Thank you. For. Ladies and gentlemen will you please be seated . And in a moment, you will stand again again. As all of you know, is the largest dinner ever held at the white. And that in itself make an important i think you should also know that in this great house the most distinguished men and women of the world have been entertained. Emperors and kings and president s and leaders from virtually every nation of the world have been honored here. And of course, they have honored this house by being here. But i know that i speak for all of the american people, when i that never has the white house been more proud than it is tonight, because of the guests we have that i. Ladies and gentlemen good evening. My name is jim byron im the president and ceo of the Richard Nixon foundation. And its my honor to welcome you. Thank you. To welcome you all back. The Nixon Library, on behalf of the board of directors and the nixon, its a special privilege for us. Honor you this evening, 50 years to the day that you celebrated your homecoming at the white house. And this evening, were joined by a few special guests to celebrate with you. Representing the family of president and mrs. Please welcome tricia nixon cox, the eldest daughter of president , and mrs. Nixon. And edward cox her and the chairman of new york republican party. Ed and tricia have an distinction in that they were at the dinner 50 years ago at the white house with of you and also with. Id also like to welcome melanie eisenhower, youngest granddaughter of president. Mrs. Nixon, and the daughter of julie nixon eisenhower. And david. And melanies husband, joseph sergio. We are joined by a number of members, the board of directors of the Richard Nixon foundation, ambassador Robert Obrien, chairman of the board, charlie jiang, treasurer everett alvarez, who i know you all know. Larry, happy. Ken kat chow again, maureen and our great former governor, the state of california governor pete wilson wilson. Id like to welcome senator carper, the only vietnam war veteran serving in the United States senate, from whom we will be hearing a bit later in the evening. Thank you for being here, senator. I would be remiss if i didnt acknowledge the major sponsors, supporters of this 50th anniversary homecoming celebration. And youre now going to be able to see them on screens beside me. But id like to thank our major supporters, the air Power Foundation and american airlines. And randy lingers here this evening, who manages all the military affairs. The gary sinise foundation, in and out, sara and Ross Perot Jr in honor of ross perot, senior. Thank you for what youve done and thank you for being here. And of course, ling and jiang were underwriting the dinner this evening. Thank you. Working with the nam pal organization, we pulled together a tremendous group of Individuals Companies and foundations to welcome you here this evening. So on behalf of the nam pal organized nation and the Richard Nixon foundation, want to thank everyone for their support in a room in which everyone is a special. It can be a tad awkward to single out a few, but i know that you will support me in this brief indulgence as i want to recognize medal of honor recipient robert patterson, who was a guest this evening. He was awarded the medal of honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepid kitty in action at the risk of his life by president nixon at the white house rose garden in 1969. Thank you for being. Id like to welcome his excellency ambassador mitchell althani, the ambassador of qatar, to the United States of america. Thank you for being here, mr. Ambassador. As well as general tee, michael mosley, longtime chief of staff of the United States air force force, Major General Benjamin Watson is the commanding general of first marine division. And we not only welcome, but thank him for his support and the support of the United States marine corps to bring this 50th anniversary to life. Thank you, general. I like to recognize also tamara martin, whos the recently appointed director of nixon president ial libraries, federal operations, the National Archives and records administration. Thank you, tamara. Now lets begin our evening in prayer as Robert Certain delivers this evenings invocation. The let us pray. Well, lord, our governor blessed the leaders of our that we may be a people in, but at peace among ourselves and a blessing to other nations. The earth to the president and members of the cabinet, to governors of states, mayors of cities and in a ministry of authority, grant, wisdom and grace in the exercise of their duties to senator and representatives and those who make laws in our states, cities and towns give courage, wisdom and foresight provide for the needs of our people and to fulfill our obligations. The community of nations to the judges and of our courts give understanding and integrity that human rights may be safeguarded and justice served. We commend to your gracious care keeping all the men and women of our armed at home and abroad defend them day by day. With your heavenly grace, strengthen them in their trials, temptations, give them courage to face the perils which beset them, and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be. Look with favor. All of our members of our vietnam prisoners of war as we strive, fulfill our commitment to live in honor, give courage, patience and vision and strengthen us to speak clearly to this nation about honorable work accomplished by our men, women in uniform, in defense of this nation and our allies. And an advocate for those who have been left behind and finally teach, our people to rely on your strength and to accept their responsibilities to their fellow citizens that may elect trustworthy leaders and make wise decisions for the wellbeing of our society, and that we may serve you faithfully in our generation, on holy name for yours, the kingdom of the lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Amen. