Remarks Upon Presenting the Presidential Unit Citation to the 3d Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group, Military Airlift Command

Mr. Secretary Brown, General McConnell, members and former members of the Third Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group:

It gives me a great deal of genuine satisfaction and pleasure to welcome you here to this symbolic first house of this land that you have done so much to defend and to preserve.

I do so in the knowledge that we rarely attribute as much recognition through commendations, congratulations, thanks, and appreciation as we do to criticism and complaint.

There is something about our open society that gives the play to what went wrong instead of what went right. I cheerfully observed that a moment ago when I inquired of some of my friends about an event of the other day.

They said, "Well, you don't understand, Mr. President. That is good news and good news doesn't make news. It is the bad news that we really talk about. The conversation items are the bad ones."

The contributions that you have made to preserve freedom and to continue our struggle for freedom are very important to us-and are legendary.

You risked your lives, so that others might live. Not only just those of us who enjoy our freedom in this room as your fellow citizens, but the other 200 million in the country owe you a debt of everlasting gratitude.

We recognize your right to be honored here among the heroes of the land of the free and the home of the brave.

I think that some of the press, who may have made sacrifices themselves or have friends in the service now, may at least be concerned--as we all are--with what is happening in the world.

You may like to know that in all types of weather--today is a lovely day, but where they have been and what they have been doing hasn't always been lovely--over the most difficult kind of terrain--not the White House lawn--these men were faced with the peril of enemy fire. The only way you will ever know what that means is to face it. Once you face it, you never forget it. Despite the enemy fire, these men reached out, brought back to life and plucked to safety from the jungles, from the mountains, from the waters, their buddies who were downed in combat.

In Southeast Asia alone, the group has been credited with 597 combat rescues.

By their very existence, they have provided our downed fliers with the knowledge that we care about them, that they are not forgotten, and that help is on the way.

That knowledge means more than you might think, unless you have waited sometimes wondering whether help was on the way or not. Not just to help you fix a flat, not just help to refill your tank with gasoline, but whether help was on the way to permit you to live the next day.

The agonies that they have endured are being recognized here today, because to a man who is bobbing in an empty sea with the waves going over his head every few moments, or one who is crawling through a dense jungle, that is a blessing without price.

Your place of honor was not earned without great sacrifice. Seven members of this group have given their lives. Fourteen members are already listed as missing. Two have been captured. All of them have devotion and dedication to the spirit of the Third's motto, "That Others May Live."

As President of all the people of this country, I am very proud to pay tribute with this citation. It is not a banner and it is not used in a picket line, but it is recognition of the gallant men of the Third Aerospace Recovery Group.

Your courage and your self-sacrifice have provided us with a glowing example of what I believe is the best of American manhood. You are a credit to a grateful Nation.

If there is any gratitude in the Nation, if there is any recognition in the Nation, if there is any honor and pride in the Nation, it ought to go to men like you, because there is not any greater honor than is represented by that uniform and these flags.

Thank you very much.

[Secretary of the Air Force Harold Brown read the citation, the text of which follows.]

CITATION TO ACCOMPANY THE AWARD OF THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION TO THE

3D AEROSPACE RESCUE AND RECOVERY GROUP

The 3d Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group, Military Airlift Command, distinguished itself by extraordinary gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force in Southeast Asia, from 1 August 1965 to 30 June 1966. During this period, the personnel of the 3d Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group repeatedly jeopardized their own lives by exposing themselves to hostile ground and air fire while flying unarmed aircraft in order to rescue survivors downed by hostile fire. Their heroic actions resulted in the rescue and recovery of 339 friendly troops, of which 304 were saved from almost certain capture by hostile forces. The extraordinary heroism displayed by the members of the 3d Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group has had a profound impact on the morale of combat aircrews in Southeast Asia. By their gallantry and untiring devotion to duty, the personnel of the 3d Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group have reflected great credit upon themselves and the United States of America.

LYNDON B. JOHNSON