.
. . . So glad to hear in one of your 5
76 AMERICAN HERITAGE·
'..
~lAY/jUNE
I
letters ... that you can still beat any
crossword puzzle coming or going.
Orchids to you for figuring out "tepee"-that just increases my 'secret'
pride in you. . . . Dee is counting on
your being here to help her .celebrate
that second binhday--so's her Mama.
I miss you very much, my dear. All
I ever want to do a~y more is think
about you. I have lost all desire for
going places and doing things except
as I picture myself so doing with you.
Summer is really upon us now. Many
of the flowers have come and gone
already. The house-cleaning is over and
we have settled down to a rather lazy
words should wait until we are reunited-should wait unuttered until
that glorious day of reunion....:....for it
can't be so long now, darling-it can't
be. When I imagine--or remember, I
should say-your kiss, that is enough
to keep me waiting forever.
I adore you,
Polly
June 19, 1944
Hi, darling,
Had two letters from you todaywonderful letters-written on the 25th
and 26th of May. I had hoped that I
would have a letter written on a more
Darling Frank Today
I feel like the lowest kind of
heel._ I had 5 letters from you
this morning and in two of them
you told of receiving no mail . . .
life-you know how it is in summer. recent date today-a date nearer the
I often think longingly of last sum- invasion date. That, I guess, is wharl
mer and the scattered days we had to- hoped for-but when those letters
gether.... Darn it, summer "gets" me, came, they were so very nice that I
darling .... I long to be with you. But . didn't even think about being disapsince I can't be, all I want to do is stay pointed. I do wish though, darling,
home and remember what wonderful that I knew where you are and how
times we have had together and imag~ _ you are ....
ine the perfection of the future. . . .
Polly
Even thinking about it now I am getThursday night
ting into the clouds-a wonderful feelJune 22, 1944
ing, even if it is solely in the imagination. I get way up there in the clouds My darling husband,
and then slowly I begin to think about . . . Frank, darling, one of your lethow things really are-about how far ters today was "queer"-the tone of it
away you are and how close to danger scared me because l could feel that
you may be-and then I rorget about though you praised me you were disthe clouds, knowing'-only that with pleased with me-just the fact that
my whole heart and mind I love you you started it merely "Dear Polly"
and long for you and pray for your (though that in itself has never been a
safety. There are lots of things, inti- cause for alarm) and didn 'r end it with
mate things, I want to say, and yet now "I love you" were enough ro give me
it doesn't seem right to say more than chills. It was the letter about the liq"I adore you"-it seems that all such uor. You said rhar I said I would send
1994
- - - - - - - - ----- --·-·--- -
----- - -
~
------ --- - - - - - - -
-
�'
..
you anything you desired with the ex- be the "South Downs" and that covers try as I did I couldn't definitely make
ception of contraband items and liq- quite a bit of territory. Doubtless you him look like you. That just "goes to
uor. You said you commended my atti- were somewhere along that southern show ya" what a state my mind is intude and thought I was doing my part coast-maybe even on the "Isle of I peer at every picture of a soldier in
toward winning the war. But I don't Wight." Your Mom was here today keen anticipation of seeing your face
think you meant that, darling-as you and I think she said that she and for the sight of which I am so hunwrote it. I don't think you "commend" your Dad had figured from some- gry. And still I wouldn't want to see
my attitude at all-I think you thought thing you said that you were at a place you in any battle scenes-I cannot
I was somewhat of a "prig.'' I don't called "Whitechurch"-I noticed a bring myself to face the fact that you
recall what I said about the liquor- place called "Christchurch" on the map must fight ....
I adore youbut I wasn't trying to convey
Polly
any· emphatic attitude . . . .
· It wasn't, darling, that I dejuly 4, 1944
liberately wished to sacrifice
your desires for a viewpoint of
DarlingThis is Independence Day and
mine to which I wanted stubbornly to hold___:it wasn't exDee and I had our flags flying out in front of the house.
actly that I was being "patriotic"-although I do claim to
Next year we will surely be
able to enjoy and appreciate
have some patriotism because
the day. Didn't do .much toI do sincerely believe we have
something to show patriotism
day-just took Dee for a shon
for in this U.S.A.-and, someride and bought her an ice
cream cone-she certainly
thing, by the way, that I want
didn't lose any time in learn-.
to be preserved intact against
ing ro like those things. The
your return .... I do so want
you to understand about the
headlines in the morning paliquor, dear-you~ letter was
per informed us that the Yank
the first since you have been
tanks in France were mired
so far away that showed any
and the doughboys were re. displeasure (really) with meverting to 1918 tactics . . . .
and if you felt that I was being
Of course, I am convinced
.~~ ::;tVj' ....: J " '~ .•_~.?:- •¥.v.rN ~ ....~
"small" when you wroteit-1
that you are taking pan in ev~.d.,.:,... :a., /..~ o/r~4 ~- 7'1,.,:
14(.1 ..4J: §,,9",;. .....
'
~ __,_
- .........~~-know you'll understand now.
ery operation I read of. I
,......,.;,1:,...-'
MA¥1
YOU
fiLLID
IN
COMidrl
know that you can take care
If you can· only understand.
darling, that I love you with
of yourself, darling-that you
all of me-l am yours comwon't take any unnecessary
pletely-and I live only to
chances-and that God and
Frank Elliott's letter of June l.
please you. At present' I am
His Blessed Mother are with
afraid for you-and yet ~.:ourageous -which is directly across the channel you. If my love could keP.p you safe,
because of you .... Need I tell you that from Cherbourg, Just think-some- honey-then you'd be well protect!love you. place at which I have been gazing on ed-you'd be the safest soldier over
Polly these maps is where you were and · there. I love you with all my heart.
Polly
where you probably are now-and I
june 2~. 1944 don't know it. You see, darling, we
july 7, 1944
Saturd.l)' night have quite a time with all our theoDarlingries as to where you are-we ·do a lot Darling-Here I've been sitting scanning a map of supposing but we are never sure , It's nearly midnight and Dee justwent
of England trying to de~.:ide upon about anything. However, you are to bed-which is a most unusual ocwhere you were last stationed in Eng- all we can think of, so naturally we currence. But this was a very warm
land-because I don't think you are put all our effort into informing our- day and strangely enough it put our
there now. The fact that you said that selves of your whereabouts. T_he other girl in a sleeping mood. Her "afterthe ~.:ooks sent cookies "down" to night I saw a picture in the newspa- noon nap" lasted from 3:00 P~l until
where you were probably had some per of two soldiers sitting in a dpor- 6:45 P\1-the longest nap she has taksignificance~the only thing directly
way on the road to Cherbourg. The en, I think, since she's "been." Naturelated to the map to that word would one fellow seemed to resemble you but rally sh~ didn't want or need to go
. 78 :\\!ERIC.\:-; HERIT.\(;E · .\1.\Y/IU:-;E 1':1':14
,,
··.·'
�to bed so early tonight. She'll be 18
months old tomorrow, darling-six
more months until her second birthday-and you'll be home by then-I
hope and pray. I miss you so very
much, sweetheart, and right now I'm
just plain worried. If only we'd get
a letter from you. The days seem so
long when there is no word from you.
While you are away, darling, the mailman has to be my 'favorite guy'-but
only because of the role he plays in
relation to you.
I love you,
Polly
•
ffilSS
July 11, 1944
My darling,
The enclosed cartoons I cut from the
morning paper-1 thought they were
cute and might stir up a few memories for you. "Skeezix" was home on
furlough and he and his girl were married-if you haven't been following
the cartoon-stupid supposition, that
you have been, huh, honey?-The enclosed strips were about their honeymoon days . . . . A couple of them
reminded me· of us .... As I write this,
darling, the All-Star game is in progress-! wish as ardently as you do
that you were here listening too-or
you so· very
much, sweetheart, and ·right
now I'm just plain worried.
If only we'd get a letter from
you. The ·days seem so long ....
July 8, 1944
Hi darlingThis weather we're having is plenty
hot-but probably riot half so hot as
what you are going through-so we
have no room at all to· complain. I
talked on the phone with your Mom
this morning. We are both thinking
constantly of you, darling, and trusting
God that you are safe. So many people
have received letters from Franceand although it's hard to just wait like
this, we know we'll hear soon .... I
am wondering what you are doing at
this moment while I am sitting here
writing to you-probably 'running
around' with the French women! Ah
well, such is life! But you'll be home
soon and out of their clutches and
once I get you here, darling, I will never let you out of my sight again. Honest, I won't be too possessive, though.
·
I love you,
Polly
thought and prayer. I know God will
keep you safe, my dear-and I am
ashamed of the few moments when
that faith falters even slightly. I ke~p
remembering the words you wrote"God's will be done"-and "A little
while--." I keep thinking that in a
"little while" all this anxiety will end
-and we'll have a letter from you
and we'll know that you are safethen still another "little while" and
this will all be over and you'll be
home again forever and life will be for
us as we have planned and dreamed
it will be. Maybe one or two details
won't be just as we planned-but the
essence of the plan will be there-you .
and Dee ·and I will be together-and
to me that is all that will ever matter.... The National League is really
"going to town"-the score is now
7-1 darling .... I love you very much
... we are all thinking of you constantly and· offering our prayers for
your safety1 love you, I love you, I love youPolly
(7-1 was the final score.) ·
Frank, dearestLittle news again today and still no
.letter from you. I just can't understand
· why we haven't heard from you-but
that, I guess, is not for me to know.
I must just wait and pray. All I desire
is for your safety, darling, because I
love you with all my heart. What you
are going through must be terrible,
dear-and all that is asked of me is
that I have faith-so I'm sure I can
do that. . . . Dee has developed a
fondness for fig bars which I told her
were the kind of cookies Daddy likes,
so now she always refers to them as
"Daddy's cookies." You know, darling, I believe she is beginning to understand about Daddy-and to realize
that our life will begin when he comes
home. I love you.
Polly
even better that you were in Pittsburgh
to see it tonight. The National League
is ahead 4-1 in this 7th inning. . . .
Roosevelt announced today that, although it is his desire to retire, he will
be a "good soldier" and accept renomination .... No comment.... Tonight's paper also carried the report
of the new American "thrust" toward
the communications center of St.-Lo.
The last sentence in the column read,
"American tanks are attacking on all
sectors" -those words stand out for
me, as though there are no other words
on the whole page.... Oh my darling, it is torture to wait like this! love you dearly-and I am afraid
that I am not very brave. I try to be.
There are times when I'm sure I have
a "pretty good hold" on myself and
then again I weaken-without trust. TELEGRAM
in God's goodness I don't know how WASHINGTON DC AUG 6 A!\1
I could stand this waiting. I can think MRS. PAULINE A ELLIOTT
of nothing else-you are in my _every 130 FAIRMO!'o;"T AVENUE
!\-1AYIJU~E
•
• lf,_l-1:/
,,I•IIJ'J,;I,";::I .. _;j,....:. ••••: -., -~
...::.f,
11:10
1994 · AMERICAN HERITAGE 79
~~~j 1....1~--------- -----------~-----
- - - - - ---
----------------
�',•'
,,
THE SECRETARY OF WAR DESIRES ~IE TO
EXPRESS HIS DEEP REGRET THAT YOUR
HUSBAND CORPORAL FRANK ~! ELLIOTT
WAS KILLED IN ACTIO!': ON SIX JC:-\E !:-\
FRA~CE LETTER fOLLOWS.
path, and proceed."
I recently learned that my father's
rank was one which did not make 1t
to the beach and although two men
were badly mJured, they all l'ielped
l' L! 0
eacn other SWlm to shore. Medics asTHE ADJUTA:-\T GE:-\ERAL SISted the InJured men-whTle the others continued to fight on the beach.
My father was hit that afternoon by
EPILOGUE
a bomb trom a German plane. I was
Mv father never came home. He died told by a survlVIng comrade that his
Ia;e m the day on D-day, on Omaha body was mutilated. I hope the end
Beach near the bluff, as he and the came quickly. ·
men m hiS unit, parr of the initial asHe is buried in the American Milisault wave, prepared the way for the tafy Cemetery of St.-Laurent-sur-Mer, -..~
entry of the 2d Infantry [)ivision. It on a cliff o~erlookin~ Omaha Bead;,.~
was these men who, with their sup- under one ot thousan s of whtte cross-':.
plies, were later to establish the beach- es markmg the graves of hopeful voung ~
. head that would permit the Allies to men. Mv mother chose to leave his re- ~
penetrate Europe.
.
mains rhere m France.
tJ
The scene is described in the followAll the letters he received from mv
ing excerpt from "Blood and Sand."' a mother were lost, presumably be'i'iig
chapter in a publication by the sur- wltl'i film at fl'ie nme of hiS deailt
vivors of the 741sr Tank Battalion.
,<!one ot his personal effects were
· "June 6, 1944: The men charred returned. The letters published here
seriously, drank black coffee, smoked c~bacl< unopened, uridehvered, a~d
cigarette after cigarette, thought of marked "deceased."
·'1\'ty mother never remarried, alhome, prayed silently." They were
shortly ro leave the security of the though she had several opportunities
landing craft and land on Normandy to do so. Heartache and sadness, hard
Beach. "This was to be their first ac- work and worry, punctuated by a fewtion with the enemy; this was the moments of humor m the com an of·
day for which they had trained long, fnen s an
am1 y. c aracterized the
hard months. It was little wonder that rest of her life. She made the best of
they were tense. nervous, afraid .... her hte, but she never could forget her
"Dawn broke on D-D,'iy with an first and lasting love. How was she
intense bombardment by big naval and ro know in 1944 that their " ... again
rocket guns . . . . The Germans had a little while ... "would be a lifetime?
fortified this be;:u.:h well and just She developed gastric cancer, which I
how effective \vas our fire no one could am convinced was a result of too many
immediately surmise.
~·ears of pain at the core of her being,
~·At H-Hour most of A Company
and passed to share eternity with him
had landed successfully. Two t<lnks in 1990. at the age of seventy.
left the LCT too soon and sank. Two
I didn't marry the only man I ever
more were blown up while yet on loved. fearing that he, too, would
the l;lnding craft.·· Those that land- somehow die and leave me and I
ed "had the difficult job of removing would go through the same pain my
from the sand hundreds of mines and mother did. I later experienced two
obstacles which would prevent land- unsuccessful marriages. Having never
ing cr;lft from beaching soundly.... known the affirmation ;fmy tarl'l~s
The men worked feverishly and effi- or <10\' man's love or a sustame periciently with utter disregard for per- oa'" ol: time as a child, I have alw"fvs
sonal safety. Smooth operation was found'"tt ditticult to believe t~Y
DeRonda and a boy who lost his father unveil a
hampered by the dead bodies which man could lO\·e i:ne.
war memorial in New Castle, Pennsylvania, 1948;
by ahom all m-er the beach. Frequently
\X'e were. all three, casualties of
Pauline is the dark-haired woman to the left.
crews had to pull bodies from their war.
t
I
I
*
��..
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
May 11, 1994
MEMORANDUM FOR:
EUROPEAN TRIP PLANNING GROUP
MARK.GEARAN
DEE DEE MYERS
RICKI SEIDMAN
ANNE WALLEY
LEE SATI'ERFIELD
ISABELLE TAPIA
WENDY SMITH
DONBAER
DAVID GERGEN
GEORGESTEPBANOPOULOS
NANcY SODERBERG
TOM ROSS
TARA SONENSHINE
ERICLIU
JEREMY ROSNER
CALVIN MITCHELL
JAKE SIEWERT
GINNY TERZANO
FROM:
JOSH KING
SUBJECT:
MESSAGE NOTES ON
THE PRESIDENT'S TRIP TO
ITALY, ENGLAND. AND FRANCE
Among my strongest feelings from the advance trips are the following three points:
1. Commentators and pundits will be quick to ask, in reference to President Reagan's
performance, what are you going to do to match Pointe du Hoc?
The armyer should be that in.addition to going to Pointe du Hoc (not only offering
remarks, as Reagan did, but spending time with veterans, their children and
grandchildren), the President will visit the beaches of Utah and Omaha, walk with
�veterans on the sand and touch the water where, SO years ago, the overwhelming
majority of American action and casualties took place.
·
We should say that the President will pay tribute to the veterans ofD-Day by walking
with two veterans, -one Anny, one Navy- from. the Overlook at Colleville Cemetery
to Omaha Beach. On the walk he will hear one more time the story of the invasion
through the eyes of the grunts who fought their way through the surf, across the beach
and up the bluff. Upon arriving at water's edge the walking party will present a last
offering to the sea as a final rendition of taps are played. Shortly thereafter, in solemn
silence, the President will depart Normandy.
.Staff should know that, while valiant and heroic, the actions by Rangers at Pointe
du Hoc constituted a small episode in the history of D-Day. Its fame is owed
largely to the President Reagan's speech. In the eyes of history, Omaha Beach
was where the invasion, and the liberation of Europe, was to be won or lost. I
would be pleased to refer you to numerous books, videos and personal accounts
which elaborate on that opinion.
While hundreds of thousands of G.I.s stormed the beaches of Omaha and Utah,
and thousands of paratroopers from the 101 st and 82nd Airborne dropped behind
enemy ·lines in villages like Ste. ·Mere Eglise, two hundred Rangers assaulted
suspected gun emplacements atop the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc.
When the Rangers finally scaled the cliff, they found that the guns were not there.
Eventually, the Rangers who made it to the top of the cliffs were taken prisoner
and spent the rest of the war as P.O.W.s.
The Pointe du Hoc event will feature only Rangers and their families in the
audience and will number about 600. The Colleville (Omaha Beach) event will
feature veterans and their families from every American area of engagement and
audience is expected to approach 12,000.
The familiar appeal of the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc notwithstanding, the main focus
of the President's day should be the Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville
and the adjoining beaches of"Bloody Omaha".
2. We have an unprecedented opportunity to enlarge the President's stature as
Commander-in-Chief by showing his deep understanding of the history of World War
ll and reverence for the sacrifice of veterans of the Italian and Norrilandy campaigns.
1
From Friday at Nettuno, when the world's focus oil the 50th Anniversary ofD-Day
will begin its most acute stage, to Monday on Omaha Beach, when it comes to its
most solemn conclusion, the President's public activities should revolve as tightly as
possible around commemoration of the allied war effort. In events both large and
small, substantive and symbolic, we can and should design events that touch every
�...
issu,e of concern and interest to veterans, both for those in Europe and for the millions
unable to make the trip who will be. glued to CNN for round-the-clock coverage.
This m~s, among other things, that the recommendation to move tllle Oxford
events to Wednesday, June 8, is a very wise move. A change in the Oxford events
will move them beyond the coverage ofD-Day weekend, beyond the D-Day week
magazine cycle, arid out of the scrutiny of the massive press presence in England and
France.
Furthermore, we make very positive anticipated coverage of Oxford if we add to the
schedule a s11bstantive town meeting with international students at Oxford. The event
could take the fonn of the Ostankino event in Moscow and serve as the uniquely Bill
Clinton fonn of honoring the past by discussing solutions to the challenges to world
peace that many of these students will face in the future.