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, i now invite you to stand for the presentation. The colors in the National Anthem by the United States marine corps honor guard and o. C. Music and dance. Trumpet at the ready one, you three. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha. Oh, oh, ha. Rate, color color. Ready, see color of our present color. Uh. Oh. Oh. My. Are you are color very colored welcome. Yeah one, two. Ready . What color . Order. Color. Ready sweet. Ready, cut. Well, right bay, what . Where are. Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. Welcome. P. O. W. Everett alvarez and tom han. Thank you. On behalf of the lamp house organization, i want to take this opportunity to show our appreciation to the Richard Nixon president ial library, to the board of directors for our golden anniversary reunions, celebrating 50 years of freedom. I also want to recognize jim byron staff and the people that worked long, hard in arranging all of the events, the ceremonies beginning yesterday, followed by the tours and, the barbecue and tonights events are due. A lot of their hard work. But they did it with enthusiasm. And i could i could see that in their words. Ive expressed and i could see that we see it in the results. And so i you all to know that this is truly appreciated for all of the staff and volunteers and all worked on these events. I also want to to note, fellows, you youve received enough attention now and well, you know, for the past 50 years each of you in your own way have been telling our and what you have done is that you have established a legacy of what we are and what we represent. All of you. You know, our circumstances were unique, but what recognize and what the american recognizes is how we dealt with those circumstances. They recognize that, you know, you responded with character, courage, resiliency and honor. And thats what they see when you talk about the p. O. W. Of the vietnam war, because. I those statements from people, strangers all the time, and im sure you do exactly that. So this that we now have established is one thats going to its going to be around for generations. And all i want say is, you guys, you can be of that. But i want to note that. We came home 50 years ago, but many did not and i have we have tom hatton to remind of those memories and what were doing to to remember our enemies. Theres nothing more enthusiasm for me than being around a bunch of like minded, warriors and patriots and tonight, just the pure, the best of all for of you who are unfamiliar with how warriors pay homage to their missing this small table is the vietnam war era depiction of that. A little history was started in tactics conferences in thailand in the midsixties when the navy marines and force Fighter Pilots gathered to improve their tactics. And at the end of those tactics conferences they would have a dinner not allow elaborate as this dinner but similar more formal as formal as you can be in a combat zone and i dont know the name and i dont think the names of the guys who designed this table. But ill describe items that are on this table to give you the context of how we pay homage to our missing men and todays world to be men and women. I use that term generically so the small table indicates, one man soldiers battle against many. Its covered with white tablecloth to honor the soldiers pure heart. When he answers his countrys call to duty, he laments slices placed on the plate with grains of salt. To show a captive soldiers bitter fate and the tears of the families who wait for that. Patriots return in an chair is at the table for the missing soldiers who are not with us tonight. The black is for the sorrow of captivity. For those who were p. O. W. And the turned glass, the symbolic of the meal will not be eaten. The white is for peace. And finally the red rose in the vase tied with a red ribbon is for the hope that all of our missing will return someday. Lets eat. Ladies and gentlemen, wed like to begin the program this evening. In your honor, with someone was not only there years ago at the white house dinner on south lawn, but whose negotiating skills in paris representing president nixon no doubt helped put the wheels in motion that secured your freedom. Dr. Henry kissinger would be here with you this evening, but he celebrates his 100th birthday on saturday. So i think you can understand that travel to california would be difficult. So begin this Evenings Program with dr. Kissinger. Individually to be permitted to speak to you on the 10th anniversary of my last address to you and the 50th anniversary of celebrate sitting with you. You return from captivity. No. If you could to president nixon would would to the safety and return of the prisoners of war which he inherited from the predecessors. But he could do it also in personal duty for the sake of all the people who relied on america that. Led give up in that support of an