Remarks Prepared for Delivery
The Honorable Gale Norton, Secretary of the Interior
The Korean War Veterans Memorial Service
Washington, D.C., Nov. 8, 2001

It's a pleasure to be here on behalf of the administration of President George Bush.

As Secretary of the Interior, it is my highest honor to oversee sacred ground, such as the battlefield of Gettysburg, and hallowed places of honor, such as the USS Arizona and this memorial to Korean War veterans.

Our national parks and memorials celebrate the events, the places, and the people who've made America a bright light shining on a hill.

We are here to recognize the bravery of U.S. Korean War veterans -- and all servicemen and women who place themselves in harm's way to defend our nation.

Today's ceremony is part of nationwide activities commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War. I thank the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Department of Defense's Korean War Commemoration Committee for their help in organizing this event.

Many of the veterans who are here today are also members of our Interior family. Several have traveled far to join us in this solemn commemoration.

Others, unable to make the long journey, are represented by family members. Some veterans are with us in spirit and represented by loved ones.

Our country and the world owe them -- and all American veterans -- a deep debt of gratitude. We salute them for their loyal and steadfast service to the nation.

The tragic events of Sept. 11 have heightened the nation's appreciation of the sacrifices of our veterans.

In the days following the terrorists' attacks, the nation once again learned that freedom is never free.

It must be won and defended with the type of courage and commitment that millions of Americans exhibited during that historic struggle on the Korean Peninsula from 1950 to 1953.

Veterans from that war include Bob Brown, who is honored here today.

Bob was an 18-year-old soldier in the 5th Regimental Combat Team. His unit sailed from Hawaii in June 1950 and went directly into the Pusan Perimeter to reinforce the embattled enclave.

His regiment spearheaded the breakout from its sector and pursued retreating enemy forces northward. They eventually reached the Yalu River.

When Chinese army units crossed the Yalu, Bob's regiment fought pivotal rear guard actions during what became known as the allied "strategic withdrawal."

Bob served the nation with distinction during a 20-year career in the Army. He later joined the National Park Service at the Colonial National Historical Park in Virginia.

Another Korean War veteran who served with distinction is Don Welch.

Don spent his 17th birthday fighting for his life and for his nation at the Chosin Reservoir.

Don was a buck private with the 31st Infantry of the U.S. Army. He entered the battle against Chinese forces along with 2,500 men.

Fighting off wave after wave of enemy troops in weather reaching 50 degrees below zero, the American survivors, known as The Chosin Few, have a revered place in history.

After the war, Don became a mechanical engineer and worked for the Bureau of Land Management in Nevada.

Bob Carvajal works with Interior's Office of Surface Mining. He exemplifies the courage and commitment of the Korean War veterans we honor today.

As a skinny youth from the barrio of East Los Angeles, Bob shipped out for Korea when his National Guard unit was activated to duty.

Eventually, his unit was stationed along the 38th Parallel, where he spent the coldest and most fearsome winters of his life. Bob fought for survival against a determined enemy as well as harsh elements.

After the war, Bob went to college, was elected to public office, and became a national organizer for self-help poverty programs.

Today, he battles acid mine drainage. He finds ways to leverage federal dollars with private funds to restore landscapes.

In many ways, the Korean War foreshadowed the changing nature of international threats. It was an "undeclared" war. Much like Sept. 11, it was launched without warning - but with brutal, unprovoked aggression.

Yet more than a million citizen-soldiers, like the veterans we recognize today, answered the nation's call to defend a distant population that faced terror and tyranny. America's response was immediate and unwavering.

33,568 Americans gave their lives in more than three years of intense fighting. The Medal of Honor - the nation's highest military honor - was awarded to 131 members of the armed forces. More than 90 of those medals were awarded posthumously.

The veterans we honor today kept faith with a just cause and with the principles on which our nation is founded. Because of their efforts, the Korean War is not a 'forgotten war.' It is a remembered victory.

The victory allows today's 47 million citizens of the Republic of Korea to live in freedom and democracy.

The lessons of the Korean War have never been more relevant than they are today. Threats to the security of our nation and the world must be confronted. America and the international community must be steadfast in our pursuit of common goals.

Terrorist regimes must be defeated.

The courage that these veterans and millions of their fellow Americans exhibited more than 50 years ago shines like a beacon -- bright, strong, and steady -- pointing the way to inevitable victory.

On behalf of a grateful nation, I thank you.