3. The success of the President's trip will largely be judged by what he says at Nettuno,
Cambridge, the U.S.S. George Washington, Pointe Du Hoc, Utah Beach and
Colleville (Omaha Beach) and other opportunities.
At each oppo~ty, the President's remarks and actions should reinforce the theme
that President Clinton and his generation accept the honor and duty of passing on to
successor generations the memory of the sacrifiCe made by veterans of World War
Two; that we proudly inherit the mantle of responsibility for guarding against future
threats to freedom and liberty.
·World War ll ended the way it did because of what the grunts did at D-Day. To the
veterans, those born after the war, born into freedom, are the cblldrem of their
sacrifice. President Clinton will speak for every American born after the war when he
pledges that we will never forget.
·
'President Reagan's short schedule in 1984 was far less ambitious than President
Clinton's schedule in 1994. Reagan delivered brie(.poetic remarks (attached) to small
audiences at Pointe du Hoc and Colleville using both opportunities to show his
appreciation of history and sacrifice, particularly by focusing on.the heroics of small
groups or individuals with whom he met directly or with their relatives.
By contrast, President Clinton will be speaking to large groups of veterans in each
location, as well as thousands of spill-over general public.
Nettuno
hundreds of veterans of Italian Campaign
10,000 general public
Cambridge
1,000 veterans
3,000 general public
�.
U.S.S. G.W. 150 Veterans
1-2,000 Active duty sailors (optional)
Pointe Du Hoc30 Veterans
550 distinuished visitors and family
Utah Beach
400 veterans
2,000 French and. American general public
Colleville
4,000 veterans
10,000 general public
The President coUld follow a loose structure to guide the crafting of each short
speech, backed-up by a "visual reinforcer" for each message. By the end of the D-Day
Weekend, he will have touched on every branch of the anned forces seeing action at
D-Day, honor every type of veteran, show deep understanding of the history and
significance ofD-Day and remarks briefly on many of the foreign policy issues that
challenge the United States today.
At most, the D-Day speaking series could include twelve sets of remarks, including:
1.
Scene-setter speech for European trip
OVerall Theme:
Historical Reference:
Military Tn"bute:
Great Subject:
Grunt Subject (S):
Historical Issue:
Policy Issue:
VISU31 Reinforcer 1:
VISU31 Reinforcer 2:
2.
First Division Monument Remarks on Departure for Europe
Overall Theme:
Historical Reference:
Military Tn"bute:
Great Subject:
Grunt Subject (S):
Historical Issue:
Policy Issue:
VISU31 Reinforcer 1:
VISU31 Reinforcer 2:
3.
Nettuno Cemetery remarks to commemorate the Italian Campaign
'
�..
Overall Theme:
Historical Reference:
. Military Tribute:
Great Subiect:
Grunt Subject (S):
Historical Issue:
Policv Issue:
V1SU81 Reinforcer 1:
V1SU81 Reinforcer 2:
4.
Downing Street statem~itt after meeting with John Major
Overall Theme:
Historical Reference:
Military Tn"bute:
Great Subiect:
Grunt Subject (S):
Historical Issue:
Policy Issue:
V1SU81 Reinforcer 1:
[IDEAl
Winston Churchill
(IDEA] The president tapes his weekly radio address at
the Cabinet War Rooms, the secret underground
bunker from which Churchill ran the British war
effort.
Visual Reinforcer 2:
s.
Cambridge Cemetery remarks to veterans, primarily aviators.
Overall Theme:
Historical Reference:
Military Tn"bute:
Great Subject:
Grunt Subject (S):
Historical Issue:
(IDEAl Air Force (then the Army
Air Force)
· (IDEA] The success of the home front
and the role of
women in the war.
Policv Issue:
VlSWll Reinforcer 1:
V1SU81 Reinforcer 2:
6.
(IDEA] En route to Cambridge, the President's
helicopter lands at Duxford Air Base where a vintage
B-17, the Sallie-B, sits idle on the tarmac. A veteran
crew has gathered to remember old times, and the
President and Secretary Bentsen, himself a veteran of
B-17 sorties over Germany, spend a few minutes
the crew and hearing tales of their exploits.
(IDEAl En route to the speaking site, the President
walks with two widows, one from World War U and
one from the Gulf War.
Remarks to Active Duty sailors on the U.S.S. George Washington
I Overall Theme:
�Historical Reference:
Military Tn"bute:
Great Subject:
Gnmt Subject (S):
Historical Issue:
Policy Issue:
VISWil Reinforcer 1:
VISWil Reinforcer 2:
7.
I
·'
Sunrise service and wreath layirig on U.S.S. George Washington
and the Merchant Marine
Poli Issue:
VISWil Reinforcer 1:
VIS1ial Reinforcer 2:
8.
Pointe du Hoc remarks to Ranger Veterans
Overall Theme:
Historical Reference:
MilitaJy Tn"bute:
Great Subject:
Gnmt Subject (S):
Historical Issue:
Policy Issue:
VISWll Reinforcer 1:
(IDEA) After bis remarks, the President greets Ken
Bargmann, bis son Micbaet and grandson Brendan to
view the spot where Ken scaled the cli1fs. ·
VJ.SUal Reinforcer 2:
9.
Utah Beach remarks to veterans
Overall Theme:
Historical Reference:
Militaly Tn"bute:
Great Subject:
Grunt Subiect (S):
Historical Issue:
Policy Issue:
(IDEAl Utah Beach
�'
[IDEA) After the formal ceremony in which President
. Clinton greets President Mitterand has concluded, and
the French president has left, Clinton invites any
veteran of Utah beach to join him on the bluff
overlooking the water for a moment or silence and a
few minutes ofDrlvate reflection and conversation.
Visual Reinforcer 1:
VJ.SUal Reinforcer 2:
I 0.
Colleville Cemetery remarks to veterans
Overall Theme:
(IDEAl "We are the children'ofyour sacrifice... "
Historical Reference:
Military Tn"bute:
Great Subject:
Grunt Subject (S):
Historical Issue::
Policy Issue:
VJ.SUal Reinforcer 1:
(IDEA] Omaha Beach
the President escorts
a decorated veterand panilyzed since D-Day, down
honor cordon from helicopter landing zone to speech .
site.
(IDEA] The President, escorted by
a
decorated Amly veteran and his grandson, and
a decorated Navy veteran, and his
grandson, from the overlook position down the Path to
the sands of Omaha Beach. En route, the President
hears eyewitness accounts or the action at "Bloody
Omaha." He, and everyone who hears the
conversation, will never be able to forget the valor.
After a final tn"bute and taps, the President leaves his
party and ..a.
for Paris.
(IDEA] Upon arrival,
Visual Reinforcer 2:
11.
French National Assembly speech
Overall Theme:
'
Historical Reference:
Military Tn"bute:
Great Subject:
Grunt' Subject (S):
Historical Issue:
Policy Issue:
VJ.SUal Reinforcer 1:
VJ.SUal Reinforcer 2:
12.
Oxford Event
I
�•
V1SU81 Reinforcer 2:
�. . _ Radio Address to the Nation on the Trip to Europe
W . june 2.
Ma11 31 I Admlnutrr~tlon of Ronald Reagan, 1984
Proclamation 5206-D-day National Remembrance
Mag 31, 1984
B11 tlw Pruldent of the United Statu
of'A~
A Pmclamatlon
lowed, from the hedgerows to the Ardennes, hold o place of highest honor in the
· tradition of the United States Armed
Forces. The brave, often heroic deeds of
our fellow· Americans and others In the
Allied Armed Forces set In motion the liberation of Europe and brought unity and
pride to all free people.
Welded by the experiences of war, the
old world and the new formed an enduring
alliance which shared the rebuilding of
Europe and forged a shield that has kept
the peace in Europe for almost forty years.
A comnion dedication to remain strong can
continue that peace which these brave men
and women fought so hard to secure.
In recognition of the fortieth anniversary
of this historic event, the Congress, by H.J.
Res. 487, has designated June 6, 1984, as
"0-day National Remembrance" and has
authoriZed and requested the President to
issue a proclamation· in observance of that
day.
Now, Thetq"ore. I. Ronald ReoRoll, President of the United States "f ,\merica, do
hereby proclaim June 6, 1911-1. as IJ-day National Remembrance, a national day commemorating the fortieth anni,·ersory of f).
day. I call upon the people of the United
States to commemorate the ,-alor of those
who served in the D-day assualt forces with
appropriate ceremonies and observances.
/11 Wftne.r.r Whereof. I have hereunto set
my hand this 31st day of May, in the year of
our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-four.
and of the lndepend<•nce. of the United
Stoles of America the two hundred and
eighth.
On Tuesday, June 6, 1944, General
Dwight D. Elsenhower.made a dramatic anIIOUDCement from London:
''People of ·Western Europe: A landing
wu made this momlng on the coast of
Franee by troops of the AUied Expeditionary Foree.... The hour of your libention
Is approaching."
·
Operation Overlord, the invasion of
Adolph Hitler's "Fortress Europe" forty
yean ago, thrust approximately 130,000
American and Allied troops under General
Eisenhower's command onto beaches now
known to history as. Utah, Omaha. Gold,
Juno, and Sword along the coast of Normimdy, Fnnc:e. Another 23,000 British and
American airborne forces were parachuted
or talcen by glider to secure critical Inland
areas. Some 11,000 sorties were Rown by
allied aircraft, and innumerable sabotage
operations were carried out by Resistance
forces behind the lines.
On that day and in the ensuing weeks,
the soldiers, sailors, and airmen of the assault forces, and the men and women who
supported the landing, displayed great skill,
unwavering tenacity, and courage. The
Americans who landed at Omaha Beachwhere sharp bluffs, strong defenses, and the
presence of a powerful German division
produced enormous difficulties-wrote an
especially brave and noble chapter in the
military history of the United States.
Opposed by bitter enemy resistance, the
landing forces gained the beaches at great
sacrifice, pushed inland, and expanded their
RONAI.I> RF.AGAN
beachheads. Feats of leadership and coiuage by Individuals and small groups turned (Filed with the _Offire of tl1r F•·drral Rt'K'-'·
the tide. The great battles of 1944 that fol- ter. -1:35 tim .. Mav 31. 19841
1984
~h· fellow Am<•rican<:
Top o' the mornin' to you. I'm speaking
from a small town named Cong iu western
Ireland. first stop on a 10-day trip that will
-also take :'IIane)· and me to Frane!' and t-:ngland.
We're in an area or spectacular bcaul)·
overlooking a large lake filled with islands,
ba•·s. and coves. And those of \'Oil who, like
me. can claim the good foriune of Irish
roots, may appreciate the tug I felt in Ill)'
heart )'esterday when we saw the Emerald
Isle from Air Force One. I thought of \\:ords
from it poem about Ireland:
A place as kind as it is green.
The greenest place 1\•e e\·ery S<•t•n.
I told our welcoming hosts that to stand
with them on the soil nf my alll'l'ston was.
for this great-grandson of Ireland, a wry
special moment. It was a moment of jny.
Earlier today we were in Galway, a coastal city cell"brating. its SOOth anni,·ersary.
Legend has it Columbus prayed at a church
there on his way to the New World. For a
thousand years, Ireland was considered the
western <.-dge of civilization and a place that
continued to revere learning during a time
of darkness on the continent of Europe.
That re\'erence earned Ireland its reputation as the Island of Saints and Scholars. I
was pleased to address representath·es of
University College in Galway to speak to
them of Ireland's many contributions to
America and to gi\'e thanks for those great,
great forces of faith and Jo,·e for liberty and
justice that bind our people.
The president of that institution. Dr.
cousins l'rt•ate job5 and greater opportuni·
ties. :\nd. of course, what ht•ll>< thl'm will
ht•lp us, too.
Tomorrow. :"IIane\· and I will tra\'l'lto Hallnmrl'en lior a nosialgic \'isit to the original
home of th<• R<•agan •·lan. ·On ~Iunday. we 'II
be in Dublin, where I'll ha\'l' the honor of
addressing a joint session of tho· Irish Parliament, as John Kennl'dy did lwri? 21 years
ago.
When we leovl' Ireland, wl''ll be participating in two_ events that mar~ :\m••rica's
de~ennination to hl'lp build a safer, more
prosj>crous world.
On June 6th. I'll join fornwr l•.s..-\rmy
Rangers at the historic balltefidd of Pointe
du lloc and. later. l'n•sidt'nt ~lilll'rrand and
other American Vl'lerans at Omaha llo·ach
and Utah Beach on the :'l:ormand,; co:"l of
France. Together \\'l•'ll conuncm-;,rah• the
40th anni\'<'rsarv of D-dav, tht• grl'at :\Jlied
im·asion that s<•t EuroJi<• mr tht> coursl'
to\,·ard libt•rty, dt•mo•·racy. and lll':ll'e.
That l(rt•at haul .. ;md tht• \\ar it lwl,>t·d
i!J.'l
,\dministralitm of Rmoald Rrt~l{nn. I '1\-/
brinQt to an end mark the beginning of
nearly 40 -~·ears of peace in Europe-a
pea<·e pres.-n·ed not by good will alone, but
by the strength -~d moral coura~~:e of th•·
NATO alliance. On June 6th I will reaffirm
America's faithful commitment to :"II:\TO. If
NATO remains strong and unifit.-d. Europ<·
and :\mcric;o will remain fr••e. If NATO can
continue to deter war.- Europe and America
con continur to enjoy peace--10 morr
yl"ars of pcact•.
And let m•• make one thing \'cry plain: .-\
strong NATO is no threat to the So\'i<•t
Union. NATO is the world's greatest pence
mo\'o•ment. II never threatens; it defends.
And we will l'ontinuc · tr)·ing to prurnole &I
782
O'hEncha. also ..Jmirt•tl a gruup callt•d the
:'ole\\' lrt·iand 1-'orum, \\'hido has sought to
foster a spirit of tolerance and reconciliation
in :'-<nrthern Ireland. so th•• spiral of \'iolence I hat has t•ast so mam· innoc<'nt li\'es
then•_..,, cost ~n niarn·. I slinuld s:n·. can be
finall)·o·mll'd.
.
.
Ireland is a beautiful. proud, ;nul incl.,.
pcndt•nl land with ;o younl( and talented
populatinn. But~the~· ha,·e an employment
problem. By the strength of our econon'ty,
and by th(• presence of sonw .1110 U.S. firms
ht•re. :\mericans can and will help our Irish
beth•r dialog with the So••iet Union. The
So\'it•ts could gain much by helping us
mah• the world safer. particularh· through
arms reductinns. That would free them to
de,·nte mort• rt•sources to their people and
ecorunny.
Growth and prosperity will occupy our
· attention whl'n we return to London for
the annual t•t•onomic summit of the major
industrialized rountries. And we'll be mark·
1
Jurll' ;
ing another irnportant anni\·ersar~·: ~0 ~·t•ars
ago, America's lr;oders had tho· ,-ision lo
enact legislation known as tlw ileciprot'al
Tradt> Agr<·ements .-\cl uf 193-1 II ht'lpPd
bring an end to a ll•rriblt• era nl prntcetion·
ism that nrarl)· dl'slro~·t'd rho· worlol'•.
econmnics.
~
Wt•'ll talk about huw _1,..,, to u;:rml;rin lht·
recent prol!rt•ss that ha> lifh•d hnp•·• for :1
worldwidt~
perit~·- rou
n•t·o,·'t·rr fnr uur l'mnmnn pro\·
(';Ill 1... prmul that lht• •trength
of tht• United Stall'S ••cnnmm· ha• lt•d th ..
wa\·. I IK'IiP\'t' contirnu•d proJ!re~~ lit·~ wilh
rre~r l radt• and rnnn• UIJPil tilar"-('ts. Lt'"i"'
protc-ctionisrn will tlll'otll rnon· (Jrogn·s~.
· rnon• ~ron th. tnnn.• joh\. a bi~~tJ!l'r slil'f:' nf
the pit• ror t~\'L"ryont• .
.4.s we m<'l•t in :'\onnandv and J.ondnn.
Wl''ll have mud1 to ht• thankful fnr. much tn
be optimistic about. but still mud1 to tin.
Till m•xt \W<'k. thank~ fnr listi•nin~. and
God hlo•ss )'Oil.
:Vatf': 71le Prt•sidr•rot .<tmkr· 111 .5:06 I'· m. frrom
AsiJf,.rd CoMie ill c;,iK. li•urll!l .llay... /rr··
lo11d.
�Adminillmlitm of Ronald ReaRall. 19H4 I }utle .;
Text of Remarks to the French People on the 40th Anniversary of
the Normandy Invasion, D-day
June 5, 1984
among these, in the words of the American
Declaration, are "Life, Liberty and the pur·
the scene ·of that momentous landing 40 stilt of Happiness." It is this shared commitment
to human freedom that has formed
yean ago. Thls week hundreds are, like
myself, pests In your country as we Join in the bedrock on which our fast friendship
remembering that day. On behalf of all has been built. And It wns in the name nf
Americans, I thank you for your gracious this human freedom that so manv bru\'e
men risked their li\'es on the beaches of
hospitality.
Franeo-American friendship has a long Normandy 40 years ago.
Those courageous men, living and dead,
and proud past. Indeed, one of the great
heroes of American history Is a Frenchman. gave u~ a priceless legac~· of peace and
Many towns, streets, and squares-even a prosperity in Europe-a legacy that has encollege-In America bear his nome. A beau- dured now for two generations. To presen·e
tiful park that I look out upon each day- that legacy of pence, those of us who cherdirectly across the street from the White ish liberty must continue to labor togelht•r.
Your countr)' and mine belong to an alii·
House In Washington-Is named in honor of
him. He was the Marquis de Lafayette, and ance committed to democracy, individu:1l
liberty,
and the rule of law. Of course,
he seryed with George Washington as a
general in the American Revolutionary membership in the alliance imposes its burArmy. Yet despite the importance of Lafay- dens. To demonstrate the American comette's military skill, he took a step as a legis- mitment to this continent. thousands of
lator that had perhaps even greater signlfi· American troops are stationed here · in
cance for the two ·centuries of friendship Europe, far from their homes and families.
and alliance between your country and France, the United States, and all the alliance nations, must spend more on defense
mine.
·
On July lith, 1789, us a Deputy in the than any of us like to do in peacetime. But
French National Assembly, Lafayette intro- the burdens we bear in defending our fret··
duced a bill caUing for the passage of a dom are far less than thr horrors we would
Declaration of the Rights of Man. Formally ha\•e to endure if we lost that freedom.'
I belie\'e that the best wa\' we can honor
adopted by the assembly 6 weeks later, the
Declaration appeared us the Preamble to those who gave so much 40 'years ago, is by
the French Constitution of 1791. This Dec- rededicating oursel\'es today to the cause
laration of the Rights of Man embodied the for which the)' fought: freedom-freedom
same fundamental beliefs about human lib- for ourselves, freedom for our children, ami
erty as th~ expressed in the American freedom for generations ret unborn.