ally because would shake the defense of people in america. I met weekly. Often at any rate, free the with the white house who came to see what be done to expedite your return. But im happy to tell you that the these meetings were. Attended at mutual support and that the effort to encourage them and live to blame the government never succeeded. You performed a service. At a difficult and temporary state created for america. But fortitude the fortitude of your family is. And the dignity dignity with which you pull your fate fate will long be remembered remembered. At the end of the war. I paid a visit to hanoi to ride up the details. And you captors offered me to take. John mccain with me on my plane as the first prisoner to be returned. But but i knew. That to take. One person an plane out of the mind of suffrages suffrages. And for that prisoner to be the son of the commander of pacific would not have been appropriate appropriate. So when i. John mccain. Three months later, after the president endured, i was wondering what he would say to me. But he made it easy. He came up me and said, i want to you for saving my honor. He became a lifelong friend. And he became me a symbol of what you achieved achieved, which was to. The honor and purpose. Of your country. Thank you for giving me, this opportunity to talk to. This is my hand to you. So look forward to you all. At your next 10th anniversary week. Ladies, gentlemen from the state of delaware please welcome United States senator tom carper. Hello, delaware oh, sir, where am i . When i was in the navy, used to be stationed up the road at Moffett Field naval air station. Pete. Pete. I were buddies when i was governor, and its to be back out here. We have a son who lives up and in san francisco. I am anybody here. Ever been to delaware . Anybody here ever incorporated. Anybody even did our five star beaches . We have more five star beaches than any state in america. You know, weve had great beaches, great beaches, the constitution of our country was first ratified in delaware, you know, on december seven, 1787, for anybody else to did it. We took the constitution which was sent down from philadelphia. 25 men met to the Golden Fleece in dover, delaware, debated it and embraced it and voted for it unanimously. For one whole week, starting on seven 1787, for one whole week. Delaware was the entire United States. America. Im told it was a good week. Good week. Democracy is a hard way to govern. Winston churchill used to say democracy is the worst form of government devised by word of man, except for all the rest. It is a hard way to govern. And those of us who have been privileged to in Elective Office and state level, local level, national level, know exactly what that what that means. I want to take just a minute to note the words of our constitution or words on a piece of paper. Theyre made real by the sacrifice of men, women who wear the uniform the army, navy, air force, marines, coast and are willing to risk their life and limb to save our democracy, to protect our constitution and to make sure that our children and grandchildren, great grandchildren, have a country like this to grow up in. Vietnam. Vietnam veterans, as much as any veterans known, have helped protect that democracy. Thank you for remembering that, making sure that we give them the tribute and the appreciation that they deserve. I wonder i have a printed speech. Im to just set it aside and. Just talk to you from my from my. Im the last vietnam veteran serving in the United States senate. Im also the grandson of a gold star mother and son of a navy chief petty officer for 30 years. My uncles were sergeants and in the marine corps and in the army in World War Two and korea after that. I was lucky enough when i was 17 years old, when Navy Scholarship and went to i stayed economics and graduated and became a naval flight officer. I graduated in 68, right at the height of the war, right at the height of the vietnam war. And a week later, all a week later, i was on my way to pensacola florida to become a naval flight officer. A year later, joined my squadron, Moffett Field, california a navy p3 squadron, and we were on our way to southeast, the first of three deployments that i would would take. Our job in that part of the world was to fly u. S. Surveillance missions, tracking soviet submarines from the sea japan into the indian ocean, the west coast of the United States. All the way through to the south china sea. Our jobs were also to to conduct surveillance operations, to intercept infiltrator trawlers down from north vietnam, to resupply the viet cong in South Vietnam in their efforts to overthrow the government of the South Vietnam. Our our ally believing that we would track these charge they look like fishing boats but they werent in many cases they had arms and other kind of other kinds of bad weaponry and they were just trying to get into resupply vietcong. Our job was to hand the those of trawlers, those infiltrated trawlers to the Navy Swift Boats and the coast guard. One of the captains of a navy swift boat, it was a guy named john kerry. Highly decorated, highly decorated member of the the navy at the time. And the we that was the First Time Ever met him. Later, id meet john. John mccain. We become brothers in. Brothers in a bond. If you know what what, what, what . I mean. Later, i have the. The opportunity after being in the navy to go back to go to delaware and get an