Veterans Day Speech 2019

GOOD AFTERNOON FAMILY, FRIENDS, STAFF AND MY FELLOW VETERANS. THIS IS MY 3RD YEAR PARTICIPAING IN THIS EVENT, THANK YOU PACIFICIA AND ADVANTAGE HEALTH SYSTEMS FOR INCLUDING ME AS I AM ALWAYS VERY HONORED TO BE HERE FOR THIS RECOGNITION.

I WANT TO START OFF TODAY WITH THE RECOGNITION THAT WE HONOR ALL VETERANS WHO HAVE SERVED AND I KNOW WE ALL REMEMBER CLASSMATES, SHIPMATE, TEAM MATES AND FRIENDS WHOM HAVE PAID THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE – WE DEFINITELY RECOGNIZE AND REMEMBER THEM. HOWEVER, TODAY WE RECOGNIZE AND DEMONSTRATE OUR GRATITUDE TO THOSE VETERANS WHO HAVE SERVED AND ARE PRESENT.

IN A PREVIOUS YEAR, I USED THE ANALOGY FOR THE CONNECTION BETWEEN GENERATIONS OF SERVICE MEMBERS – THAT OF A CHAIN AND THE STRENGTH OF THE CHAIN THAT COMES FROM THE CONNECTION OF ITS LINKS. THE CONNECTIONS I USED THEN WERE THE CONFLICTS WE HAVE ALL SEEN AND HAVE PARTICIPATED, THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS THAT WE HAVE SERVED AND THE SERVICES – I AM GOING TO ENSURE I IDENTIFY ALL OF OUR SERVICES: MERCHANT MARINE (AS I FORGOT PREVIOUSLY), ARMY, COAST GUARD, MARINE CORPS & TO THOSE MARINES IN THE AUDIENCE HAPPY 244TH BIRTHDAY – NATIONAL GUARD AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND SPEAK OF OTHER CONNECTIONS THAT ALL OF US SHARE AND CONNECT WITH OTHER VETERANS.

THE 1ST IS OUR OATH OF OFFICE WHICH WE ALL TOOK. IT DID NOT MATTER WHETHER IT WAS WHEN WE 1ST ENLISTED OR AS I DID WHEN I WAS INDUCTED AT THE UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY – I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.

HAVING BEEN APPOINTED A MIDSHIPMAN IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY, I, GARY ROSSI, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR (OR AFFIRM) THAT I WILL SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AGAINST ALL ENEMIES, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC; THAT I BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME; THAT I TAKE THIS OBLIGATION FREELY, WITHOUT ANY MENTAL RESERVATION OR PURPOSE OF EVASION; AND THAT I WILL WELL AND FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE ON WHICH I AM ABOUT TO ENTER, SO HELP YOU GOD.

WE TOOK THIS OATH OF OFFICE AGAIN EACH AND EVERY TIME WE ACHIEVED PROMOTION OR ADVANCEMENT. THIS OATH BECAME THE FOUNDATION OF OUR SERVICE. 

AS THE FOUNDATON THAT IT ESTABLISHED, IT BRINGS ME TO THE NEXT ASPECTS OF THAT LINK IN THE CHAIN: YOUR CHOICE; YOUR BRAVERY; AND, YOUR COURAGE TO SERVE AND ACCEPT THAT RESPONSIBILITY. WITH THAT CHOICE, YOU HAVE ALL GAINED THE TITLE OF VETERAN.

YOU AS VETERANS WHEN YOU JOINED YOU AT SOME TIME IN YOUR LIFE SIGNED A BLANK CHECK MADE OUT TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR AN AMOUNT OF UP TO AND INCLUDING YOUR LIFE. YOU ALL WENT WHERE YOU WERE TOLD TO GO, YOU DID WHAT YOU WERE TOLD TO DO. AND YOU DID IT IN MILITARY UNIFORM. YOU MY FELLOW VETERANS EARNED THE TITLE “VETERAN.”

IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE NOT ONLY THOSE VETERANS IN OUR AUDIENCE BUT ALL VETERANS SINCE THERE ARE ONLY 10% OF OUR ENTIRE UNITED STATES POPULATION WHO HAVE WORN A MILITARY UNIFORM, KEEPING OUR COUNTRY FREE AND REPRESENTING 100% OF ALL AMERICANS. I AM PROUD TO BE ONE OF THEM, A VETERAN WITH YOU TODAY.

THE FINAL CONNECTION INVOLVES YOUR EXPERIENCES AND STORIES THAT YOU HAVE COLLECTED OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR MILITARY CAREERS. I BELIEVE IT IS EXTREMELY NECESSARY TO SHARE THESE EXPERIENCES AND STORIES TO HELP RE-ENFORCE THE LEGACY OF THE SERVICE OF ALL VETERANS. AS I SHARED ONLY 10% OF ALL AMERICANS ARE VETERANS AND I HOPE THAT BY SHARING OUR/YOUR EXPERIENCES WE CONTINUE ENLIST AND DEVELOP THE PASSION YOU HAD FOR “STANDING THE WATCH” IN THE FUTURE IN ORDER TO ENSURE OUR MILITARY STAYS STRONG.

I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THE STORY OF ONE OF MY CLOSE FRIENDS AND MEDAL OF HONOR WARDEE – ENGINEMAN 2ND CLASS Michael THORTON.

THE DATE WAS OCTOBER 31, 1972, HE PARTICIPATED IN A MISSION TO CAPTURE PRISONERS AND GATHER INTELLIGENCE FROM THE QUA VIET NAVAL BASE NEAR THE COAST OF QU?NG TR? PROVINCE, JUST SOUTH OF THE DEMILITARIZED ZONE. IN ADDITION TO THORNTON, THE MISSION TEAM CONSISTED OF SEAL LIEUTENANT THOMAS R. NORRIS, AND THREE EXPERIENCED VIETNAMESE MEMBERS OF THE LDNN, THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE SPECIAL FORCES. THE GROUP WAS TRANSPORTED BY JUNK UNTIL SUNSET, THEN PADDLED A RUBBER BOAT TO WITHIN A MILE OF SHORE AND SWAM THE REMAINING DISTANCE. MOVING INLAND PAST NUMEROUS NORTH VIETNAMESE ENCAMPMENTS, THE GROUP RECONNOITERED THROUGH THE NIGHT.

THE TEAM SOON REALIZED THAT THEY HAD LANDED TOO FAR NORTH AND WERE ACTUALLY IN NORTH VIETNAM. THEY FOUND LARGE NUMBERS OF BUNKER COMPLEXES AND HEAVY CONCENTRATIONS OF NORTH VIETNAMESE TROOPS. THEY PATROLLED SLOWLY THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE ENEMY TROOPS, GATHERING INTELLIGENCE AS THEY WENT.

THE GROUP ENCOUNTERED A TWO-MAN NORTH VIETNAMESE PATROL ON THE BEACH, WHICH THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE ATTEMPTED TO CAPTURE. THORNTON CHASED ONE OF THE ENEMY BACK TOWARDS THE JUNGLE TO PREVENT HIM FROM ALERTING OTHERS. IMMEDIATELY ABOUT 50 NORTH VIETNAMESE SOLDIERS CHASED AFTER HIM. MOVING FROM ONE POSITION TO ANOTHER, THORNTON AND THE OTHERS KEPT THE ENEMY CONFUSED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF TROOPS THEY FACED. THORNTON WAS WOUNDED IN THE BACK BY A GRENADE. HE CONTACTED A DESTROYER AND REQUESTED NAVAL GUNFIRE SUPPORT, BUT UNKNOWN TO THORNTON IT WAS STRUCK BY NORTH VIETNAMESE SHORE BATTERIES AND UNABLE TO FIRE. A SECOND DESTROYER WAS UNABLE TO MANEUVER INTO FIRING POSITION FOR THE SAME REASON.