Thank ~·ou, and God blt•ss ~·ou.
Declaration of Independence and Bill of
Rights. Together, those French and American documents proclaim that all men arc .Volt': The reuwrks u·t•re brotulnut ""
endowed with equal and sacred rights, that Fre11clr televisi<m 'tFR-JJ.
Th!J year, thousands of Americans are rc·
turning to the Normandy shores to revisit
Admi11ist.-111inn of Rormld Real{all. 1984 1 jwre fi
Just recently in Washington, I met with · we are spirits, not animals. and that then• is
16 Foreign Ministers that make up the alli- soml'lhing going on in time and sp:1ce ancl
ance. And I couldn't help but think. as we bl'pllld timl' :md sp:n'l' which. wlu•th<•r "'''
sat around the table, there has nC\'Cf in likt• ,.,. not, spells <luty."
history been such an alliance, dedicated to
W•·ll, I thank all nf ~-ou \'l'rr much. an<l I
the preservation of pence and freedom.
feel greath· honon•d. God bless all nf ~·n11.
With wisdom and conrage, peace and
freedom will not be lost again. They can .Volt•: The l'resitlt·llt .rpokt• <II II :JJ "· m. <II
and will be preserved. We can live up to IVinjit-ld 1/mrse, u·ht'fe lw ·,.,., rdth a R"'"l'
Winston Churchill's vision of freedom in of 25 Consen·atit·t• Memlrl'T.< of l'arliamt•rJt.
1941. He looked at the past and saw light wlw prese11ted /rim tdth a letter Jemollwhich nickered; he looked at his time and stratin~ tlleir suptrort for the U.S. mmrnitsaw light which Darned; but he looked at ment to the .V,I TO alliance.
the future and saw "a light which shines
Pet1.·r \'i~tuer., i.f tiJe Coruera·atin! rarty
over all the land and sea." Ue had another .fptJiwrrnan for deji•11.re ojfair.<.
statement. lie said that "When great forces
As trrinted obon•. tlris itt·m firllma the
are on the mo\'e in the world, we learn that text of the White /louse prr·u release.
Remarks at a Ceremony Commemorating the 40th Anniversarv of
the Normandy Invasion, D-day
·
·
june 6, 1984
We're ·here to mark that do~- in history
when the Allied armies joined in battle to
· reclaim this continent to Iibert)·. For 4 long
years, much of Europe had been under a
terrible shadow. Free nations had fallen,
Jews cried out in· the camps, millions cried
out for liberation. Europe was enslaved, and
the world prayed for its rescue. Here in
Normandy the rescue began. Here the
Allies stood and fought against tyranny in a
giant undertaking unparallt·led in human
histor~··
We stand on a lonely, windswPpt point on
the northern shore of France.·· The air· is
. soft, but 40 years ago at this moment, the
air was dense with smoke and the cries of
men, and the air was filled with the crack
of riDe fire and the roar nl cannon. At
dawn, on the morning of the 6th of June.
1944, 225 Rangers jumped nt'f the British
landing craft and ran to the bottom of these
cliffs. Their mission was ont• of the most
difficull and daring of the irl\'asion: to climb
these 'heer and desolate clifrs and take out
the en•·m~· guns. The Allies had been told
that some of the mightiest nf these guns
were lwrc and the\' would bt• trained on
the bem·hl'S to s!op ihe Allied ad\·ance.
The Rangers lookl'd up and saw tht•
enemy soldiers-the edge of thl' cliffs <hoc>l·
ing down at them with machin<"gum and
throwinl! grenades. .-\nd tht• .-\ml'rican
Rangers began to climb. Tht·~- shot rope
ladders o•·er the face of thc<e cliffs and
began lo pull thcmseh·es up. When one
Ranger fell, another would take his plact•.
When one rope was cut. a Ranger would
grab another and begin his climb again.
They •·limbed. shot back. and held their
footinj!. Soon. one In· om·. lh<' R:ml!en
pulled lhem<elves m·..; the lnp, and in s~·iz
ing the· firm land at tht• lop nf thest• cliffs.
they bt·l(an. to S<"ize hack tlu· conlinc·nt of
Europt•. Two hundrt•d ;nul h\'l'nt,·-fin·
came lu•re . .-\fiN 2 da,·s of fi~hlinj!. on I~-' !Ill
could <lill'be:u arms.
Bt•hind me is a rnt-mori:tl that s\·mhnlizt·s
the Rall'ff"r daggers that \\ •·••· tilfusl into
the lop of .the«• cliff>. And l•o·fnn•
rnc•
arc•
the nu•n who put tlwm th•·n·
Thcs<• ar(' lht• bon of I'· ·onlt• du llol'.
These arc tht• men. who I ·nk th<' cliffs.
n ...... '"" the t•hampinns \\ h· lll'lpt•d ....... a
conlin<•o.l. The<t• are tlw ht•r•· ., who lwlpt•d
t'nd a'' tr.
Gc•nJf,·mcn, I look at ~·nu ''"I I lhink of
'117
�•
/untJ 6 I Adminutrotinn of Ronold R"'"an. /984
the word! of Stephen Spender's poem. \'im
are men who in your ''lives fouf!:;ht for life
. . . and left the •·ivid air signed with )·our
honor.''
I think I know what you may bt' thinking
right now-thinking "we \vert' jusl pari of a
bigger effort: ever)·one was brave that da•·· ..
Well. everyone was. Do )'OU rl'mr.mbcr lht'
story of Bill Millin of the 51st Jlighlandl'fs?
Forty years ago today, Drilish troops ,.....e
pinned down near a bridge, wailing despt•r."
alely for help .. Sudden!)", they heard thr
sound of bagpipes, and some thought lin•)·
were dreaming. Well. thev \Yt'ft'O'I. n ...,.
looked up and saw Bill ~liilin with his IM~·
pipes, leading the reinforcements and ig·
noring lht' smack of lht' bull<•ls into lht'
ground around him.
Lord Loval was wilh him-Lord Lo•·"l of
Scolland, who calmlv annoUDC'lod wh('n ht.•
got lo the bridge, "sOrry I'm a f<•w minult•s
laic ... as if he'd bct'n dl'la•·ed bv a lrallic
jam, when in truth he'd jusi com~ from lh<'
blood)· fiRhling on Sword 8l'ach. whil-h h••
and his men had just taken:
Th""' was the impossible •·alor of the
Poles who thre"· lhemsel•·es bclwl'en lht•
ent'm)· and lht' rt'sl of F.utope as the inn•·
sion look hold. and lht' unsurpas...•d <'Oura~:t·
of th.. Canadians whO had alrt'ad\· SCt'n lht•
horrors of war on this ·.C'03St. liu~,. lcm·w
what awaited lh<'in lhert', but th.. \· would
not bc det .. rred. And one<' lh<')' hit Juno
Beach. thl'y ne•·er looked hack.
All of these men \\'Pre pari of a rollcall of
honor \\ilh names that spok<' of a pridt• as
bright as the colors lh<')' bon•, the RO\·al
Winnip<'f! Hint's. Poland's 24th l~mct'rs, lht•
Ro,·al Scots fo'usilil"rs. the Screaming EaJ(It·-..
the \'~men of F.ngland's armorf"d di~·isinns.
the forces of Frrr France, the Coast
Guard's "~falchbox f1t"ef' and '·ou. tht•
.\m("rican Rang~rs.
Fort~· surnm('rs ha\·(' pas~d ~incl" tlu~
ballll' that )'Oll fmtllhl hcrt'. You •n•n•
youn·ll lht' da)· you look lht'Sl'. cliff-= sornr nf
~-ou wrrl" hardly trion~ than ho~·~. with rh..
dec-pt·~l ju~·~ nf life- l>t•fon' you. Yl"t. ~ ou
risked ,.,·~n·thin~ ht•rP. \\'In·? \VII\' did ,-uu
do it? \\'hai imp€'11t'<l you in put ·a!iidt• .tlw
inslint't for ~~>t•lf·pr€'st·n·alion and risk ,·nur
lh-es In lakt' thl'S<' cliffs? What impin•il "II
thf" mt•n of tlw armit•s that met tu.•n•:-' \\·,.
look ;It ~·ou. and somrhow \\'(' know tlu·
RIR
unswt"r. It wos (oith and belie(; it was )u,·alh·und lun•.
·.
. The nu•n or ~onmmdv had fuilh that
what tlu·r were doin~ wuS right. (aith that
they fou~:ht for :til lnun:mit)·, faith lh:tl a
jusl God would gran! lh<'m mercy on this
bcachhead or on the nl'XI. It wa.• the d('('p
knowled~~:c-and pray God w.. ha•·e nol lost
it-lhal there is a profound. moral differ·
ence bctween the use of for"" for liberation
and the '"" of force for conquest. You wt're
hl're to libcrole, not to conqul'r, and so you
and those others did nol doubt mur cause.
And you were right nol lo doubt:
You all knl'W that some things are worth
d~·inR: for. One's country is worth dying for.
ami dcmocrac)· is worth d)·ing (or. lx-rause
it\ the most dt•t•ph· hunurablt• form of ~uv
l"rnm~nt t~\"('f dt•\·is('d IJ\' man .. All or \"OU
lnn·d libt•rt)·. :\II of ~-o;l wt•n• willing. lo
fiJ!ht t~·rann)·. and ~·ou knew th€' JK"n()lt• of
\·our countries \\'ere behind \'OU.
. The .-\m~ricans who fm~J(ht here that
morning kne"· word of the in,·asion was
•prt•ading through lhP <~trkncss hack home.
Th•·•· fought-or f..Jt in th<'ir hmrts, though
lh•·•· eouldn'l know in farl. lhal in Grorj!ia
lh•·•· Wl'rt' filling thr chnrehl'S at 4 a.m., in
K:tnsas lhr)· werP knet'ling on th<'ir porches
and pra)·ine. :tnd in PhiladPiphiot the)• were
rincmp: lhr l.tlX'rh· llcll.
s.. mt'lhilll! dse hl'lpt'lllhl' IIWII of D-da\"'
lh•·or rOl'kh:trd bt'Ji..f that Prm uh•nce wouid
ha' ,. a R:rcat hand in the c\·,~nts that would
uni,J<I h('r<': lhat God was :111 all•· in lhis
f!rrotl cause..-\nd "'· lht• nil(hl lwfort' lh<'
in,·a .. mn. "·hrn Culunrl \\"uh·t·rton adeM his
paradtulr trOOf)~~> lo knc.•t•l with him in
pra~ •·r h(" tnld lht•m: l>u not buw your
hrad'li. but I•MJk up so ~·nu con set" ( ;ud and
a\&. lli'i hle~'iinc in whal wr'rt• abuul lo do.
.\lso that ni~ht. General \latthew ltidgway
un hi"' cot. lhll"ninJ( in tlu· clo~rlnll'''i. for thepromi~€' God madC' to Jmlma: "I wtll not (ail
th€',~ nor (onatlot• tht•t•. ··
Tlu-"r art' lfu~ thin2~ lh.tl imJM'II•·cl lh("rn;
tht•~~>•' otre tht• thiiU!'i. thai .. hap(•d lhr unit~·
of lht• .\llit•s
\\'lu·n tht• war \\as ..,.,.,. lhPn· '' ••n• li\"rS
ln h(• rt•buill and ~nn•nmlt•nts In bt' rt•·
turnt•d to tht• pt•ur)lt•. ThPn' \\"c•rc• n:ttiou~ to
ht• u·hnrn. .\hun• all. IIU'rt' wa' a nl"W
J>t'iiC.'t• to l>c· "'"llrt•tl. _Tht•w Wt•n• lntRr ami
Admintttmllon ofRontJ/d RMR_OII. /9/U I Jrmr,;
daunting tasks. But the :\llics summon,.J face of the i•:Urlh lh<' ll'rribll' wt•apons lh:tl
strength from the faith, belief, loyall)', otnd man now has in his hands. And I tell ,·ou.
low of thOse who fell here. Tht•y rebuilt a we are re:nh· to st•ize that bC:•achhead.- \\.....
loolc for son;e sign rrom the So\ict l~nion
new F.urope together.
"There was lint a great n"<.-onciliation thai they an• willin~e to mo•·•· forward, lh;ll
anmng those whO had been t•m·mit'<, all uf ·the}' shan• uur clt~sirc aitd lun~ (or pt•act ·.
whom had suffered so greatl•·· Tite Unilt•d and that tin·~· will f(i\·e up tht• ways of cnnStales did ,its pari, creating I he Marshall qucsl. Th€'re must he a changiit~ ther~ lhal
plan to help rebuild our allies and our will allow us lo turn our hope inlo action.
former enemies. The Marshall plan ll'd lo
We will pra)· fore•·er lhal soml' da)· lh.tl
the Atlantic alliance-a greal alliance that changing will conu~. Out for now. particularserves to this day as our shield for freedom, ly IOOB)', il is good and lilting lo rene•v our
for prosperity, and for peace.
conunitmt-nt to.each other. to our freedom
In spite of our grral efforts and succt'Ss<'s, and to lhl' alliance lhal prolt'cls il.
not all that followed the end of the war was
Wt' are bound ID<Ia•· h•· what bound us -tn
happy or planned. Some libcral<'li countries years ago, the same l~yahit•s. traditions. and
were losl. The grPal sadne., of this loss belit•fs. W<•r.. bound b•· rt'alih·. Tho·
eehoes down to our own lim<' in the sln'<'IS Strength or .\rneril"ol's allit·~ is \·ilai to th·
of Warsaw. Prague, and t-:ast ll<>rlin. So•·iel , United Stah·s. and the .-\m€'rit'an ~t·curu ·.
troops thai came to the cenlrr uf this conli· . guaranlc€.' is essential to tht• conhum·d fn·t··
nc:ont did not lea\·e when pc•ace carne. dotn of Europe's democracies. \\"p wt•r ..
They're still there. uninvited. unwant<'ll. with you lhl"n: we urt- with you nnw. \'our
••nyielding. almost 40 years allcr the war. hoJX'S an• o_iu hopt's. and ~our dt• .. !in~ is our
•'"cause of this, allied forces slill stand on desrin)'.
.
. his continent. Toda:v. as 40 y<·ars ago. ·our
llere. in this place whPre lht• •~'<'sl hl'ltl
:trmies are here for only one purpose-to tog<"ther. lt•t w make a ,-ow to our dt"~ul.
protect and defend democrac•·. The ·only Let us show lhrm bv our action' that '"'
lt•rritoriM we hold nre memorials like lhis und<•rstand whal lht·~· tlit•d for. l.t•l •mr .....
, •ne and gravr)·ards whl're our hl'roes n••l. lions sa,· to tht•m tht~ words (or "hit-h \I.Jt·
We in America have learnrd biller les· thew Ridf!Wa)· lislt•nt•tt "I \\·ill nul fail lht·•·
\Oos from two World Wars: II i> bcller lo bc nor forsakt• lhl'<' ...
here read)· to protect the p<•:tce, than lo
Str("ngthent'"d b~· their courag~. he<~rh·•~t·d
lake blind sheller. across the St':t. rushing lo
respond only after frl'edom i> losl. w•.-,... hv tht•ir n•lut• I \·alnr ). and borm• hy llh'tr
lt"arnE"d that isolationism nen•r was ;.md niemon·. lt•l u~ t·untinut~ lo stand for tht·
never "ill be an acceptable rt'"f)()OH' to ly- ideals for which lh•·•· lin•tl a1id dit·d. ·
Thank ~·,m n•rv t~nt('h. ~nd Gt•tl hit•~~>\ \ · m
rannicul J!:O\'f"rnments with an l'~pansiuui~t
all.
intent.
But n-t• tn· alwa\·s to be.~ J'rC'pared for
Nott-: Tlu• l'rrsidt·r•t fJX•ke ~~ /:_..0 p.m •It
peace: ; •repa"red IQ · deter a}l~u·ssion; pn•pared I negoti;~tr thl" rt"ductmn or :.trmoc;; the Silt" of tht• l'.S Rmult'r .\lrHUIIIIt'IJI oil
Pointe
du 1/ac FrtiiU't', rdrt'rt· ,,.,,.,u,, .. ,
and.~··· prepan·d to rt""ach out .again in thespirit ot rroconciliation. In truth. there i!i no the j\'orrnamly 111nnirm had ,,.,•. ,M,•d I •r
reconn :ation we would \u•kome mor€' the
Follou·illt.!. hi.f n•nuu£·s. thr /'rntdt•tU ,,,,.
than a ···Conciliation with thl"' ~nviet Union.
so, to~· 1her. we can lt'Ssen tht' risks of war, t"''ilnl mt.•morral 11/aqut'.f to t'••• _,,/ ami ith
RatJI(t'r Battnlio,.t. 71u·n. t'.ft'ortnl ''!I i'lu/
now ;m.l frirl"\'l"r.
It's t·lting to remember h•·••• thl" gn·at Rin·r.t. UIIH'rl'lft•flfll'nl •:{ tlw \"t~r~twndu
(osSe!i .d ..o surrt•n•cf h~· the flu,,tan pc~os•le Anu·rrnur (.i·mt'lt.•nt. till' l'rt·wlnrttJIIII \In
durinc \\'orld \\'ar II: 20 millinu p('rislu·cl. a RPfiKtW Jlmrl'nln{to lht• ,.,,.,.,,,·~I" tlw ,;,.
terrible· pric€' that teslifit•s tn .111 the wurld ."Wrl·uttrm l11wla·r. ( ), lnll"llll! tl11· lmnl..n.
the nc.·•·c.·~~itv or t•ndinR wnr. I ,,.IJ ~:ou from ,,.,. l'rrud,•nt 111111 ·"" llnl£!tiiJ ._:.-,·d,·d r .,, i;
.
mv ht•art that wt~ in thr l'mlo-d Shah•\ do tl{tlu· u•tt"rmu
tJtlu·r :1/lrnl ,.,,,,,,., • ,,.,,,.,,.,,,,.,J •II !'••
nOt \\"otill war. \\'f' want In "tpt• from tht•
I
tYrt'111'"' '·
......
•
�jun116 I Administration of Ronald Rml(an. 1984
arwmonr1 br1 their hmds of stotr a11d
1/0V-
ernment u:t!rr: (Jut!t!n E/i::al>et/1 II of the
United Kingdom. Quan &otriz "I 111e
Nether/ond1. King 0/m· I' rif .\im•·ay. Ki11g
Adminillration of Ro~tald Rm~tan. 1984 I june 6
Boudt~uill I tJ/ Be/gi1un. c:rnml Ouk~ jea11
of LuxembmJTil. and /'rime Ali11i.ster Pierre
Elliott Trudmu tif Co11ntlo.