mba and and to also be elected office. When i was elected nine years later to 29 elected state treasurer, my ten years. Six years later was elected to congress and joined john mccain who were not reelected on the same but that job beginning that day i started went to work to see we got to find out whats happened to our inmates. We got to find out what happened to the folks that i served with, that john served and others, john kerry. So we got to find out what happened to them and get to the truth. We started seeing you may recall pictures on the cover of newsweek pictures on the cover of Time Magazine and major newspapers of folks who were alleged to be u. S. Military personnel being held after the war by the vietnamese as prisoners and i was visited by a lot of war veterans organizations who said, you ought to do something about this. Youre a vietnam veteran. Why dont you do about this . And i put together congressional delegation, bypassed that congressional delegation. The house and we went to see president George Walker bush and said mr. Youve been seeing these pictures. Your have been seeing these pictures. We ought to do something. It thank god he count me in and what we did is we put together a coda all the bipartisan goodwill, and we went to vietnam, cambodia and laos. We first landed in saigon, in vietnam, met with some of the leadership there. We were arrived at a time when these Vietnamese Communist Party was holding a like a convention, if you will, in hanoi, to select their other leader for the next generation. And president bush had said there was a gorbachev person, gorbachev like person in the communist. If that person ends up as the leader of vietnam, thats somebody we can deal with and somebody we can work with and maybe, maybe even find the truth about our image. And in the end, they and have normalized relations. We went over there like arrived to saigon. They hadnt their Party Convention up in hanoi. So we went on to cambodia. What found in cambodia was a criminal ring had been using dummied up pictures of soviet nationals in their news magazines. Back in russia and they cut them out and they they made them appear to be soldiers and they used them to extort money from the families. P. O. W. S literally that ring was uncovered when we were in nam pan and camp in cambodia. We went there on into laos and then back into to vietnam. Were about ready to leave. Went into hanoi earlier and they they hadnt finished their Party Convention. So we but anyway, we ended up back in hanoi, back in rather than saigon. And it was about time for us to come home. And we got a phone call from. The folks up in in hanoi who said that to the communist party has been finished. The liberation they have selected as new leader of our the change and gorbachev my guy it was the guy that president bush told about his name is doumani. And they they to moy once before you go back to the us he wants you to come and meet with him next morning we got on a plane airforce. We flew up to hanoi and we went to meet him and we met in a beautiful beautiful home in hanoi and we met in a large living room and was six of us, a couple of aides, two more came in and he had a couple of aides, an interpreter with with him. And we shook hands and sat down. And what i would do when wed meet with foreign leaders like that, i would introduce one by one the leaders, the of my codel, who they what they were they come from. I we gotten word that the my had been a house painter at one time. Well, one of my guys in my delegation. From maryland, wayne gilligan, hed been house painter. We found out to my had been a teacher at one time. Well as it turns out Wayne Gilchrist had been a teacher at one time. We found out that dimaggio had served in the military when gilchrist served in the military, trying to do more, he was injured severely. So was Wayne Gilchrist. And when i went through all this, all of a sudden quemoy asked me just to stop, and he said to Wayne Gilchrist, sitting about ten feet apart, almost like across the table. And the more i said to Wayne Gilchrist, he said, youre in a room. Where were you shot . And wayne started telling me what part of the country he was on. And he said, no, in your body. And pointed to his right here in his chest and the more he stood up and, he said to wayne, may i see your wound . And wayne just there. None of us moved and. Then he said again, may i see your wound. We all sat there frozen, and he got up and he walked across room where wayne was singing. You reach down and gently pick him up. Were wearing these loose white shirts, loose things, white shirts. And he picked them up and and he said once again, me, i see your wound. And then he turned around and lifted up his shirt and there in his back and right on his back was this really ugly wound still there. And then i took his finger and he just went around the circumference of the of the wound, pulled down the shirt, and they the embrace. I want to tell you, i thought we were going to just fall over. I didnt know. I was just stunned. Tears flowed and about 2 minutes later we got his composure back. He said, john. And i said, mr. Slater, we have a roadmap to relations that president bush has asked us to give you and there are things that we want you to help us to do. We have hundreds of men. Weve never found out what happened to them. Theyre missing their families. Youre wondering theyre missing them. And we want we need your help. We need