U.S. President George W. Bush on Tuesday marked Veterans Day, an annual American holiday honoring military veterans, at a New York pier that is home to the World War II aircraft carrier Intrepid.
The helicopter carrying Bush touched down on the flight deck of the newly restored Intrepid in the morning as some 2,500 veterans and New York state and city officials and other VIPs joined him in honoring Veterans Day.
Speaking to the crowd, which included New York Governor David A. Paterson, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Scott Carpenter, Bush praised U.S. servicemen and women for their commitment and dedication to the nation.
"War on Terror has required courage, it has required resolve, equal to what previous generations of Americans brought to the fields of Europe and the deep waters of the Pacific," said Bush. "And I'm proud to report to my fellow citizens, our armed forces, the armed forces of this generation, have showed up for the fight."
"Veterans have inspired me," Bush said. "I was raised by a veteran. I appreciate the commitment to our country that the veterans have made."
Also on the day, Bush was presented with the Intrepid Freedom Award, which honors his promotion and defense of the values of freedom.
Bush is only the second sitting president to visit the museum, its president Bill White said.
The Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum is located at North River Pier 86 on the West Side of Manhattan. The museum showcases USS Intrepid, the submarine USS Growler, and a Lockheed A-12 supersonic reconnaissance plane.
The museum expects 1 million visitors in the next year to see the new exhibits aboard the 29,000-ton ship.
In addition to the event, a parade, the largest of its kind in the nation, was held on the day in New York as well. The parade, whose theme was "Legacy of Honor" this year, was aimed at paying tribute to veterans of all eras.
Both a federal holiday and a state holiday in all states, Veterans Day, which was first proclaimed by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson as an Armistice Day for November, 12, 1919, is now observed on November 11 each year.
The Intrepid returned last month to the pier where it has served for 24 years as a military and space museum. In late 2006, the carrier was moved for extensive repairs and improvements costing nearly 120 million dollars.
Source:Xinhua
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