Interview With Walter Cronkite of CBS News in Normandy, France
fune6. 1984
.Vr. Crrmkil~. Mr. Pnosidcnl. it\ (JUilr a
day out h••re. We're ohsen·inll lht• la•·t that
~merican soldien
cun do the impossible as
represented here al Pointe du line when
.tlr. C:rt~uldte. 'fuu know. now wt•'rc! in
lfu• nul'lt•ar age, und aJ tf!rl-ihle us this war .
was. iJ it possible in a nudt•ar age that we
would ha\'l" another war that could be restricted to anything us horrihl.- us lllis e\'en?
Tire r,..·sidrrrt. Wolter. I han <aid. and
\\'ill continue lo say. u nuciC"ur w~r cannot
the)•'re commandM to, but. on the other
hand. at a trrrlble rosl. Isn't It?
71•e P"1idrrrt. r,•s. As I said in "''. n•rnarks, 225 of thrm camr up thoSI' ~liffs.
and 2 da~·s later. thrre \\'<•re unh !Ill of "" \\'011. It must n('Wr "'' rought ..\nd this is
wh~· th<' Rnal must .,,,. In rid th•• •mrld nnl.'<'
them able to In~<' part in combat. ·
and for all of thus" W<'af'IIIJS.
,tfr. Crtmkitr. Mr. Prrsident. you know.
.1/r. Crtmkite. l'ou don't think W<' could
this war-World Wnr II, that is-was called
a popular war, ns oppol<'d to Ihe act ions light a strat.,gic war like this without im·oking
nuclt•ar \\'t•apons!l
.
wr\·e had reccntl~·-\'il'lnam. '-••hannn.
r,....ridrnt. W<'ll. this n·e don't know.
Grrnada, I SIIPI""'<'. What ar<' 1h,• condi·
lions It tak<'S to ha,·e o popular war, for llut if' il wns e\·er to n•sort til tho<e \\'<'apons-w<' did. in World W:1r II, W<' •a\\· the
hea\·en sak•·s~
Thr Prt'lidrrrt. \\'••11. I doubt that all\· n·:~r poWN or d.,terren~··· All the nations had
can be-if "'" reall~- describt' it. can
pop- C'h(l'micaJ \\';,trfDf(l', had gas. llut it \\'ali Ot"\'(l'f
77,,
lw
.-\ud l\·t• ah,·u~·!li n•mt•mbt•rl'cl Ill\ first a~·
siJ(nmf'nt as a rt•st•n·t• nffict•r ~- •• llt•cl lo
acli\"(• dut~· w:as at thl' )Jtnl or t•rnb;ukaliun
in San l0 rnncist'O..\nd it ,,... ~ a joh ..... liai~un
offfto('r lomlinl( thl' t·unnn·s for nul in lht•
used. be-cause l'\'C"rrone h11d it. ~la,-he thC"
S&lllll' thinR: would appl~· in-with r~Jfard to
nuC"I('ar wur. Uut wh~· takr tfmt t"hanct•? If
t•\·<"r~·hoc-1~· i" ha,·inR: thl"' wt•aJHlns ••~ a •lc•trrn•nt to ltw oth..-r. tlu·n ll·f~ du 01\\:t\' with
tht" clt•h•rrc•nts.
·
.\lr. Croukilr. Do )'OU-~ uu had ~emu· rt•·
m;~rks llfl'Jmrt•d. I dnn't think ~·ou ~ot a
l'houwt• In dl•li\·c•r tlwm m a lun·~tmrtc-m•cl
spt•t•('h in ln•land in u·hirh ,-uu .~aid ~th:tl
yuu \H'rt' optimistic· that Jk•rllaps \\'l' c-ould
Kt•t nudt"ar limitatiun talks fitUinlit: a5!am with
lhe Smil•ls. \\'hat l!i,·c·s ~~~~~- c·aust•.l"nr 1h:1t
Pacifie..\nd slandinl! at· lh•·· ftKII nf th••
npti1ni~m~
rufl
I thinL richt now tlw Su\·it•l l'niun i'-"dl.
tllt>rt• \\';.Is om <trtid(• in Tht• Et·nnomi't that
... urt ul •ft•,t·riiH"fl it Tht>\··n· hilwrnal1111!
\\·t•n· m ns1•d to thinlcinll: th:tl llu·\'·rt·
oafW:I\·,_; ill lfll' mitJ,f HI \UIIlt' L.ind u( ti1'\;1Jtl'
plan.· I ;u ... t don't thinl. tht>,. h.. , •• illl\ an'iWt•rs ril!ht now. ouul th.-,-·~, ....uri ul hun·
L-t·u·d tlm\11 lr~·in~ tu tlt·t·uit·.
ular. ~o one wants it. Out h~rt" was a ea:w
in which the issues u( right and \\"fORI( Wt·r~
so clearl)· drflnt"d and dCiinf"at('cl h('IOu• ,~(.
e\•en got into the war..\nd then '' r didn't
chOOSE" to pull thr triJtR<"r: thl' hi~IZ"' was
pulled at us ..\nd \\'<" Wt'r<" in •• w;u "'" ut a
Sunda)· morning. l)l•crmhrr ith: in lht• Jlol·
cilie:
ganJ(plnnk nnl" da~: ••s tht•y--c:umuu:: alunl!
pul•k and l!t'Olr otllcJ {'\"l'r\'lhill)!. rt'iUh· fU
go up lhl" ~anJ(plank-ancl. onr nt tlu·;ntht•rt.• \\"US <1 pau~·. •• hilc.·h in th•· luw-uustandinR thrn•. just •• ,-nuru!~lc·r. :\ud I '••icl.
''flow du \'011 fc•t·l~" .
"\\"('1),''. fw 'iaicl. ""I clun't want to l!O .. 11 1•
said. "~onr nf us \\·omt In &rn." llul h•• ....tid.
.. \\'c• all Lnn\\. lht• 'ihurh-... 1 "·" hmut• .,
through
Tok~·u...
·
Tlu·
p,._,,-,,,.,,_
I
ju~t
.tlr C:nt~~AIIr. l>u \n•
think nmunun 't·nst·.
h11\t•
a phm~
Tht> Prwsidrnt. What?
/lfr. CronAite. Do we ha,·r. a plan?
The Prrtlident. Yes, and the plan is to-w"
not dt•layrd rar om~· rc•asnn nf that kincl. I
ha\'t• some rcasun (or su)·ing that. IK"C'ausl'
my own war sc•n·icf" was spent in a unit that
ha\'<' maintained contact. We're ne~~:otiating
other things of mutual interest to the two
countries, making some rnogr~ on lhem.
But on those talks-my idea of the goal is if
was directly und<'r Air Corps lntdli~enco•.
and we had acce<S to all the inlt•lli~ence
Information about things, ewn indudinl(
this. And ther<' was an awful lot of war to
be fouRht.
we can once start down the road of achie,·-
lng reductions in the armaments, I jwt ha\'l•
to believe that we'll see the common sense
in continuing down the road and eliminatIng them.
·
Mr. Cronlcite. Have you had a chance
with your busy schedule on this tour to
catch up with the fact that the Soviets on
this anniversary, the 40th anniversary of Ddn. are making much of the fact that
they\·e cited btiror,_ fact, I mean, ·b:v
their token, of the fiction that we deliberate!~·- delayed this landing by 2 years in
ord<'r that the Germans would "'at up the
So\·il'IS by attrition, and that we cam<'
ashore virtually unopposed because of con·
ninnre with the Germans. Have you heard
that they're repeatin(llhat all over Europe?
The Prrsident. Oh. I know that. :\.s a
matter of fact, recent"·· our reremonv for
the funeral or the un.known soldier 'from
VIetnam,. they referred to that as "a militarislic orgy.·· I sometimes wonder-,\/r. Cronlcite. So r~f<'renee to Af(lhanislan. huh?
Thf» President. I wondrr sometimes. when
the\· talk about heated rhetoric corning
fro.:n me, doesn "I am·one listen to what
the~-· u• sa)·inR?- llut hOw an)·one could sa)·
that this was an almost unopposed Iandin~.
we know better..\nd the evidence is ri11ht
here; and the !liUf\'i\·or~. many of them. art"
ri11h1 here.
They had not won tlw .,·ar. and we had
.llr. Crrmlcit~. \'t.•s . .-\~a matter ur (;:1(.'1. \OU
know. 40.000 nirmrn ga,·l' th..-ir li\'C•s o·,·l'r
Europe. I coverC"d th(• :\ir Jo'orcC" as a C"Off(•·
spondent, and I think of that. Wh<'n you
talk about 10,111111 dvinl! here on D-d.,-.
40,0110 died in ord~r- to (let the Luftwaffe
out of the skies b.,rore D-day-The Prrsitlr11t. Yes.
,\fr. Crunlcite. --or this \\'OHitln't han•
been possible.
Lrt me ask ~·ou mu• more QU!'!Iition lx•forP
you hav<' to RO. Sp<'akin(l of wars and pnliti·
cal <·:unp:liiiD<, what'< your plan lur 1>-da'
11gainst Mundull•. llarl. or whol•n•r it h:'
Thr p,..._fidrni Jmt tell th1•m \\hal w,.·,.,.
done and what \\'C"·n· goins;t: to dn and prt•·
tend the~··re not lht•r<•. (l.amlllterl
.1/r. Crtmkit•·· \\'••11. \'OU rna,· haw lu
rlimh
II
hundr<•d-fnut cliff. bt;l I
I(III'<S
,-ou\·t• got nmr wc•apons-{ltiiiA:htt·rf--;~t
·
Tire Pn-sidt•nt. l:'t·."·
.\fr. Croul.:itl". Th<~nk ,·nu \'C"f\" rnud1. \lr
Pre~idrnt.
.
..
T~~~· p,,._,;tJ,.,.t \\'•·11. if\ aood '" 't•t• ~ou \
aRalfl.
.\lr. Cmnl.:itt• Th;mk ~nu
Youi reudr.
.\'ott•: Tltt: ;,,,.,.,-,.,,. bc•l!tlll at
Poillft• d11
llllf'.
,•\t tfu•
~:.)11
I'IIIJc/fiUolll
1' m at
Ill
tJif'
inten·ieu·. tlu.• l'rt•Jidt·rrl tllld .tin Rt'fl&!n"
dt'JJDrlt•d Pt•illlt• drt ,,.,. auc/ lmn•lt·d I·•
Omnlrn Bcvu·h
Remarks at a United States-France Ceremonv Commemorating thl'
40th Anniversary of the Normand)' ln\'asion,' D-da\'
·
fuue 6, /984
~fr. rr('Sidl"nl. distini(UishC'd ~IIC'SIS,
stand today at :1 plm·t• uf hatth·. nnt•_that
\\·r
-m
.mel J,·h lh1• \\111'1 ul \\at
\lc•u blt•cl ami 1li•·d lwu· lor il h-\\ h-t•l ul~(·ar\ :lt(O '"iiW
11211
•
�-·
june 6 I Administrtltion •if Ronald RN({an, /984
or inches of sand, as bullets and shellfire cut
throuRh their ranks. About them, Ceneral
Omar Bradley later said, ''Every man who
set foot on Omaha Beach !hat day was o
hero."
No Spt'PCh can adequatd)· portray tht'ir
miTering, their sacrifire, tht'ir heroism.
President Lincoln onre reminded us that
through their deeds, the deod of battle ha,·e
spoken more E"loquentl)· for thrmwl,·es
than anv of the livinR <'''"r could. llut we
can only honor them b)· rroedicoting our·
selves to the cause for which tht')' ga,·c a
last full measure of de\'olion.
Today we do rroroicate oursch·"s to that
cause. And at this place of honor. we're
humbled by the realization of how much so
many gave to the cauSt' of freedom and to
their fellow man.
Some who sun·i\·ed the battle of June 6,
1944. are here toda)'. Others who hoped to
relilm never did.
"Someda)·, Lis. I'll go back," said Pri\·att'
First Class Peter Roher! Zanatta, of the
37th Engineer C'.ombat Uattalion, and first
assault wa,·e to hit Omaha Reach. "111 go
back, and I'll St'l' it all again. I'll St'l' the
beach, the barricades, and the l(ra\·es."
ThOSt' words of Pri,·ate. Zllnatta come to
us from his dauRhler, Lisa Zanatta Jlenn, in
a heart-rending story· about the f'\'ent her
father spoke of so often. "In his words. the
Normandy inva!liion '~ould . change:- his liftforever," she said. She trlls some of his slo·
rtes of World War II but san of hl'r father.
"the story to rnd all stori<'s was 0-da)· _"
"lfe made mr frel thr frar of bl'inR on
that boat waitinR to land. I can •melt the
ocean and feel lht' St'asicknt'ss. I can St't' the
looks on his fellow soldiers. raceS-the ft'ar.
the an11uish. thr unt'Crlaint)- of what Jar
ahead. :\nd when th,;,. landt•d, I can (('('I
the strength and t'lilr~JW of thr mt•n who
took thoSt' first <lrps throul(h thr tidt• to
-.what must hil\'P
death."
~un·h·
lc)OkOO likl" instant
-
Pri\'.idf' Zanaua·~ dauJ(hlf'r wroh• to nlt':
.. , don't know hnw or wh\· I can h·d thh
f'mptinrss. this ft•ou. ur thi"i clt•h•rminatiun.
but I do. ~fu,-l>t• it's thr bond I had with "''fathl"r. :\II I. knnw is that il hrimz:s h'ars t;,
m\· f'\'l'~ tO think about m,· l"attuor as a 2Uvear·oid bov ha\·inj! to f:aCt'-lhal hrach."
· Tht- anni~·t-rsar~· nf D-da~· wa~ always ~pt··
1122
cial for hrr famil•·- And like ail the families
of those who went to war. she deS('ribM
how she came to rC"alizc her own fatht"r"s
~un·i\"al was a mirndr: "So many mt•n diNt.
I know that Ill)' father watchl'<l many of his
friends bt' killro. I know that he must have
dil'll insidr a little each lime. llut his rxplanalion to me was, 'You did what ~·ou hurl to
do, and )"Oil kept on RUing.· "
Whrn men like Pri,·ate Z.matta and all
our ailiro fort't'S stonm'll the l>t•achl's of
:-Iormand)· 40 ~·ears a11o the)· came not as
conqut'ror<, but as liberators. Whrn thl'SC
troops swl'pl ocross the French countr)·side
and into the forests_ of llt•lt~ium and Lt1Xt•mbourg thr)' came not to take, but to return
what hud been wron11ly seizro. When our
forces marched. into (;erman\· lht"v came
not to prey on a bra''" and drfl'all'<l-pcoph,,
but to nurtun• thr SCt-ds of democracy
among those who yearnro to be frt't' again.
We salute them toda,·. But. !-tr:- President, •n· also salute those who .. like yourself,
W("JC already t•nga.cinR the enemy inside
)'OUr bt'lo\·ed country-the Frrnth Resist·
anre. Your ,-aliant struAAI<' for Fran-ce did
so much to cripple the rnemy and spur the
ad\·ance of the armies of liberation. The
Frt'nch Forces of the Interior will fore••er
personif)- courat~e and national spirit They
will be • timeless inspiration to all who are
frcr and to ail.who would ht' frrr.
T oda\·. in th~ir rncmon·. and for all who
fout~hl -ht·rr, W<' relehrai .. thr triumph of
democrat·\·. \Yt" n•affirm tht• urtih· of dPmo·
cratic pt~plt~ who fou~ht a wa; and tht•n
joinL"ff with tlu• ,·anquisht•d in a firm rt•·
~lvt• to kt•t•p the• IJf"UC't•.
·
From a terriblr war wp · lrarnro that
unit~· _maclt• us in,·inl'iblt•; nnw, in pcan•.
that SU.mt• unit)· makes us st·cure. Wt• souJ(hl
to hrin~ nil fn•t"<lnm-lo,·in~ nations toRelhrr
in o1 coinrnunih· tlt"Ciicalt"tl to the dt"f("n~·
and pn·~t·n·atin~ nf uur ';ll'rt"CI \"othtt!S. Our
&~llianfi•. forRed in lht.• cnu·ihlt.- of war. lcrnIK'fl"tl and shap•·tl h~- tht• rcalitit·~ or tht•
atnstwar "·orld. has ~m.·t·t·t·dt·d. In Eurnp,· .
the lhrt•:tl has ht•t•n l'tUII;airw(l .. llu· ()t';ll"l'
has ht•t•n kt•pl.
Toda,· tht• li,·rnJ! ht·n· .lsn•mhlt•d----41111·
dah. ,·t·h·r.;ms. nlizt·n~.u•• " lrilmh· In
what \\'as al·hicn·d hen· -$U ,·cars agu. This
land i'i .s••eun•. \\'t• ilrt• ,,.,:_ Tlwu· thinJ!~r;
Administration tif Ronald Reagan. 19R4 I fum·
are worth fighting and dying for.
Lisa Zanatta Henn began her story h~
quoling her father, who promised that he
would return to Normandv. She ended with
a promise to her father. ~ho diro 8 )'ean
ago of cancer: ''I'm 110ing there, Dad. and
I'll see the beaches and the barricades and
the monuments. 111 see the graves, and I'll
put Rowers there just like you \\'anted to
do. 111 feel ail the things )'OU made me feel
through your stories and your C)'eS. f"IJ
never forget what you \\'ent through, Dad,
nor will I let anyon<' rise forget And, Dad,
111 always br proud."
Through the words of his loving daughter, who is here with us today, a D-da)·
veteran has shown us the meaninR of this
h
da\· far beUt•r than an,· President can. It I '
en~u~h for u~ to $3)' a·lxmt Pri\·&~tc ZanaU;I
3nd ;all the men nf honor and roura~t· '' ho
foul(hl besidt• him four dtoeadt•s at~u: \\-,•
will al\\'a)-s n·memh.,r. Wr will alway• lot•
proud. We will alwa)'s bt' prt•parl'd, so "o•
rna\· ah\'a\'5 bet frl"t-.
Thank you.
l'tiflll': Tile Prt•sidt•rJt SJkJAt• at -I:JJ JJ. m. ,,,
the Omaha B1Yirh .\lt•r~wrial til
o,,,,,
Bmd1. Frar1n·. /11 hi's "Pf'llillll rc'IIJOrk.c. /,,·
trfi·rrc'tllt• p,,._,;Jrnl 1-"rallftli.f .\littrrrnml t•/
Fra1111'.
Fft/IOIL'illl{
t/tf' L"'BTl"tiiiJII!f,
rn•.nt/r-111
Rrognr• trnn.·ltvlltJ t'tnh Brach.
Remarks by Telephone to the Crew of the U.S.S. Eisenhower
Following D-day Ceremonies in ~ormundy, -Frunce
june 6, 1984
Greetings In aU of )'OU, the officers :and
Tht• :\merican pt'Ople 11nd our ailir< in.
men of the U.S.S. Eisenlroroer. Believe me, Europt• and bt'yond art' all mort" secure brall of us up here are inspired J,y the sight of cauSt' men of ,-our caiibt'r are on station
your magnificent ship and the battle group \Vhen and wht•re neroed ..\dmiral Fiatir'.
which accompanied you to the coast of !'\or· Capt11in CIPxton, officers and men of th•·
mandy.
