Biden talks about democracy and freedom at D-Day site in France

[Music] please welcome the 46th president of the United States of America Joe Biden John how are you please last the hour had come Dawn 6th of June 1944 the wind was pounding as it is today and always has against these Cliffs 225 American Rangers arrived by ship jumped into the waves and stormed the beach they could see all they could see was the outline of the shore and the enormity of these Cliffs and I'd like to look I know get in trouble with the Secret Service if I go to the edge and look over but think of those Cliffs as my host just showed me that's where we're standing on top of they could hear all they could hear was a crack of bullets hitting ships sand rocks hitting everything all they knew was time was of the essence they had only 30 minutes 30 minutes to eliminate the Nazi guns high in this Cliff guns that could halt the Allied invasion before it even began but these were American Rangers they were ready they ran toward the cliffs and mines planted on the beach by field Marshall Ramy RL exploded around them but still they kept coming gunfire rained above them but still they kept coming Nazi grenades thrown from above exploded against the cliffs but still they kept coming within minutes they reached the base of this Cliff they launched their ladders their ropes and grappling hooks and they began to climb when the Nazis cut their ladders the Rangers used the ropes when the Nazis cut their ropes the Rangers used their hands and inch by inch foot by foot yard by yard the Rangers clawed literally clawed their way up this Mighty precipice until at last they reached the top they breached sister's Atlantic Wall and they turned in that one effort the tide of the war that began to save the world ladies and gentlemen yesterday I paid my respects at the American cemetery just a few miles from here where many of those rangers who died taking this Cliff are buried I spoke of what the about what the Fallen had done to defend Freedom today as we look out of this battlefield and all the bunkers and bomb craters that are still surrounded one thought comes to mind my God my God how did they do it how were these Americans willing to risk everything dare everything and give everything there were Americans like Sergeant Leonard Sergeant Leonard Lomo from New Jersey he was one of the first rangers to jump off his ship and run toward the cliff he almost was shot right above the hip initially and he didn't wasn't sure but he was he kept going at one point he was scaling the cliff to another Ranger yelled I'm not not sure I can make it and L will yelled back with every ounce of strength he had in him you've got to hold on and he did and they did Americans like sergeant Tom rerio from Massachusetts German shell hit his boat as he was approaching the shore everything exploded the sergeant was knocked into the freezing water and as he told it he began to utter a prayer Dear God Don't Let Me Drown I want to get in and do what I'm here and supposed to do Americans like Colonel James ruer Texas when the military asked for a battalion for this Dairy Mission he raised his hand and said my Rangers can do the job he knew their capacity he knew the strength of their character a few days after they scaled this Cliff he wrote a condolence letter to a mother of one of of the Rangers who gave his life here and that letter said a country must be great to call for the sacrifice of such men a country must be great to call for the sacrifice of such men and Americans like John Wardell from New Jersey John is here John we love you man thank you for all you've done that a lot more John just 18 years old he deployed to this clip to replace the surviving Rangers on that D-Day invasion he would go on to fight across France and Germany in early December 1944 during one of those battles shrapnel pierced his skull by Christmas he was back fighting with his unit and here's what he said about what the notes he kept at that time he said knowing that my buddies and I always looked out for one another that's why he came back that's why he fought so hard to get back he always looked out and his buddies looked out for one another we talk about democracy American democracy we often talk about the ideals of life liberty Pursuit of Happiness what we don't talk about is how hard it is how many ways we're asked to walk away how many instincts are to walk away the most natural instinct is to walk away to be selfish to force our will upon others to seize power never give up American democracy asks the hardest of things to believe that we're part of something bigger than ourselves so democracy begins with each of us begins when one person decides there's something more important themselves when they decide the person they're serving alongside of is someone look after when they decide the mission matters more than their life when they decide that their country matters more than they do that's what the Rangers at Port P point to Hawk did that's what they decided that's what every Soldier every Marine who stormed this beaches decided a fear dictator had conquered the continent had finally met his match because of them the war turned they stood against itl's aggression does anyone doubt does anyone doubt that they would want America to stand up against Putin's aggression here in Europe today they stormed the beaches alongside their allies does anyone believe these Rangers would want America to go alone today they fought to Vanquish a hateful ideology in the 30s and 40s does anyone doubt they wouldn't move Heaven and Earth to Vanquish hateful ideologies of today these Rangers put Mission and country above themselves does anyone believe they would exact any less from Every American today these Rangers remembered with reverence those who gave their lives in battle could they or anyone ever imagine that America would do the same wouldn't do the same they believed America was a beacon to the world I'm certain they believed that it would be that way forever you know we stand today where we stand was not sacred ground on June the 5th but that's what it became on June the 6th the Rangers who scal this cliff didn't know they would change the world but they did I've long said that history has shown that ordinary Americans Can Do extreme extraordinary things when challenged there's no better example of that in entire world than right here at Point tow Rangers from farms and cities in every part of America from homes that didn't know wealth and power they came to a shoreline that none of them would have picked out on the map they came to a country many of them had never seen for people they had never met but they came they did their job they fulfilled their mission and they did their Duty they were part of something greater than themselves they were Americans I stand here today as the first president to come to point to Hawk when none of those 225 brave men who scal this cliff on D-Day are still alive none but I'm here to tell you and with them gone the wind we hear coming off this ocean will not fade it will grow louder As We Gather here today it's not just to honor those who showed such remarkable bravery on that day June 6 1944 it's to listen to The Echoes of their voices to hear them because they are summoning us and they're summoning us now they ask us what will we do they're not asking us to scale these Cliffs but they're asking us to stay true to what America stands for they're not asking us to give or risk our lives but they are asking us to care for others in our country more than ourselves they're not asking us to do their job they're asking us to do our job to protect freedom in our time to defend democracy to stand up aggression abroad and at home to be part of something bigger than ourselves my fellow Americans I refuse to believe I simply refuse to believe that America's greatness is the thing of the past I still believe there's nothing beyond our capacity in America when we act together we're the fortunate Hees of a legacy of these Heroes those who scale The Cliffs point to Hawk we must also be the keep of their mission the keepers of their mission the bearers of the flame of Freedom that they kept burning bright that that is the truest testimonial to their lives our actions every day to ensure that our democracy endures and the Soul our nation endures to come here simply to remember the ghosts that point to Hawk isn't enough we have need to hear them we have to listen to them we need to listen to what they have had we need to make the solemn vow to never let them down God bless the Fallen God bless the brave men who scal these Cliffs may God protect our troops God Bless America [Applause] [Music] la la [Music] the [Applause] [Music]

Channel: WRAL

Views: 1,481

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Id: d0nuc-zl7kk

Length: 13min 43sec (823 seconds)

Published: Fri Jun 07 2024