FOR THE NEXT FOUR HOURS, THE FIVE MEN HELD OFF AN ENEMY FORCE ESTIMATED AT ABOUT 150 STRONG. NORRIS ATTEMPTED TO CALL IN THE VIETNAMESE JUNK BOATS, ONE OF WHICH HAD A MORTAR ON BOARD, BUT THE DESTROYERS FORBID THEM FROM ENTERING THE LINE OF FIRE. THORNTON, NORRIS AND THE THREE VIETNAMESE WERE ALONE AND NEARLY SURROUNDED. NEAR DAWN, NORRIS ORDERED THE GROUP TO EXTRACT TOWARDS THE BEACH, AND THEY LEAP-FROGGED TOWARDS THE SURF. NORRIS WAS ABLE TO CONTACT THE CRUISER USS NEWPORT NEWS AND REQUESTED THAT THEY FIRE TO COVER THEIR WITHDRAWAL. NORRIS COVERED THE GROUP'S REARWARD MOVEMENT TRYING TO HOLD OFF A GROUP OF 70 TO 75 NORTH VIETNAMESE TROOPS ATTACKING HIS POSITION, HE WAS SEVERELY WOUNDED.

ONE OF THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE WHO SAW NORRIS GET SHOT ASSUMED HE WAS DEAD. THORNTON, UPON HEARING THIS, RAN ABOUT 400 YARDS TO THE LAST LOCATION HE SAW NORRIS TO RECOVER THE BODY OF HIS FALLEN COMRADE. WHEN HE FOUND NORRIS, HE SAW THAT HE HAD A SEVERE WOUND TO HIS HEAD." AS ENEMY TROOPS OVERRAN HIS POSITION, HE STOPPED AND RETURNED FIRE. THORNTON PUT NORRIS ON HIS SHOULDERS AND RAN BACK TOWARDS THE BEACH WHEN THE FIRST SHELL FROM THE NEWPORT NEWS STRUCK. THE BLAST FROM THE ROUND BLEW THORNTON AND NORRIS 20 FEET INTO THE AIR. IT ALSO SLOWED THE ADVANCE OF THE ENEMY TROOPS, AND THORNTON PICKED UP NORRIS WHO HE DISCOVERED WAS JUST BARELY ALIVE.

THORNTON CARRIED NORRIS INTO THE SURF AND BEGAN TO SWIM WITH HIM. ONE OF THE VIETNAMESE WAS ALSO SHOT AND COULDN'T SWIM, SO THORNTON GRABBED HIM AS WELL AND PUSHED BOTH OF THEM OUT TO SEA. THE NEWPORT NEWS LEFT, THINKING THAT THE AMERICANS AND SOUTH VIETNAMESE HAD BEEN KILLED. THORNTON BANDAGED NORRIS' WOUND AS WELL AS HE COULD AND SWAM FOR ABOUT THREE HOURS. ONE OF THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE WAS FINALLY PICKED UP BY THE JUNK. HE REPORTED THAT THE TWO AMERICANS WERE DEAD, WHICH WAS RELAYED TO THE NEWPORT NEWS. THORNTON FIRED NORRIS' WEAPON TO DRAW THE ATTENTION OF THE JUNK. THEY WERE PICKED UP AND THEN TRANSPORTED TO THE NEWPORT NEWS. THORNTON CARRIED NORRIS TO THE OPERATING ROOM. LT NORRIS SURVIVED AND WAS ALSO AWARDED THE MEDAL OF HONOR FOR A PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT.

SHARING STORIES LIKE THIS DEMONSTRATES OUR RESOLVE AS US MILITARY AS WELL AS ASSISTS IN KEEPING OUR MILITARY LEGACY ALIVE.

MY FELLOW VETERANS PLEASE ACCEPT OUR HEARTFELT THANKS AND GRATITUDE. 

MOMENTARILY YOU WILL RECEIVE A UNITED STATES FLAG PIN, WHEN YOU RECEIVE THIS PIN, KNOW THAT YOUR FAITHFUL AND DEDICATED SERVICE AND SACRIFICE TO THE OUR NATION IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. YOU ARE ALL HEROES!

WE THANK YOU, AND YOUR FAMILIES FOR YOUR SACRIFICE.

GOD BLESS YOU,

GOD BLESS YOUR FAMILIES AND;

GOD BLESS OUR GREAT NATION THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND HER ALLIES.