..lke''-1 salute ,-ou for ,·our df'\·ott'd ~<'rnc,•
We're returning from a commemoralion to tht• t·ause of irt•E"dom.
of the 40th anniversar~· of the D-day landYou know. l'in up hrr<' hopm~ th:al
ing-the heroic operation that was plannrd - you·n· been ahlr to hear me. I'll just ota~.
and commanded by General D"·ight D. Ei- Cod hlr., )"OU ail, and if il wouidn"t be loo
senhower. The memor~· of "'Ike;· our gn•al demnrotlizing. wan:•, and 1"11 know wht·ther
allied leader. still Inspires heroic efforts on you'w heard !his.
Th:ink •-ou. Thank .-ou ail. Good \ailin~both sides of the Atlantic.
Today, as 40 )'ears aJ~o, our :>Ia,·~· and ail and God bless ~-ou.
of our il.rmed Fortts •re ad,·;mcinll tlw
.\'tJt•·:
The
Prf'.ntle11t
sp,kr
nt ;':JO ,,.,,. •• ,
cause of peace and fn•Pdom. The droicatiun
of you. our sailors and marines. particular}~· bt~nr~l .11tlrirrt• Ollt" durin.: tilt> .Jlrl!hl from
during }·our recent deployment in tht- Ea!.t· (.'taiJ Hl•flr"ll. f"rtiiWf'. ,,, J.,w/mt
.·h llritltt'd 11/.Joc·e. thi.f tlf'm _lf•ll•••n tlu·
ern 1\troiterranean, is in the highest tradolt>rl r~{ flit' \l'/nlt• Jltm~t· IITrH . •'"YI "'
tion of the sPrvice.
•
�-·- -...•
sc-
.. -.
·df
----
_,..........,
-
.:.:·.. -~:--- -.~·:...:.:.,.. :._:.::
- ...
June 6, 1944:
American troops
advance under heavy
machine-gun fire.
.. ; ..
·-
.
~~-·
=
�This is a story of the months
prior to June 6,1944, and a few
of the days following,· ~old through
some of the letters my twenty-three-year•
'
'
I
old father, Frank Elliott, wrote my mother, Pauline,
while he was with Company A of the 741st Tank Battalion,
and some she sent him at the time of the Normandy landings.
e
It begins with three telegrams to my mother,
one sent on the day of my birth from Camp
Young, near Indio, California, where he was in
desert training, although, as it turned out, the
unit never went to North Afric.a.
All correspondence was read and approved
or disapproved for mailing prior to making its
way to th.e addressee, so there is scant indica, LiOn of truup movements or other military
matters.
My parents were from New Castle, Pe!,lnsr!,vania, a town with a wartime population of about fifty thousand,
and home to steel, bronze, and a few other heavy industries. My father's father and his uncle, Reuben, owned a small family steel mill,
which is still in operation today. My parents met while my mother was in
college in Erie, Pennsylvania; my. father was a senior ar Georgerowp
:
'
MAY/jUNE 1994 ·
A~!ERICAN,
DeRonda Elliott ·
and her father,
Fran~ at home
in the summer
of 1943.
HERITAGE 61
�....
University when he enlisted in the
Army.
' I'm publishing these letters now for
those who remember that war or
any war, for anyone who might not
understand what war does to each life
that it touches, and as a tribute to those
whose lives have not turned out the
way they planned.
-DeRonda Elliott
TELEGRAM
S•. Louis, Mo., january 19, 1942
'';
I HAVE lliE BLUES DARLING AND ST. LOUIS
HAS NOlHING TO DO Willi IT MUCH LOVE
FRANK
. J
TELEGRAM
Indio, Calif., January 8, 1943 ·
DARLING YOU'RE TOPS ENROUTE TONIGHT MAY TAKE 3 DAYS LOVE FRANK
TELEGRAM
Chicago, Ill., january 11, 1943
NO FINGERNAILS LEFT WILL BE BUYING
BOXING GLOVES OR BABY DOLLS FRANK
Camp Polk, La.
Apri/28, 1943
My Darling,
I was working today when your telegram was delivered to me and I
dropped everything. After reading it I
went back to work with increased fervor because your letter or gram was so
consoling and heartening. My darling
I never could have believed that my
love for you could grow to any greater
proportions but it has darling. It has
become unspeakably intense, so great
that I can't encompass it. Pauline darling, you are so restrained so so very
warmingly withdrawing and controlled. Your love for me must be great
and in its greatness it makes me unworthy. I hustled yot.i in shopping and
rushed you across a street and I only
had two days with you. I loathe the
impulse that leads me. to such mad ·
action. Your kindness, your demuring
withdrawal from fighting back is all·
so endearing so .inexplicably adorable that I feel like a drowning rat. Perhaps I never knew you till just this
weekend. Perhaps it's because I discovered more and more about you that
62 AMERICAN HERITAGE· MAY/jUNE 1994
A
is so lovable. Perhaps it's the total lack
November 5,
of any taint in your makeup. ~don
. Hello Mrs. Frank,
know what it is my darling b
.. -:--1 was counting on Christmas with
my daughter-you know that and I
know I have never loved you Iii<
am human; only my feeling for you is
before and I have loved you so muc
it's awful to remark. Every word you super human .... Until we are again
spoke, every syllable, every part of together I live in the past. We converse
your body, every hair on your head, nightly darling and we walk togethevery expr:ession that found itself on er through the day.... Please enjoy
your beautiful lovely features, just your holidays darling as it will be your
served to increase to gigantic extremes last one without me. . .. So it is my
the humble love my inadequate heart wish for me to enjoy this str.ange land
at· Christmas to be sure in' my heart
feels for you ....
Your worthy-wanting husband, that Dee and her angelic mother are
Frank also enjoying this gay festive Yuletide. Give my greetings to Kate, Eb,
We got our implements
and on our particular weapon
was the mes·sage "Good 1114J<
boys I hope you win soon. Love
and kisses-! am a little girl."
Darling I just heard these songs and
shut my eyes and listened and saw you
across from me and felt you moving
smoothly in my arms in a certain
Zephyr Room.
"Swanee-How I Love Yah"
"Strike Up the Band"
"The Man I Love"
"Lady Be Good To. Me"
"Somebody Loves Me"
"Embrace Me"
"I Got Rhythm"
"I Got Plenty of Nothin'"
"Summertime"
"It Ain't Necessarily So"
November 1, 1943
My Dearest Wife,
If this writing appears to be extraordinarily wavy, it is due to the environment. We are en-route across seas in
a large boat but none with any name
to speak of. The meals are cooked by
limeys and sure taste it. . . .
Jack, Ann & Ma & Pa Lynch and
my best wishes for this coming year
which will see peace come to the
world. The boys are discussing the English monetary system so I had best
lend them my banking experience to
settle the discussion. All my love my
angel madonna I love you and how
well you shall realize it by Christmas
in '44.
Frank
November 12, 1943
Dearest,
... To-day we got our implements·
and on our particular weapon was the
message "G<;>od luck boys I hope you
win soon. Love and kisses-1 am a..Ji:
tie girl." Cute, don't you think? I t .
written in a childish hand. (Such as
mine.) Kiss our very beautiful little girl
for me darling....
All my love,
Frank
\
�and will put forth supreme effort to get ualize and preconceive the agony I
my wife and· sweet child a gift. But would experience if I ever sent a poem
since I'm going on a Sunday I don't as I feel I could right now. I can see the
know what fruits my efforts will bear. amused glances, the contemptuous ·
There are so many things I should smirks, the jeering silence of the cenlike to tell you dearest but some of sor's eyes as we passed on the street.
th~m are censorable and some are too I should be like the killer whose own
sacred to us to be written-even in a conscience condemned him. Oh well
whisper. I was sorry to hear about you probably wouldn't like the poem
the glass top to. our coffee table. That anyhow and it isn't so complicated
particular glass top held many pleas- that I can't boil it down to-1 love you
ant memories of tangy beers and very much darling.
Frank
good books-ah well! It served
us well a nd sentiments should not
December 11, 1943
be wasted ....
I love you I love you Dearest Polly,
Frank ... We had a windshield laying on
the table in the barracks to-day and I
unthinkingly tossed my cigarettes and
·
...
December8,
1943
~ ~r
·•
:;z::,.~"::::.~"!4:".~,..., i~ ·. f
Dearest Polly,
lighter on it as being the most conve- .
:;:L-;:,...,~;::~}::~ ~ ~··C;·· ·
I never mentioned about nient spot. I reached for them later
~....:~...
- - :'"( . .;
the car. It will inconven- and was struck immediately that they
, ~~_;
~.;. ,t · .·.:.· ·'
ience you a great deal and reminded me of something past. In
f.
the decision is therefore one just that common rearranged picture I
':J~.!~;!;2~t· ~
for you to make. I am glad of was swept on a wave of nostalgia to
.,........-c
course that you were able to our own warm living room. I won't
realize such a good price on it. pretend that the polished surface of
Figuring
the radio and heater, our coffee table in the least resembled
I
I
we lost only about 150 $. If I this crude clapboard table nor that the
/
figured in the repair bills I would shining glass top at home bears any
have to consult Morgenthau .... similarity to the dirty mine creased
I wonder what kind of car we will windshield of a tank but the basic elebe buying after this war? Since you ments of glass and wood were there
have a more practiqil mind than I and my second gear brain ground out
and excellent taste as well I will leave the rest. Actually darling I could perrhar also to you .... ·
ceive the sounds and smells that so
Frank much endear me to our home. I half
expected to hear you speak. Ah I guess
December 11, 1943 all this sounds exaggerated or meloA sampling of Frank's V-mailletters.
dramatic or acutely sentimental but
Dearest Wife,
dence. I scanned the papers in vain for Ah rhe dreadful ways of fate~ Woe the feeling I have just tried n describe
some clue as to its departure but, fail- to the lover if he is an E.M. in rhe was a moving thing ....
Your Jo,·ing husband,
ing to see it mentioned, I decided it E.T.O. (enlisted man in the EuroFrank
came under that vast category-a mil- pean Theatre of Operations). Here is
itary secret. The tri-partite powers have what I mean. A beautiful moon, the
December 12, 1943
condescended to let it reappear at _the censor, and you. The moon tonight
appropriate time ....
resembles the mythical silver dol- My darling wife,
Sincerely I love you, lar, a romantic moon in a starry sky. . .. This is in your hands probably
Frank Remember how I used to compose just two or less days before Christpoetry to your beauty when I was at mas. It is a matter of record that this
, December 3, 1943 Georgetown? Well I have the same is the one event in my daughter's life
Hello dearest, '.
feeling now. The words are formed, that I shall miss most keenly. He~
.. Ron'dy is a cute pseudonym for · rhe stanzas composed, rhe meter is first Christmas .... Me, I'm savin
our daughter but it will be DeRonda established but-enter censor. Oh, for the Christmas that sees me kissin
·whenever she misbehaves-as if she rut, rut, they wouldn't let it be known you just before we go to Mass and for
ever could! I. get a pass ro Bristol soon · to my compatriots but I can just vis- the Christmas Eve when I get to read
November 25, 1943
Dearest Wife,
The people of this vicinity of the British Empire have good reason to give
thanks on this Thanksgiving day. The
reason; the sun is actually shining. The
sun, ol' sol, that immense planet that
gives its life heat to that· part of the
world where I was born. Last seen bv
myself in New York, I thought it ph~
nomenal that it was no longer in evi-
1
~
~
:~-
..
·· .
t- F/
.r1
I
MAY/jUNE 1994 ·AMERICA:\' HERITAGE 63
�!
l
"'Twas the Night etc." to olir angel.
All my love,
Frank
I did not find a letter dated Christmas
Day. There was an Army greeting card
and the following clipping from The
New Yorker magazine.
·Love in War
We are now masters of the
present tense,
Having imposed upon ourselves
a law
Prohibiting the future. The once
zmmense
Treasure of words is halved as
we withdraw
Into this moment only, now,
today,
Or into the past; and each of us,
separate,
Is haunted by the things he dare
not say
For fear of tempting a pert;erted
fate.
This is no speech for lovers. The
silence aches
With unuttered dreams of child
and home and peace
And life at last together. The
heart breaks
With so much that the lips may
not release.
Also-you asked for this, so start
duckin' Could I have some shaving
lotion please!-its the key to my·.power over women....
Me
january 3, 1944
Darling Pauline,
Your Christmas· cards are in excellent
taste and the captivating child ·pictUred
thereon can not be my daughter. She is
so much bigger it seems. Take a close
look and you will notice that her leg
is not only touching the ground it is
actually bent at the knee. That means
she is at least two inches taller than
january 16, 1944
Dearest
A cold frosty Sunday morning. The
I want to tell you how
those enveloped letters affect
me. Like the 12th bottle
ol.
Duquesne beer, like a double run·
in Pinochle, like a parachute jump.
Not even in each other's arms,
not ever
Can we permit ourselves to say
"forever."
-Marya Mannes
the last time I saw her.... Did you
ever hear of powdered eggs? That is always on the menu morning after morning day after day. I would sacrifice a
great deal just to eat a fried egg cooked
sunnyside up by you, darling....
Frank
January 2, 1944
Dearest Wife,
I wrote you on New Year's day but
I immediately messed up the letter
so I'm rewriting it. I want to tell you
how those enveloped letters affect
me. Like the 12th bottle of Duquesne
beer, like a double run in Pinochle,
like a parachute jump; it goes to my
head, my heart, my feet, fingers, !!ars.
Oh darling Oh mercy is all I can say. I
love, idolize you. I have received two
subscriptions to the Readers Digest,
one from Mom, one from my sweet
wife. You t\vo should get together or
send me a Sub to the New Yorker.
january 11, 1944
Dearest Wife,
Last night in one of my pre-dream
reveries I was dreaming. of an idea that
was designed to revolutionize the strip
steel industry. However, with the dawn
of an English day the idea began to
look like a drunkard's dream (and me
a teetotaler) and I have at last cast it
away to the winds having first memorized the faults of the idea. I hesitate
to mention the idea for fear of being
scoffed at but since Firestone and Edison were both successful inventors and
attributed their successes to the counsel of their wives I am going to briefly
64 AMERICAN HERITAGE· MAY/jUNE 1994
outline the idea to you. It had to with the rolling and thinning of steP
as it is done on a four high Steckle Mill
of the type used at our plant. I wondered if it weren't possible to weld a
section· of the sheet of steel to itself so
that the strip instead of having to be
run through several times could be run
to the desired degree of thinness by
one continual passing....
I love you
Frank
kind of Sunday when I'll freeze my
fingers wiping the frost from the windshield as you and Dee sit huddled
/'
closely near the heater which gives
only a promise of heat. Those Su~V-::.p..j:::7
day morning sojourns in fulfillment
of our religious duties will be worth ·
the trouble because I can already smell
the bacon frying as I lounge comfortably back reading the paper. So get
up, go to church, meet your obligations. but bear in mind the satisfying breakfast and comfortable chair
that awaits you after Mass. To you,
on whose shoulders rests the necessity
of creating breakfast, it will be just
another day with the added handicap of a husband underfoot.... Let's
go toY<;)Ungstown this afternoon and A
see a show darling or do you expect •
friends in for a game; if so whete did
yo!J. hide the beer?
I love you darling
Frank
�--
.
january 24, 1944
Hi Mrs. Elliott,
If there is anything, any single item
to which the dogface in the ETO could
point as being the cause of a tremendous lowering of morale it is this; the
Sunday funny papers. Blondie, Popeye, and others of their kind are sorely
lacking in the papers of the U.K ....
We just list Maggie and Jiggs among
the folks we left behind and
long to return again to their
company. How does my daughter react •o the colorful antics of the funny folk? I don't
suppose she fully appreciates
them as yet but it won't be
long until you are reading
them to her ....
Frank
February 1, 1944
Dearest Wife,
I don't know ~r that promised trip to FTlgj;lnd aftertlle
·· '"yvar darling. This consistent
murky weather is very depressing.· Of course when you
come over with me the sun
will certainly shine all the
time. If' not for the benefit of
all, certainly in my heart, because your presence will make
so. That would be a good
experience .fo. r Dee to come
over here at about the age of
ix. It will be a fine contribution to her education so we
will set '49 as the year when
we will make the visit. That is of
course unless she is such .a prodigy
that she will surpass all knowledge
that traveling will benefit her little at
that time ....
. "fu.~
Frank
February 4, 1944
Dearest Wife,
Did I ever ask you to send me the
words to "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes"?
That is a beautiful song and properly
A sung is very moving. You say Dee is
W' walking. Gosh a mighty am I ever out
in the cold with my daughter.
Love,
Frank
66 AMERICAN HERHAGE · MAY/JUNE 1994
February 18, 1944 rive thoughts in either direction ....
I love you,
Dearest Wife,
Frank.
There has just been a hot crap game reported to me from the next ba~racks
Febru.1T')' 2 8, 1944
and the fact that I sit down to write
Hello
Darlingmy wife a letter is indication of a
strong indomitable power of will. Ei- Cold and dark is this typical English
ther that or I'm broke .... My "long- evening and morning will bring only
johns" which I told you I washed out a change in the latter element. If any
last night are still decorating the bar- _of my old football jerseys are laying
around anyplace I would like
to have them. The blue and
gold silk one or any of the
green or red ones. Don't send
anything that's good or buy
something new but these
would do the trick of warming the blood in the wee small
hours .... Keep grinnin' IrishFrank
March 1, 1944
The mlotts just before Frank went overseas.
racks clothesline-My but I'm in a romantic vein tonight. It is just the homing instinct that causes me to mention
that darling-! have never seen you as
you will be after a hard day's laundering. Hair disheveled and all tired
out with dish-water hands and powderless face. That is when I'll love you
most ....
Frank
Dear Polly
Today was $ day and all the
boys are sitting around raising, fading, shooting and anteing. But me, I have waged a
bitter yet successful battle
against the tempting evil devil of the dice and am nicely
penning my darling wife a
love note. Was. quite closely
studying the map of Europe
today and it's a hell of a big
place. Where do people get
that "small world" routine
they pass our. Such is life! love you
Frank
March 4, 1944
Dearest Polly,
It amazes even your husband that in all
my writing to you I have never mentioned the one thing that affects my
life most deeply, i.e., the Army chow
line. This phenomenon quite resembles a snake. A long, coiling, many
vertebraed snake. To the distant observer the rattler is brought to mind
February 21, 1944 due to the continuar rattle and hiss
Dear Polly,
coming therefrom. There are in this
The matter of you accepting work is coiling line every manner of dogface
a decision entirely up to you to make. · goldbrick (up front) chowhound, and
I can't say anything pro or con be- boot polisher in the Army. I know one
cause I have no definitive or construe- fellow who has a photo of a chow
:
I
�ing strenuous labors. In a tank ourfir
such as the one I am in there are three
types of labor 1) tank maintenance
work of a type calling for crew cooperation, 2) company group labor or
such things as calisthenics and road
marches, 3) classes on pertinent subjeers taught by the company officers,
or mental anguish. Any person who
avoids participation in group number
tion them as ro rhe reasons for their
absence is subjected to first, a sneer
of disdain, second, an impenetrable
attitude of indifference and lastly, they
become audience to a dissertation on
the circumstances that caused the class
in question to be missed. So lengthy
is the oral thesis that the interrogator
is only roo glad to forger about rhe
whole thing and ler you .off with a
warning. I look for a manpower shortage after this
even more intense. rhan the
one rhar now exists bur I
also expect to see a boom in
the market of fantastic mystery stories ....
