PRESS RELEASES

Senator McConnell Honors The Sacrifices Of American Soldiers Who Have Given Their Lives In The War On Terror
from the Office of Senator Mitch McConnell

Monday, May 3, 2004

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell today honored the sacrifices of American soldiers who have given their lives fighting the War on Terror. His remarks from the Senate floor follow:

“Mr. President, in November of 1864, when the “awful universe of battle” raged across America, President Abraham Lincoln paused to write a letter to one Mrs. Bixby, the mother of five sons serving in the Civil War.

“Dear Madame, I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

“I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine that should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming.

“But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.

“I pray our heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.”

“Mr. President, in the face of tragic death, it is beyond my capacity to conceive of the words that could justify the cause of freedom.

“Yet with President Lincoln’s words of 140 years ago, I cannot conceive of any better words to consecrate the cause of freedom in the face of such tragedy.

“As long as freedom last, these words are immortal.

“Every President and every leader in the Free World since who has had to call upon their soldiers to defend freedom knows of Abe Lincoln’s letter to widow Bixby.

“Upon hearing of the death in combat of any of our fine young men and women in uniform, all leaders of freedom have searched for the right words and likely returned to those used by the Great Emancipator almost a century and a half ago for inspiration.

“Eleven days ago, another costly sacrifice was laid upon the altar of freedom.

“Today the people of San Jose, California will gather to remember one of their honored fallen.

“Pat Tillman was no different than any other soldier who served. Those who survive Pat Tillman grieve no differently than the survivors of any other soldier killed in freedom’s cause.

“Yet Pat Tillman embodies to a Nation the honor and duty of all those who serve in uniform.

“Not every soldier is like Pat Tillman, but in each soldier, we find a little of the likes of Pat Tillman.

“In my home state of Kentucky, the sacrifice to freedom is real and painful with the loss of too many fine young men.

“On April 7, Staff Sergeant George S. Rentschler, 31, of Louisville was lost in action with the 1st Armored Division in Baghdad.

“Marine Corporal Nicholas Dieruf, 21, of Lexington was killed in action in Husaybah on April 8.

“Sergeant Major Michael B. Stack, 48, of Fort Campbell, serving with the 5th Special Forces Group was lost on April 11 in the al Anbar Province.

“And 1st Lieutenant Robert L. Henderson II, 33, of Alvaton, serving with the Kentucky National Guard was killed in Diwaniyah on April 17.

“Mr. President, each of these heroes volunteered knowing that one day they might be called upon for the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.

“Like Sergeant Rentschler, Corporal Dieruf, Sergeant Major Stack and Lieutenant Henderson, Pat Tillman heard the call and paid the sacrifice.

“With our fallen Kentucky natives, he joins that band of brothers, that noble breed of volunteer militia who so long ago picked up the musket so that freedom might find one sanctuary here on Earth.

“Where his forefathers put down their hoe in a cornfield, he put down his helmet on a football field and walked onto the battlefield of freedom.

“In dedicating the final resting place of those who died at Gettsyburg, President Lincoln stated:

“But in a large sense we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground.

The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract.”

“President Lincoln concluded:

“It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave their last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this Nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.”

“Mr. President, the sacrifice of Pat Tillman -- like all those who serve and perish in our Nation’s duty, has consecrated the cause of freedom far greater than our words could ever do.

“From the last full measure of devotion he gave for a new birth of freedom, it is we who must dedicate ourselves to the unfinished business of government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

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