Proclamation 4572—Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day, May 29, 1978

We pause at this time of year to remember those who sacrificed their lives over the last two centuries to preserve America's freedoms.

We honor them today for their faith in the principles of liberty and justice which motivated our founding fathers, and must motivate us today.

The highest tribute we can pay those who fought and sometimes died for our country is to strengthen in time of peace those values for which they struggled in time of war.

Let us pray for peace, but let us also vow that, if the test of unavoidable combat should ever come again, we will meet it with courage, and devotion to our country.

Now, Therefore, I, Jimmy Carter, President of the United States of America, do hereby designate Memorial Day, May 29, 1978, as a day for all Americans to join together in prayer for lasting peace. To that end, I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11 o'clock on the morning of that day as the appropriate time for the American people to unite in prayer.

I call upon the appropriate officials of all levels of government to fly the flag at half-staff until noon during Memorial Day on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and in all areas under its jurisdiction and control. I request the people of the United States to display the flag at half-staff from their homes and other suitable places for the same customary forenoon period.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this nineteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred seventy-eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and second.

JIMMY CARTER