I love you,
Frank
ways of saying boy is she stubborn.e
So now it is your plain duty to direct
DeRonda's purposefulness inro rhe
proper channels. I will plead guilty on
all charges that she inherits her ah-:determination from her Dad and so it
is that I beg of you ro use whatever
method seems best to see to ir that her
beauty is not marred by a personality
dominated by bull-headedness and lack
of sufferance. If children could only
be made to realize that acquiescence is
the better part of accomplishment.
Then again we move into hazardous
grounds since we don't want our child
to be made a fool of....
Frank
April11, 1944
Dearest Pauline,
Tell my sister Mary that her gift of
sheet music to Maresy Doats was very
much appreciated .... Tell Dandy Elly
Elliott that her Dad loves her and prays
and plans for the day when he can
come home ro live with her. Tell Dorothy Wadlinger that when Mr. Elliott
comes home she can expect more than
a Coke and less conversation when
she comes to spend the evening. It will
be my policy to keep the Frigidaire
·bursting with 3.2 in case some of your
friends drop in. A case jusr in case I
·
always say....
Frank·
Apri/9, 1944
Dearest,
Honey, did you ever see a
football game? Well the players on the various teams
wear sweaters on which are
printed numbers. The sweaters are various colors-the
texture of the sweater differs from that of a knot
wool. I thought that perhaps I still had a few remaining from the day when
I played ball and that they
could be sent ro me here. I
know that I described it as
April 23, 1944
gold with blue numerals bur
I never thought you would Dear Wife,
"My wifti ,nd sweet child": Pauline and DeRonda.
t'ake it to mean my fresh- All this rime in this army and I haven't
one is an out and our bum and never man numerals which I gave ro you improved myself an iota. To~ay I had \
will work in his life, he is a poor crew anyhow and which is yours darling, an occasion ro saw a piece of wood
man and nor the type to be relied on nor mine. If ir is too late I will (as soon about two feet long and to my amazein the event of battle. The type who as they arrive) send them back. The ment and deep chagrin discovered rhar .
avoids categor~' two are a wily breed green sweater I will keep and wear- my abilities as a carpenter are limitedand cause the poor greying first ser- bur even in the case of the green bur definirelv. So when a cellar sren
geant no end of worries. They are the sweater I meant the practice jerseys CO!lleS loose .in our life ro come I
most difficult to detect because they we wore ;lt John Carroll. It's a mere gladly turnish you with the hamme.r
usually have a legitimate excuse for technicality and I can't blame you for "3nd nails. I who assure you rhar I will
patiently endure rhe noise of hammertheir absence .... Jhe third element making such a mistake ....
I love you, ing whilst you attend the ailing step.
is made up of a group definitely posFrank I praise your talents to the end darsessing dass. :-.:o crude stm:k excuse
is good enough for them. In their
ling, you have the ability to perform in
April II, 1944 any capacity and I'm sure you will
subtleties they delve deer into fantasy
and come up with something that Dear Polly,
save us many dollars by being a regular
would do credit to Jules Verne. The "Generous amount of determination," Mrs. Fixit. A house is an odd piece of
person in authority who Jares ques- "knows her own mind." Nice subtle equipm~nt as it is in a constant state of
'i
\1.-\YIJLI:--:E 1994 ·.-\\!ERICA:--: HERITAGE 69
�~~
•ii
:·a
LW
'"
~.
'
line with an offi~r (a 2nd Looey) standing about mid-way through with mess
gear in hand. This is such a rarity that
he has been offered thousands by the
Smithsonian and the London Museum for the negative thereof. Me? I'm
just another one of the vertebra previously mentioned. It causes me to say
that I'd wait a century just for your
burnt biscuits.
·
Frank
March 23, 1944
Dearest,
... The problems of supply are not
ones that ordinarily trouble me but
today I had reason to be involved on
the side lines of a humorous squabble
that ended happily for all concerned. It
seems that there was an excess of am~
muniti~n boxes in the company and
that there was an order issued from
somewhere that they were to be turned
back ·to the .tanks and there placed in
the best available space. This was carried out from supply and it was a matter of time (and very little time at that)
before every member of every victimized tank crew was storming the doors
of the supply room with obvious intentions of manslaughter in mind. The
sergeant of supply beat a hasty and
not too well ordered retreat to more
peaceful surroundings leaving the
henchmen in charge to care for the
irate crews. It all ended happily for
all concerned when some Samaritan
brought order out of chaos when he
investigated and had the order rescinded and the little ugly boxes (which incidentally may someday be the cause of '
saving a life or two of the protesting
group) removed. All of which has little
to do with the way I miss Hamburgers
a Ia Coney Island, American beer a Ia
Duquesne; American shows a Ia Penn.
Theatre and American girls a Ia YOU. I
love you.
Frank
March 2 7, 1944
Dearest,
... Are the kids at home starting to
play baseball yet? It is in the air over
here but the major league warmups
lack the color and punch of former
68 A\IERICAN HERITAGE· MAY/jUNE 1994
years. Will the day· ever return when
I can come home to you and expect
you to furnish the scores of all the
games played that day.... James Ca
ney was in person here last 'nig
and the place was jammed so I didn't
bother to go see him, however a couple of guys from this outfit went in ·
through the stage door claiming that
Jimmy and they were boyhood buddies from 96th St. in New York. So
2nd Looey let them in on the weight of
this tale so you can see what the boys
think of a Lieutenant's gullibility....
All my love,
Frank
of love and understanding and a
meekness ....
Frank
March 30, 1944
iHon,
Somehow when I write out the 'United
States of America' it gives me a sort of
a moral boost. Writirig it, looking at it,
and reflecting on the powerful meaning
of that word 'united' is good for a person. The immediate reflection and
knowledge that it is no trite symbol
and that these 48 are really one with
one common purpose is some gigantic
thought to encmp.pass. Compare the
It gives me a sort of·
a moral boost. Writing it,
looking at it, and reflecting
on the powerful meaning of that
word "united" is good for a person.
March 29, 1944 continent of North America with its
Dearest Polly,
175 million odd and see what other
I don't know how to say thank you for continent is so singular in purpose.
your extravagance and generosity. You Australia, mebbe! but then it is a
worked for a good month as a school midget-Europe, Asia, Africa and even
teacher and then you send me money. the presently peaceful continent South
Well I have myself to blame. I could of us. is disrupted with powers and
hardly blame you for interpreting my ' claimants to power, with rulers and
expression of my gambling losses as claimants thereof. It seems that the
a request for money. You lovely ador- word 'united' should be the one reasable imp. Didn't I tell you before that suring, encouraging word, the word
I'm merely existing over here in an- that must cause the defeatist and skepticipation of my life's beginning with tic some worried moments. Class disyou? Darling I love you sincerely with missedI love you,
more overwhelming power than the
Frank
ordinary heart .could endure. Ours is
the perfect formula for love everlasting.
April 3, 1944
Nothing of the world could rise to
separate us from each other. Darling Dear Polly,
we fit like the last piece of the puzzle. No doubt you have often heard of the
Please don't send me any more money. army-bred expression "goldbrick," and
I'm the guy who is supposed to be the I suppose you would like to know just
provider and you make me feel cheap what are my impressions of this anand at the same time cause a surge cient and honorable method of avoid-
�.
deterioration but my worries along
that line ended with a certain lovely
marriage. I have learned one trade in.
the army-1 have been washing my
own clothes for these many monthsso I shall buy you a carpentry set for
Christmas and you can buy me a washing machine. I love you.
Frank
April 26, 1944
Dearest Polly:
Well when I get to thinking of home
I just get ~1omesick as the dickens but
one consoling thought is that the thing
is bound to be half over and I guess
I can do the balance of my time in
this army on my head. The day we
plan for will, please God, someday
wn and when I get off that train in
honingtown since that has always
n the method I used to enter Ne
Ca. But it may be a boat in New York,
or a 'plane in Pittsb~but who cares"
as long as I see you.
·
I love you,
Frank
words of the Gospel, "A little while
and you shall not see me and again a
little while and you shall see me." But
in your thoughts I shall always be and
you in mine, no matter how great
. grows the gap of physical relationship.
The A.P.O. has been a pretty good
method to use thus far and I don't
expect it to fail us at this point. It's
funny how the Post Office includes all
the acts of God in it, with wind, rain,
snow, sleet. but the most devastating
act of man, war, is not considered a
surmountable element by the government courier....
Frank
Apri/28, 1944
Dearest,
Ah ha the hidden secrets of the clouded past do in time come out in sharp
relief. I knew that one so fair could
not go long with but a single swain
but my expectations never considered
so great a rival. ... Darling please say
you love me, please say it is me and no
one else. Please please forsake all pas
regards for james Cagney....
say adieu to him in my behalf-I a
strip the tank, the barracks wall, yea ,
even my recoil guard will be bared of
all appealing pin-ups. If this isn't
enough I shall go whole hog-with
your promise of unfaltering devotion
I shall have your name tattooed on
my leg beneath an appropriate image
of Gypsy Rose L.-uh, I mean Miss
Liberty. What joy of security will then
be yours ....
Frank
May 3, 1944
Dearest Polly, .
I sincerely pray that if you fail to hear
from me for a ~bile, you will recall the
70 AMERICAN HERITAGE· MAY!JUNE 1994
w1
'theory
school and so you may he sure that I
won't invite disaster in any form. In
prep school we had a quarterback who
always qualified his pre-game prayers
with the phrase, "Not my will God,
but Thine" and so it is sweetheart and
so it must always be-we must trust
our God unflinchingly, unquestioningly. But enough of this heavy stuffschool's out.
I love 'em all but Polly best of all_;_
Frank
Well, sweetheart, don't
worry, please. It 1s possible
I may be a member in
the
assault but no more possible
than that I may someday
May 6, 1944
die~
May 10, 1944
Dearest Wife,
... You know something that makes
me pensive even brings on a sort of
nostalgic sentimentality. It's a Blondie
comic strip with irs down-to-earth,
-~~~~===:-t~;:::;~;;;;;- American, homely comedy. It is like
~
a look into our future and sort of
bewilders me. I query myself as to will
I be like that, am I that dumb, will
Polly do this? But however it may be
~~~..-;;;.;;..;.;...;;;.;,.;.:.:~..!::::.;.~~~:.:....-it's a nice feeling even if it does cause a
I love you, homesick hangover. What a hangover
Frank I anticipate on my arrival in Ne Ca.
I love Paul-y,
May 9, 1944
Frank
Dearest,
. .. The invasion, I read, is a topic of
May 18, 1944
daily conjecture among the people at Dear Polly,
.
'A
home and I guess you are a mite wor- I can't begin to tell you how muchW
ried. Well; sweetheart, don't worry, that picture affected me. I saw my
please. It is possible I may be a mem- daughter as though for the first time.
ber in the assault but no more poss!- She stood alone and grown. Unsup6le than that I may someday die. It is ported by adult hands with flowers
-
�·'
of much bedimmed beauty m her in-1 milk, butter, jam, bacon, sausage,
hands ....
stew, cereal, salt, just everything. Well,
I love you, the other day someone left a box of
Frank · said rations sitting our in front of the
CP tent. Ashby and I schemed to reMay 21. 1944 lieye the owner of such an oppressive
Hello Darling,
burden and carried it off. We removed
I sat down to write this about ten min- the delectable contents of the box and
utes ago. In the interim we had a mail refilled it with sod in order to escape
call. I was unanimously elected to rep- immediate detection. Well, the gag of
resent my group at this sometimes dis- the month is that the box belonged to
he~rtening ritual. As I expected and true to precedent I was
nor mentioned in the list. So
now I lack the original spirit
which I had when I first sat
down . .\tty adoration for Polly
hasn't been affected in the
least l-,ut somehow or other
my greedy nature went withour being satiated and I feel
like panting. See \vhat a big
boob of a baby you are wedded to? ... Remember that
slogan, "Lucky Strike green
has gone to war"? \X'ell, thi.s
must be it because today we ·
drew rations and those who
smoke Luckies saw the pack
coated with its homesickening green. I luckily procured a
Liberty magazine recently and
got on the Cock-eyed Crossword puzzle-for a moment
there I thought I \v~s slipping
bur I finally did get it solved
though no rime' records were
challenged. The one that
stumped me \Vas 50 Across:
The lakeside cottage where Pauline waited.
When a landlord can't collect
rent for this, he Sioux. Answer: TEPEE. Ashby in the first place and was placed
So ... I still retain some of my mas- there without his knowledge .... By
terful touch. (And do I hate to hrag.) the way-what's happened to the baseToday I rook a shower. To you that is ball boys-even with all the4-F's and
a \'e'ry commonplace statement of an over/under aged players there is no exeven more commonplace event-but cuse for the Philadelphia (Blue Jays?)
nor to me. On this island Engbnd, Phillies being subjected to the altitude
water is a rationed item (but not to of 3rd place. Something is surely amiss.
civilians). Hot water is as r<lre as scorch It won't he long till Judge Landis is
whiskey and in such quantities as to petitioned to investigate the situation.
make a shower feasible, well it just G'night love and all my love.
ain't had. Thus we experience the rigfrank
ors of war. I once wrote and told you
of the contents of the army food ration-1-.:. :-\ow I can tell you of <lll e\'en Dearest,
more tempting ration known as I0- And again today there is no mail de72 .-\\!ERICA:-.: HERIT.\(d' · \1:\Y/Ili:-..;E 1'1<14
livery. I protest most vehemently, it
ain't right. As Patrick Henry once said,
, give me liberty or give me some mailyeah and even a long liberty over here
couldn't make up for some little mail
from my darling wife ....
Frank
May 2 7, 1944
Hi Darling,
... Darn it darling, I would certainly
!Ike to be on hand when DeegQ!s CO See Her nrst movie.
me her ro Youngstown, l'ltts[i£rgh or Cleveland to· dueof those rl'ieatres with a"tong
impresstve Iobbv with canayA
'COunters and attractive ~seers. I'll bet she w11l love-it.
I5"on'r posmone her en~
rill I come home, but let me
know how she reacts to 3'11
Tiie glamour of Hollywooo~
productions ....
Frank
May 31, 1944
Dearest Wife,'
'Lucky guy' is the way the paper described this particular
guy and then they went on
to tell his story. He had been
in action on several fronts;
he had quite an enviable reputation as a brave guy and a
fighter. He was given a furlough to go home and rake a
subsequent bond-selling tour
through the states. At the completion of the trip he was asked
by General Arnold what he would
like the most and he was to be granted
·his wish. So now he is back with· his
old outfit overseas and sleeping in his
old bunk. Talk about nauseating, talk
about disgusting-ugh! Just ask me
what I would like and darling our days
of separation would be limited. . . . ,
Frank
.fune I. 1944
Dearest.
I ha\'e a sneaking suspicion that these
letters are nor being sent Yia V-mail
hut rather on the long, long sea voyage
before reaching you. If such is the case
�let me know and I will switch immediately to steady .air-mail-and at least
we will know how it is going and that
it will make it eventually. I hope it
isn't. a military secret when I tell you
that we have been away from our
cooks for quite some time. I just bring
up the point to extend a little human
interest. As you must know the cooks
are always a brow-beaten, bullied lot
no matter what outfit they are in. Well
the other day the poor dears cooked
up a batch of huge cookies and sent
them down here to where we are stationed. Now wasn't that nice of them
after all the verbal criticism they have
gotten for their pains in the past. But
I love Polly so much-I'd even eat her
biscuitsI love you·,
Frank
May 20, 1944
Darling,
. Dad sent a fellow today to fix up, our
yard and he really did a super job-it
· looks nice. There is so much shrubhery here and so many with plants all
around that I can never find enough
time to keep it looking as it should
look. Now it looks wonderful. All the
spring flowers are beginning to bldom
now and the sight of them just increases my longing for you .... Sometimes I sympathize with myself by
counting up the months since I've seen
you-and because they are too manynearly eight now-1 feel very, very sorry for myself.... Really dear, I try not
to feel sorry for me-there are many
who are much worse off than 1-you
are the one who is undergoing all the
hardship--! have Dee who in herself is
enough to compensate for anything.
Without her, I don't see how I would
endure this separation. Yet constantly, darling, all of me longs for you. It
can't be much longer now, sweetheart.
I love you,
Polly
May 23, 1944
Dearest Frank,
Housecleaning time spurs me to make
all kinds of changes in the furnishings
74 A:-otERICA:-.: HERITAGE· :-otAY/jU:-.:F. 1994
of our humble abode. Tonight l am
sitting here admiring the appearance of
our living room since the furniture has
been re-arranged in never-befOJ;e-tried
fashion. I finally got around to putting
our small radio into the living roomsounds good now-but this sentimental music, darling, it makes me miss
you so terribly. We haven't heard from
you now in a week-but tomorrow's
Saturday and there may be several letters .... I wonder if you are missing ·
me tonight even almost as much as· I
am missing you. I wish you had had a
"hard day" at the mill today and I
had housecleaned very industriously-
w..
her Daddy does-l'll bet that she
I adore y
.
Polly
June 5, 1944
Darling,
After a wonderfully lazy weekend at
the cottage, I had to engage myself in
quite an argument this morning before I was able to convince me that I
could arouse enough ambition to do
the weekly wash! How cruel grim
reality can be!! ... This is a beautiful
summer evening, darling. I am sitting
at the kitchen table (and not even
noticing the noise of the refrigerator)
Here it is Sunday again
-Sunday night. I .think this
is the most lonely time of t~
whole week for me. I am so darn
lonesome for you, Frank.
then we had spent a pleasant evening
together-and now we were in each
other's arms.
I love you,
Polly
May 28, 1944
DarlingHere it is Sunday again-Sunday night.
I think this is the most lonely time of
the whole week for me. I am so darn
lonesome for you, Frank darling. Oh
I'm not the only one and I know itthere are millions just like me, w.ishing
with all the strength of their hearts
and minds for the return of peace and
loved ones .... Dee is sleeping on this
Sunday night, and the radio is playing old and beautiful music-and I am
thinking of the Sunday nights to come
when you will be listening to such music with me.... Took Dad to a ball
game today-Dee went along-maybe
she'll learn to like baseball as well as
from which place by merely lifting
my head and looking out the window
I can gaze upon a truly silvery, full
moon. It's beautiful, dear-really beautiful, and it has succeeded in making
me very sentimental. I had hegun to
think that I was becoming immune to
the moon's enchantment-so often I
have looked at it without you and to
keep myself from going mad told myself "It's pretty, yes-but, so what?" ...
That's not the way it really is though,
darling-the sight of that shining moon
up there-the moon that shines on
you, too-fills me with romance-;
and even though it's just a dr~am now,
it's a promise of a glorious future with
one I love more than life. The darned
old moon keeps shining for us, darling-and even as it now increases th~
inescapable loneliness, it also increases
my confidence in the future. I truly
love you, darling.
Saturday, just after I finished writing
�you, a bulletin to the effect that the
Allies had landed in France was read
over the radio. Not having heard from
you inover 2 weeks you can imagine
what my first thought and prayer was.
The announcement, however, was
"killed" about 15 minutes later. Nevertheless we still think "something's
up." Suspicious, aren't we?? The man
in that moon keeps winking at me ev-
the time I was writing you last night. were used. That has its humorous
"D-Day" has finally arrived. The news slant-but really it's not humorous at
had begun to be broadcast around all-it has more of grimness about it.
midnight last night, I believe, but I How little we here at home sacrifice in
didn't know of it until 7 o'clock this comparison with you and all the felmorning when I turned the radio on. lows like you.
.
.
The news brought a kind of relief arid r;ittle DeRonda was the only one
great concern. The first thought of all not affected by the D-Day news-she
of us here at .home was a prayer. I went about her happy little business of
can't deny, darling, that anxiety for living as usual, entirely unaware of the
your well-being fills ~·rear event. I hope and pray that she
ill never remember any of this butheart. True, I don't kn
that you are taking part
nly the happiness of the hours that
this phase of the invasio · will follow her Daddy's homecoming .
but it is very probable that step on the porch. Good luck to you,
you are. And my thoughts darling, wherever you are. We are
are with you. Spiritually, I waiting for you and loving you with all
am with you . . . . You are our hearts.
Polly and Dee
the one who is making all
the sacrifices-and yet you
June 7, 1944
are the one who could find
the proper words to give us Darlingboth strength. The letter in On this second day of the invasion
which you reminded me that the news reports say that 'all is ·going
the desire of both of us is' well'-and that knowledge is some
that "God's will be done" comfort. If only I could know where
continues to be rriy favorite you are and that you are safe-but
"bedtime story," darling- wherever you are dearest, my heart is
it's a masterpiece .... I am with you.
Today I was surprised and pleased
unable to tell you of the
depth of my emotion on this when the father of one of the girls I
day-but without my telling went to Mercyhurst with stopped off
you I think you know and here while on a business trip. He
stayed for lunch and we had a pleasant
understand.
All day the radio has conversation. I hadn't seen him since
broadcast invasion news- before Dee was born and he was
constantly-all regularly amazed at what a 'big little girl' she
Frank was amazed at how DeRonda had jpoown.
scheduled programs have is. He admired her pretty blue eyes
been .cancelled-and I have but I don't think that was the reason
ery time I look up-must be a mes- been virtually "glued" to the radio. she wanted to go right along with him
sage from you-because that's proba- News broadcasts and prayer led by when he left-she does1.'t recognize
bly what you'd be doing when we· told eminent clergymen have occupied most such compliments yet but I hardly
you we thought "something was up." of the time. Bob Hope's regular broad- think it will be long until she does.
Rondy thinks that man in the moon is cast tonight was altered because of I haven't listened so closely to the
a pretty funny guy.
"D" Day-there was no clowning- invasion news today-but I'm waitAs ever, I don't seem to have much but Bob ~:arne through with what in ing now to hear the news before I go
news for you today, sweetheart..i....life is my opinion was one of the most to bed. Kay Kyser is just signing off
rather eventless at present, but it's a worthwhile thoughts I heard today.... -whatever the news will be mv dargood life when there's our future to Naturally none .of us here at home can ling, like Mr. Kyser,' I'm just "thinking
dream of. Please kiss me-and hold think of anything else. But people took of you."
I love you adoringly.
me close to you, Frank. I adore you- the news calmly and soberly-how
.
Polly else wuld it be taken but soberly....
Polly
Among the things distributed to the
June 8, 1944
soldiers crossing the channel was a
Darling,
vomit hag, I understand-and the com- DarlingWdl, "something was up "-e,·en at mentator added that m'ost of them A most wonderful thing happened
~IAY/jU:-.:E
1994 ·
A~IERICA:-\
HERITAGE 75
�today. I had a letter from you-the first
one in 3 weeks-there was no date on
the letter and you didn't impart much
information but it was a blessed letter
because it was your words and your
writing again. Your Mom was in this
afternoon and read your letter tooyou will never know-you couldn'thow we yearn for the sight of "our
guy" over there.
Bing Crosby is just signing offI know how you like him-the way I
do-and as I listened to his program.
I could only enjoy it half as much as
I will when you are here with me listening too ....
I love you,
Polly
june 12, 1944 Monday
Dearest darling FrankToday I feel like the lowest kind of
heel. I had 5 letters from you this morn. ing and in two of them you told of
receiving no mail and of the despondent feeling that followed. I have tried
to write regularly, sweetheart, and
don't often miss a day but it so happens that Dee and I were at the cottage
again this weekend and although I did
get a letter off to you on Friday night,
I went astray on Saturday and Sunday. During the day it is necessary that
I watch Rondy almost constantly and
in the evening we play cards 'til late.
On both nights everyone suggested
that I wait 'till '"tomorrow" to write
you-and now look what's happened.
I am tormented by the thought of all
the others in your outfit getting mail
while you just stand by. Actually the
thought makes me ill. I really can't
understand why there should be such a
length of time when you didn't hear
from me-but I have a guilty feeling
too, because of the two days I did miss
on these past two weekends .... I love
you so mztch and the picture I create in
my mind of you not getting a letter
when the other fellows do makes me
hate myself.... When I wrote you on
Friday night I didn't mention that I
had received 6 letters from you on that
day. After three weeks of silence it was
wonderful to receive all those letters.
... So glad to hear in one of your 5 .
76 AMERICAN HERITAGE·
~1AY/jUNE
letters ... that you can still beat any
crossword puzzle coming or going.
Orchids to you for figuring out "tepee"-that just increases my 'secret'
pride in you.... Dee is counting on
your being here to help her celebrate
that second birthday-so's her Mama.
I miss you very much, my dear. All
I ever want to do any more is think
about you. I have lost all desire for
going places and doing things except
as I picture myself so doing with you.
Summer is really upon us now. Many
of the flowers have come and gone
already. The house-cleaning is over and
we have settled down to a rather lazy
w9rds should wait until we ,are a
united-should wait unuttered u~
that glorious day of reunion-for it
can't be so long now, darling-it can't
be. When I imagine-or remember, I
should say-your kiss, that is enough
to keep me waiting forever.
I adore you,
Polly
June 19, 1944
Hi, darling,
Had two letters from you todaywonderful letters-written on the 25th .
and 26th of May. I had hoped that I
would have a letter written on a more
Darling Frank
Today
I feel like the lowest kind of
heel.· I had 5 letters from yo~
this morning and in two of them
you told of receiving no mail . . .
life-you know how it is in summer. recent date today-a date nearer the
I often think longingly of last sum- invasion date. That, I guess, is what I
mer and the scattered days we had to- hoped for-but when those letters
gether.... Darn it, summer "gets" me, came, they were so very nice that I
darling..... I long to be with you. But didn't even think about being disapsince I can't be, all I want to do is stay pointed. I do wish though, darling,
home and remember what wonderful that I knew where you are and how
times we have had together and imag- you are ....
Polly
ine the perfection of the future. . . .
Even thinking about it now I am getting into the clouds-a wonderful feelThursday night
ing, even if it is solely in the imaginaJune 22, 1944
tion. I get way up there in the clouds My darling husband,
and then slowly I begin to think about . . . Frank, darling, one of your lethow things really are-about how far . ters today was "queer"-the tone of it
away you are and how close to danger scared me because I could feel that
you may be-and then I forget about though you praised me you were disthe clouds, knowing only that with pleased with me--:-just the fact that
my whole heart and mind I love you you started it merely "Dear Polly"
and long for you and pray for your (though that in itself has never been a
safety. There are lots Of things,. inti- cause for alarm) and didn't end it with
mate things, I want to say, and yet now "I love you" were enough to give me
it doesn't ·seem right to say more than chills. It was the letter about the liq"I adore you"-it seems that all such uor. You said that I said I would send
e
k,
1994
----------------
-
�•
I
you anything you desired wirh rhe exception of contraband items and liquor. You said you commended my attitude and thought I was doing my part
toward winning rhe war. Bur .I don't
think you meant that, darling,..-as you
wrote it. I don't think you "commend"
my attitude ar ali-I think you thought
I was somewhat of a "prig.'' I don't
recall what I said about the liquorbut I wasn't trying to convey
any emphatic attitude ....
It wasn't, darling, rhar I deliberately wished to sacrifice
your desires for a viewpoint of
.mine ro which I wanted stubbornly ro hold-it wasn't exactly rhat I was being "patriotic"-alrhough I do claim to
have some patriotism because
I do sincerely believe we haw
something to show patriotism
for in this U.S.A.-and, something, by rhe way, rhar I want
ro be preserved intact against
your return .... I do so want
you ro understand about rhe
liquor, dear-your letter was
rhe first since you have been
so far away that showed any
displeasure (really) with meand if you felt that I was being
"small" when you wrote it-1
know you'll understand now.
If \'OU can onlv understand.
da~ling, that I iove you with
-all of me-l am yours completely-and I live only to
please you. Ar present I am
afraid for you-and yet courageous
because of you .... Need I tell you that
I love you.
Polly
I
e
be the "South Downs" and that covers
quite a bit of territory. Doubtless you
were somewhere along that southern
coast-maybe even on the "Isle of
Wight." Your Mom was here today
and I think she said that she and
your Dad had figured from something you said that you were at a place
called "Whitechurch"-1 noticed a
place called "Christchurch" on the map
try as I did I couldn't definitely make
him look like you. That just "goes to
show ya" what a state my mind is in1 peer at every picture of a soldter in
keen anticipation of seeing your face
for the sight of which I am so hungry. And still I wouldn't want to see
you in any battle scenes-! cannot
bring myself to face the fact that you
must fight ....
I adore you"
Polly
july 4, 1944
Frank Elliott's letter of June 1.
DarlingThis is Independence Day and
Dee and I had our flags ·flying out in front of the house.
Next year we will surely be
able to enjoy and appreciate
the day. Didn't do much today-just took Dee for a short
ride and bought her an ice
cream cone-she certainly .
didn't lose any time in learning to like those things. The
headlines in the morning paper informed us that the Yank
tanks in France were mired
and the doughboys were reverting to 1918 tactics ....
Of course, I am convinced
that you are taking part in every operation I read of.· I
know that you can take care
of yourself, darling-that you
won't take any unnecessary
chances-and that God and
His Blessed Mother are with
you. If my love could keP.p you safe,
honey-then you'd be well protected-you'd be the .safest soldier over
there. I love you with all my heart.
·
Polly
-which is directly across the channel
from Cherbourg. Just think-someplace at which I have been gazing on
these maps is where you were and
where you probably are now-and I
june 2~. 1944 . don't know it. You see, darling, we
Saturd,ly night have quite a time with all our theo]uly7, 1944
Darlingries as ro where you are-we do a lot DarlingHere I've been sitting scanning a map of supposing but we are never sure It's nearly midnight and Dee just went
of England trying to decide upon about anything. However, you are . to bed-which is a most unusual ocwhere you were last stationed in Eng- all we can think of, so naturally we currence. But this was a very warm
land-because I don't think vou are put all our effort into informing our- day and strangely enough it put our
there now. The fact.that you ~~id that selves of vour whereabouts. The other girl in a sleeping mood. Her "afterthe cooks sent cookies "down" ro night I s~w a picture in the ·newspa- noon nap" lasted from 3:00 P~t until
where you· were probably had some per of two soldiers sitting in a door- 6:45 P.\1-the longest nap she has taksignificance-the only thing directly way on the road to Cherbourg. The en. I think, since she's "been." Naturelated to the map to that word would one fellow seemed to resemble you but rally she didn't want or need to go-·
78
:\.\!ERIC.~:\
HERIT.\(;E · .\1.\Y/It::\E 1994
�to bed so early tonight. She'll be 18
· months old tomorrow, darling-six
more months until her second birthday-and you'll be home by then-1
hope and pray. I miss you so very
much, sweetheart, and right now I'm
just plain worried. If only we'd get
a letter from you. The days seem so
long when there is no word from you.
While you are away, darling, the mailman has rei be my 'favorite guy'-but
only because of the role he plays in
relation to you.
I love you,
Polly
I
•
ffilSS
july 11, 1944 thought and prayer. I know God wil.
My darling,
keep you safe, my dear-and I am
The enclosed cartoons I cut from the ashamed of the few moments when ·
morning paper-I thought they were that faith falters even slightly. I keep
cute and might stir up a few memo- remembering the words you wroteries for you. "Skeezix" was home on "God's will be done"-and "A little
furlough and he and his girl were mar- while--." I keep thinking that in a
ried-if you haven't been following "little while" all this anxiety will end
the cartoon-stupid supposition, that -and we'll have a letter from you
you have been, huh, honey?-The en- and we'll know that you are safeclosed strips were about their honey- · then still another "little while" and
moon days ... ; A couple of them this will all be over and you 'II be
reminded me· of us. . .. As I write this, home again forever and life will be for
darling, the All-Star game is in prog- us as we have planned and dreamed
ress-! wish as ardently as you do it will be. Maybe one or two details
that you were here listening too-or won't be just as we planned-but the
essence of the plan will be there-you
and Dee and I will be together-and
to me that is all that will ever matter.... The National League is really
"going to town"-the score is now
· 7-1 darling .... I love you very much
... we are all thinking of you con- ·
srantly and offering our prayers for
your safety! love you, I love you, I love you- A
Polly WI'
(7-1 was the final score.)
you so very
much, sw.eetheart, and right
now I'm just plain worried.
If only we'd get a letter from
you. The days seem so long ...
July 8, 1944
Hi darlingThis weather we're having is plenty
hot-but probably not half so hot as
what you are going through-so we
have no room at all to complain. I
talked on the phone with your Mom
this morning. We are both thinking
constantly of you, darling, and trusting
God that you are safe. So many people
have received letters from Franceand although it's hard to just wait like
this, we know we'll hear soon .... I
am wondering what you are doing at
this moment while I am sitting here
writing to you-probably 'running
around' with the French women! Ah
well, such is life! But you'll be home
soon and out of their clutches and
once I get you here, darling, I will never let you out of my sight again. Honest, I won't be too possessive, though.
I love .vou ,
Polly
July 26, 1944
Frank, dearest---;Little news again today and still no
even better that you were in Pittsburgh letter from you. I just can't understand
to see it tonight. The National League why we hav.en't heard from you-but
is ahead 4-1 in this 7th inning. . . . that, I guess, is not for me to know.
Roosevelt announced today that, al- I must just wait and pray. All I desire
though· it is his desire to retire, he will is for your safety, darling, because I
be a "good soldier" and accept renom- love you with all my heart. What you
ination .... No comment.... To- are going through must be terrible,
night's paper also carried the report dear-and ali' that is asked of me is
of the new American "thrust" toward that I have faith--so I'm sure I can
the communications center of St.-Lo. do that . . . . Dee has developed a
The hist sentence in the column read,. fondness for fig bars which I told her
"American tanks are attacking on all were the kind of cookies Daddy likes,
sectors" -those words stand out for so now she always refers to them as
me, as though there are no other words "Daddy's cookies." You know, daron the whole page. . . . Oh my dar- ling, I believe she is beginning to unling~ it is torture to wait like this- derstand about Daddy-and to realize
I love you dearly-and I am afraid that our life will begin when he comes
that I am not very brave. I try to be. home. I love you.
Polly
There are times when I'm sure I have
a "pretty good hold" on myself and
then again I weaken-without trust TELEGRAM
in God's goodness I don't know how WASHINGTON DC AUG 6 A~! 11:10
I could stand this waiting. I can think MRS. PAULINE A ELLIOIT
of nothing else-you are in my every 130 FAIRMO~"-;TAVENUE
:\lAY/jUNE 1994 ·AMERICAN HERITAGE 79
�'• \,j
THE SECRETARY OF WAR DESIRES ~IE TO
EXPRESS HIS DEEP REGRET THAT YOUR
HUSBAND CORPORAL FRANK ~~ ELLIOTT
WAS KILLED IN ACTION ON SIX JC~E I~
FRA~CE LETTER FOLLOWS
I
1
•.
path, and proceed."
. I recently learned that my father's
tank was one which did not make It
to the beach and although two men
were badly mJured, they all 1\elped
l' L I 0
each other sw1m to shore. Medics asTHE ADJUTA:\T GE~ER ..I.L SISted the InJUred men w1ii'le the others continued to fight on the beach.
My father was hit that afternoon by
EPILOGUE
a 6"omb trom a German plane. I was
Mv father never came home. He died told by a survlVlng comrade that his
lat~ m the dav on D-dav, on Omaha body was mutilated. I hope the end
Beach near rfle bluff, a·s he and the came quickly.
men m hiS umt, part of the initial asHe is buried in the American Milisault wave, prepared the way for the tafy Cemetery of St.-Laurent-sur-Mer, ..,
entry of the 2d Infantry Division. It on a cliff overlool<in Omaha Beach, ~
was these men who, with their sup- un er one.of rhousan so w 1te cross-'3,
plies, were later to establish the beach- es markmg th;._graves of hopefUl voung ~
head that would permit the Allies to men. Mv mother chose to leave his re- \\
penetrate Europe.
rll!ins there m france.
tJ
The scene is described in the followAll the letters he received from mv
ing excerpt from "Blood and Sand,'' a mother were lost, presumably be"iiig
chapter in a publication by the sur- wtrl'i htm at tne tlme of fits deatlt
vivors of the 741st Tank Battalion.
I<lone of his personal effects were
"June 6, 1944: The men ch.med returned. The letters published here
seriously, drank black coffee, smoked came b
uno ene , u
tvere , and
Cigarette after cigarette, thought of marked "decease ."
home, prayed silently." They were
"'My mother never remarri~!i, alshortly to leave the security of the though she had several opportunities
landing craft and land on Normandy to do so. Heartache and sadness, hard
Beach. "This was to be their first ac- work and ~orry, punctuated by a fewtion with the enemy; this was the moments of humor m the com an of
day for which they had trained long, fnen s an am1 y. c aracterized the
hard months. It was little wonder that rest of her lite. She·made the best of
they .were tense. nervous, afraid .... 1-ier ltte, bur she never could forget her
"Dawn broke on D-Day with <ln first and lasting love. How was she
intense bombardment by big naval and to know in 1944 that their " ... again
rocket guns . . . . The Germans had a little while ... " would be a lifetime?.
fortified this beach well and just She developed gastric cancer, which I
how effecti've was our fire no o1~e could am convinced was a result of too many
immediately surmise.
years of pain at the core of her being,
"At H-Hour most of A Company and passed to share eternity with him
had landed successfullv. Two mnks in 1990. at the age of seventy.
·
left the LCT too soon a~d sank. Tw;>
I didn't marry the only man I ever
more were hlown up while yet on loved, fearing that he, roo, would
the bnding craft." Those that land- somehow die and leave me and I
ed "had the difficult joh of remo,·ing \Vould go through the same pain my
from the sand hundreds of mines <lnd mother did. I later experienced two
obstacles which would' prevent l.md- unsuccessful marriages. Having never
ing craft from be,Khing soundly.... known the affirmation oT mv fa~s
The men worked feverishly and effi- or <lm· man's love for a sustained pe~i
ciently \vith utter disregard for per- oa' ot: time as a chtlcl, I have alw"'ifvs
sonal safety. Smooth operation "'as foun! It ~itficult to believe t~y
DeRonda and a boy who lost his father unveil a
hampered by the dead bodies which man coul Jo,·e me.
war memorial in New Castle, Pennsylvania, 1948;
by <lhour all m·er the beach. Frequently
\v'e were, all three, casualties of
Pauline is the dark-haired woman to the left.
crews had to pull bodies from their war.
t
*
80
A~IERIC.\~
Hf.RITA<;E ·
\1.\Y/W~E
l'l'l-1
�"'·
t
:'t·! ..
- .1·..
..
.·
·.\~.'1
'..
·~
·.:.::"! ......
\
-•·
�THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
May 24, 1994
MEMORANDUM TO THE D-DAY WORKING GROUP
FROM:
DON BAER AND JEREMY ROSNER
SUBJECT:
Speech overview
The following are our recommendations for how to use the
President's speaking opportunities during the trip.
Thursday: Address to the citizens of Rome. Theme:
Strengthening U.S. bonds with Europe; the
importance of European integration.
Friday:
Nettuno American Cemetery. Theme: The sacrifices
of the World War II generation will not be
forgotten.
Saturday: Cambridge American Cemetery. Theme: The sacrifices
that won freedom for a generation took more than
one day. The importance of air power.
Sunday:
Aboard u.s.s. George Washington (to Armed
Services). Theme: Freedom's burdens today.
Monday:
(D-Day)
Point Du Hoc. Theme: The successor
generation pays homage to the World War II
generation and embraces the responsibility to make
the sacrifices to pass freedom on to another
generation.
Colleville (Omaha Beach). Theme: Reprise of
Point Du Hoc, with further emphasis on the
follow-through at home and abroad necessary
to secure freedom and to use it wisely for
another generation.
(Note: Other speeches at Sunrise Service and
Utah Beach will be shorter)
Tuesday:
French National Assembly. Theme: Policy address
on European integration.
Wednesday: Oxford Degree Ceremony. Theme: Restatement of
generational follow-through with optimism and
confidence about seizing the future.
�E X E C U T I V E
0 F F I C E
0 F
T H E
P R E S I D E N T
25-May-1994 08:37am
TO:
Anne Walley
FROM:
Joshua A. King
Appointments and Scheduling
SUBJECT:
RE: proposed agenda for communications/scheduling mtg
Since I will be at the Naval Academy, could you raise the issue of
teleprompters? At some point, NSC will ask for them. Better they
do it now than on the eve of departure.
Use this as a checklist:
Departure Remarks
Capitoline Hill
Nett uno
Cambridge
USS George Washington I
USS George Washington II (Sunrise Service)
Pointe du Hoc
Utah
Colleville
National Assembly
Oxford
�D-Day Decision List:
Radio address this week (Carter Wilkie on international
commitment)
Colleville vs. Point Du Hoc
POTUS father: Does he want to use it? What does he know?
Teleprompters: See list
Colleville:
Individual initiative. The difference between democracy and
totalitarianism. Follow-through today.
St. Mer Eglise: How they remember.
Letter of father thinking about future. We are the children of
your sacrifice.
Bargmann kid
�.
....
Secondary Statements
D-Day Trip
Note: Josh King says no arrival/departure remarks are required
for any of the foreign countries. Is that true?
u.s.:
Departure Remarks from U.S.: Joshua King. Theme: Homefront
sacrifices and commitment. First Division participation. (5
minutes)
Rome:
U.S. Embassy remarks: Alan Stone
Press statement with Pope: Carolyn Curiel
P.M. Bilateral statement: Alan Stone
England:
P.M. Major Bilateral Statement: Paul Meyer
France:
CEO address: Carolyn Curiel
Toasts throughout: Carter Wilkie
--·-
-~--~--------
~-- ---~--
--------------------'
�Withdrawal/Redaction Marker
Clinton Library
DOCUMENT NO.
AND TYPE
00 1. letters
DATE
SUBJECTffiTLE
Letter from French citizens concerning D-Day; RE: Home addresses
(partial) (6 pages)
06/0111994
RESTRICTION
P6/b(6)
COLLECTION:
Clinton Presidential Records
Communications
Don Baer
ONBox Number: 10140
FOLDER TITLE:
D Day Memoranda Regarding D Day Events - Chronological Order
2006-0458-F
dbl253
RESTRICTION CODES
Presidential Records Act- (44 U.S.C. 2204(a))
Freedom of Information Act- (S U.S.C. SS2(b))
Pl National Security Classified Information ((a)(l) of the PRA)
P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office ((a)(2) of the PRA)
P3 Release would violate a Federal statute ((a)(3) of the PRA)
P4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or
financial information ((a)(4) of the PRA)
PS Release would disclose confidential advice between the President
and his advisors, or between such advisors (a)(S) of the PRA)
P6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted Invasion of
personal privacy ((a)(6) of the PRA)
b(l) National security classified Information ((b)(l) of the FOlA)
b(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of
an agency ((b)(2) of the FOIA)
b(3) Release would violate a Federal statute ((b)(3) of the FOlA)
b(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial
Information ((b)(4) of the FOIA)
b(6) Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted Invasion of
personal privacy ((b)(6) of the FOlA)
b(7) Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcement
purposes ((b)(7) of the FOIA)
b(8) Release would disclose Information concerning the regulation of
financial institutions ((b)(8) of the FOlA)
·
b(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information
concerning wells ((b)(9) of the FOIA)
C. Closed In accordance with restrictions contained In donor's deed
of gift.
PRM. Personal record misfile defined In accordance with 44 U.S.C.
2201(3).
RR. Document will be reviewed upon request.
�~·
.
!1
. I
To:
From:
Re:
Date:
Don Baer, Deputy Assistant to the President for Speechwriting
David Lytel, OSTP (6-6037)
Messages to President Clinton from French citizens concerning D-Day
1 June 1994
Attached are a few more messages we have found of interest, with the best ones at the top.
Thank you again for helping make this operation a success.
�Em.bassy of the Ullited States of America
Paris, France
DATE:
TO:
6
PHONE II
l~ . I.
.
2o1.- 'tS'lP .. (e03j:
FROM:
6ffice of Scientific, Technolog1cal,
and Environmental Affairs
A~erican Embassy
2 ave. Gabriel 75008 Paris
PHONE:
(33) (1) 42 .. 96-12-02, x2730/2731
FAX H:
(33) (1) 42·66•97-83
THIS MESSAGE CONSISTS OF d.e_PAGES FOLLOWING THIS COVER SHEET.
COMMENTS:
�l~.:J:II:J5
Facsimile Cover Sheet ,
To:. David Lytel
Company: \Nhite House Office of Science &
Technology
Phone: 19.1 2021456-8037
Fax: 19.1 2021456-6023
From: "Operation Minitel"
Company:
Phone:
Fax:
Date:
Pages including thla
cover page:
Comments:
�\0 I; eJ07
. I
::)"f
'
}_/huH; ok.,_r /,'he~,
br
o
"'~-
b;
ftu... . 5 e.-do...-
!) ~ tJ!-/c/-erl /z:, £;,. J ~
CCJ;t_
/ftC, f---
.)7rn.l,o/ t:~l s 4~ a.v....l St-t~r"'-.,._
f'~sCu.,f I· L ,
b ~- rr..-vf!. ~
/1 1'"<1!-
uS
v
we. ~6/e.-
4-s (Pe
lr/~str.A/o a-us~ ~
~
. J6,,>'/6d
k
/ovc-
(, 'k-
J;d . ft...R. I-1A~ tJI tke-
t~~st- J)(·.
�(j)
J
,., tA-
-flM-
.A
'
1/tlf'w..e.,. r ' c.. ~---
C>· D""Y
o..+
£r--..... d.··""l ..S
t ,·
l(v e. J.
s,.. !/e. ,f
1'\.-l.
V\. •'.........e..
(IJ
4-
r~~~
1t ,. t> :(: •" /)J,)J'W
~"'-1.1 '('-e. J
b
('CI'"
~·
~·lr,
-r ~.
~ J_
So~-
b O(.a...'-\.
-i v
1
Y\..IJ.
t!'
ot
~
·o I cA
.
S.O\c.A;,.,.!I
~ ~tc~
ftrt:JO..--.
{0
y• v
' f t' i V
. {/
.
rI
�1
/ Lf
r
wars.
J ears
o I ck
I; f~
are...
sfar-6-
1
t.
�.<;).
~
o}
'Y"'?-'1 Y.'J
1
71
,.,..,
{'
J '<>VI--~~~#"
fY' ;r~.' s ::> Jd
?t/
? n >?
<rc-J-j
'"""v:;>
I
'_I
• ) -o
.Ji
· s;n
to~
1-
no
~ JO'f..l"Cf.'/
J;
rp .' .
\/J
1"'-J ~
o vt..1
V'VI
o)
f fi1 v "'1 oo/-
o '1m ~J ;;rl ~ !J"
of
0'1
not
T
.. ,.--,.
'71/J
,
~~
.1/1
r~
/ "0\1
()';o
r~' Jl ' I
~ lr .rv' .V? ~
·')~
z.
~~ o t~Zl
0
lv
·~ . l o
�10:09
NO. 221
AM. EMB PARIS ,:. 1912024566023
~10 -~,
H~. 1€~tM . ~,ffl/!e:C YJ'-l~t;it/.S
3
l(ei~U<.S
'f
01./J
I
.X
W1 I;·
5:tlle
be. .· flo.;) . Afo,.WI4.;zij
19'tfY
·It,···
/iem.eHt..kr
·.ftle
6 #i
~f
·~.·. So/f'e/11.£
·
s~/OC€c ·c-t the "/1~ ~.,/J/~y-__, wLo JJi
~ ~~ A-eec/oM , •
5o
Ill?~.,- . VJ fl! .t ~ j;; , f f'lft'1 e r.::.
/h o -s e .tv tu . lo (.(JAA C! Jffl.) ~-> r
~~
pe(<C.~Z
Tit r~
lv(P-'1
~8 cl' j~ lJ .tf/IM.d P~'" -1~
~trv/-<Jb
.
.
Clinton l-Ibrary Photocopy
..... _.
1/vz..
tAt~
��{) . I.Ullh · bar fl
tr\ 3ritlart'-\.
tf
o>"
4v.NIL (,, .A ~44 ~ Jl.i « La.i;r ·
t) tW a\l ~ ~ AJLL~, _
~·~of
~iW!>k4::0: ~ ~,
~r.\un.e. .-b ?till
-~
Wt.
h~V't.
h~II'L o~
..ft..t.
;;,wu
t
jo")
iranee
�vr.; 7.-f av!::J
Vfd
JY?
---PW -lr-' {!--" ~ . f
. ·/1-11?.)
:J" . I~~'/;
.A
u
0
f') . r-;o .
!/<;)
��,------.-----------
vv'J~~.u ~·
't< v.
-\- .. II\ 0.. ~ ~
J
-----
T
'f I ) i" e i )(
~
~·HE\¥..
1" ~""
lA
k y~..;
1~V\ ~ yc:>.J
~.,
~- ~I
-f {A.L
~e1 · ,·,"'-·'-'""'S CJ(.~c-A..
We.l'c..c:~,
�.
·01/06/94
10:11
AM.EMB PARIS~ 1912024566023
N0.221
.l
. 'i
..........
Clinton Library Photocopy
.&119-
�~
~
........,
I
{
().
~
If!
1!
,.,
..(
_p..
,...
~-
~(i
G
L.
t
co;
�~ +tt\.11.. Ci ~
IJ.Q-fJ . ...()
,lj
'3 F
~
-+tu.
l '\
l.Ud.--v
t{
~ D WC4-.t
tl
~
.
~ ~ ~ ~
l.I..M...~.+tv.- ~,_., {)~~~ .. At,L~
~ -.P ~+..~.-In fk ~"
.}W.
A-a-~ ~ ~- ~vr.
oM..
~ s, ~ ~
,<J~ -/tAd~ A~ ~ ·~ ~;
.
. .b\U>d..t...Jv .
,
b
..
-ak
~
h....ll. he..~ +t,..,"' f\A..l.4-.d~ : ~ ~~ ·~ '
Tk ~ ~ 0~ ~ ~ +tu-i
~l.tALo.\- ~·~
~
t
tJ
~ ~0-~
~~· ~· F~ P~ 06<30<'-·~
IlL~·~.
Lu ~ --~.o r.A.<z..v1.0- , £l4 . P.M4 ~......r~
--, ~ <6-R. ~ a.-U~ ~ t~~~
b1. 1P .
'
�fYl~r,.. ~
Vo . . x
I b s·fr "'"
tl~
0
r
J
(>
A· II,~ J
•)
o
0- .De. ({.
·~
of
t. f."o k
f ( ,·'· < r
"
. 1'-f~ f:,"o
(j}t_
'-'af
I
f
'&
f
a , e::t c:.
~ vt ~ t:ll
fo
-fro"" E ,_..J /c. .. ~)
Test (' t'J
.
( '.r
ME /.i.. o <.u
UJ,'f/t(d'Vl
cD L 6 y
;;[~:-J j)"
most
( 0
me v-nov t.e.. s .
Clinton Library Photocopy
(c, (, ( ~,) .
~-
,1? aJ or
Dvr
lil22
o.-~
-{?J a I (
'
1'1
J
f~ pU..
<> lA
NO. 221
f=V1, EME PARIS ... 1912024566023
10:12
u'.1 .
1/cl C·\..1
c
�~I
..
·(,I
-
~ ')
!r.J Of:J
1..1 Q ..A
j
t.,. (')
1
L1 0 '?
(!;
J'
) r-, 0 /:'
------·--·-
�NO. 221· ·
"•
11.24 .
..·
Ht/lre., .· fl~u ~ <
·.o/1
L_oo\~
..
'
. ·.
.
. 7ft~/<.,s I
f; N.-JJ
5/-pf~ 'L/te.e
. · 1tJ.A.;..J<. ·· ftut. ·· ~~t'c..,_ fJ<L"'/'Ie-
h
kr ~,',.
·. /,_Jp~l'Pt<r~~-. ·.~· -~~ ... ·. 'ftt~k. I"
. · .· .lc~/ ·WE . j., --;u.f Jo /t.,,'$ ·.·. ,./~ ~~~ '··.
~.
VC v~
·/I
J.
! .
. A·~"" r·~. ..·:':.
Clinton Library
Phot~copy
�V1~ ,·+d
('
~r.:~
0-ro.~.'SeA
~
·
.
Ce..z,.__e-+e,.-
7
~
ol 7tte-
lA.J
t' ft...
-fh/!.../r
/
J
VJA.at
(h Q. r,_):::.. 4/)
t:t.65 cl...:fe_
~o~e- d
'!iu,
7-._~
de. v"' -f-7'.9.,
a~
,0
1
4ve.
'
tt1.
?J
-f/'f.
So fJ/'re I'<:,
t:IMd
A/
kw ,;'r;J
JJ~-e· t/v~ .
.
sf
u.s .....d
Z ~ D f1 '_rr'-1 ~'?
B-et .,.
4Je
~~
�--·-~u~.:r·c;n;;Tr~--·y·
•
t..o" i ~
.. -.-._.--,..,.-,,..-.,..,-,..,-,-.. -,. .... -.._-·--·--•____...--
S :~D ~.
j. 5-fv~e.""'--t
1
ts
Gr·<l.. v-.o \11 e
No
t4 .;~ s
L·~ .... -:.
fkt.
14 """"' .e ,. : L~ """
I·~
C·ro .~
I
-t·t....t.
:Tv">·+
p ~·fl"
~
r,·r
+""" '"'- k. s
.
.....,.....~-r
) ,· J..
~-c;
o.f.
Fr...srz ,· ~"""'
'
~ (.. 4.
.;:;.. k-
I
f-..r
I i \a~ ; "' ~ ~ .... J
~'I
1""' ,...
0"1.
v-l h--·~.
k~
v'l~
.... ·. . . ,,
��~ rJ
4
t'f-r... Je
:h9-ldt~~s
~
{fl..Ja/~
rev.~
. F ,.-.e.e./"'j
~j
.~-
yJt'H.-..J~
lo tit~<,~
5"D
I d/~
C!o~.Ju '7 -
/
;U~~~~}~~
/S
/?:,
~r ~7
-lk ~~~~~-
5
t /'<-· .
.· t: ~ c~v'J
fD<.t!..O
1
Nif(
1
/-1--1-
~t<e-Ve-/"". tr.~.J- .
i '/t.e.
/:~ l'""r Ie...
�..
.
wJ..LJ,
~
;I
~
I
s
D t,
r. ~
cf t.d
J4" -f
cl; ~
fo t .j ita-( ..e_
rf II ~I ( £ .
~ ,r
'
·r(.e.
· '}i.f-
h~J..
J fJ
~.
~
fu
rC,;{-
.J a-we
fb
Alt.
tti
;h
•f
az ·
·
/1 a.·~
.5" #-
"'d··
~.)Lw ~· !J ~
,;di;
-13.. .
~ ~b
f
/,"v,o
0a r
Mt" f
.
~
)4uaiw~fr'
~/
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Don Baer
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Office of Communications
Don Baer
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1994-1997
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
<a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/36008" target="_blank">Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7431981" target="_blank">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
2006-0458-F
Description
An account of the resource
Donald Baer was Assistant to the President and Director of Communications in the White House Communications Office. The records in this collection contain copies of speeches, speech drafts, talking points, letters, notes, memoranda, background material, correspondence, reports, excerpts from manuscripts and books, news articles, presidential schedules, telephone message forms, and telephone call lists.
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
537 folders in 34 boxes
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Paper
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
D Day Memoranda Regarding D Day Events - Chronological Order
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Office of Communications
Don Baer
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
2006-0458-F
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Box 28
<a href="http://www.clintonlibrary.gov/assets/Documents/Finding-Aids/2006/2006-0458-F.pdf" target="_blank">Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7431981" target="_blank">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Adobe Acrobat Document
Medium
The material or physical carrier of the resource.
Reproduction-Reference
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1/12/2015
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
42-t-7431981-20060458F-028-012-2014
7431981