to be able to excavate the crash sites. We need to interview your people. We need to be to go into museums and, get all kind of information so we can basically put to rest the concerns of the families and to credit, he said he would agree to do that. And we agreed if they would do, then we would establish a telecommunication that was the first step and then did more. We did more, they did more. We did more. Today, their u. S. Military ships in ports in vietnam. We have we actually have operations within. There are number nine. Number nine trading partner in the world. Theyre number ten. We have about we have hundreds thousand millions of vietnamese people live in our country. And there are some of the finest citizens we have in this country. I just want to share that with you and tell you that. Something good, something good has come out of something was very difficult. My generation for a lot of people in this room peace about years ago six years ago in mubaraks last years president he invited kerry, john mccain and i to go with him back to vietnam to take the next in really improving relations, involve the sale of military hardware, that sort of thing. Military joint exercises with the vietnamese and so we we went we went in air force one. We landed. And i had morning open morning. The second day we were there and i jumped in a cab and i rode over to the hanoi hilton and its smaller than it used be. And i went in, told them who i was a very nice young man, maybe about 20, 25 years old, spoke very good english. He was in charge of receiving guests, showing them around, and he was nice enough to show me around. One of the people photographs you saw was john mccain. We had a lot of johns pictures there, not much. Pete peterson, who would air force shot down and served many years in hanoi hilton. Later, congressman florida and eventually the first u. S. Ambassador reunite in vietnam. Pete peterson said some of, you know him anyway, saw those pictures and then i came to a large portrait as a comic. But it wasnt a black and white picture. It wasnt a color photograph. It was a very large portrait. And i said to the young man who was going with, me, he said, i said, who that . And he said, that is our old leader. He used to be our of our country many years ago. And i said, what is his name was him. And he said to my. I said, youre kidding. He said, no its the moy. He used to be our leader and i said, ive met my and i, he said, i said, if you met him and the young man said he was here two weeks ago and he said in the hanoi hilton and he. Yes. And i said, well, do you ever see him again . He said, he comes here regularly. He comes directly. And i said, would you give him a note from and read it him. He said he would. I reached in my pocket, pulled out one of my business cards and wrote on the back of it this message in english. I you want to go fast, go along if you want to go far travel together. And to my we decided travel together. Your country is better for it. And so is ours. And to all the men and women who sacrificed, laid their lives on the line at a time, a tough time in our country. I those that are still alive and those are not. I just want to say youre sacrifice your service was has been purposeful and that this generation my generation and i think our childrens generation and others will for a long time appreciate that peace when i when i get introduced around the country to speak people talk when on this committee and that committee and this legislation and that this is governor, as long as we have the energy and, you know, what do people stop and really start to applaud is when im introduced. The last vietnam veteran serving in the United States senate that compared to what it was like 30, 20, 30 years ago, its changed enormously. And i just wish that the folks who didnt get the kind welcome home and appreciation that we would like to have gotten, i wish they could here to feel it now because its real and, its tangible. And for all of that generation, my generation, i just want to say thanks. Its great to be home. Thank you so much. And. Ladies and gentlemen, him the fallen. And. I. Im. Thank you to bennie bing choo, accompanied by ossie and dance for that beautiful music. Thank you. Id also like to thank senator carper for leading the efforts the United States senate to properly fittingly honor the men in this room. Thank you for what youre doing, senator. Perhaps no private american citizen played more of a role spotlighting the p. O. W. Mia cause than ross perot. Senior senior. You all know better than me that mr. Perot was more than just a friend, was an advocate and a Problem Solver who joined the nixon in giving a voice to your cause, mr. Perot spoke this very room on this very stage ten years ago, and heres a little reminder of what he had say. Now, id like to thank all of you again for the incredible things you have done for our country and the incredible sacrifices youve all for our country and we are where we are today. Thanks to people like you. And i would like to ask the audience whos here tonight to join me with british tradition of three cheers for all the drivers and their families here tonight. I will say it and all of us, you stay here, right here. About that. Ill raise my voice. You raise your voice when you say hooray, ill sell it. Just to say the third time around, as loud as i can. And i want you to blow roof off the building. Are you ready . Hip up here. Hip, hip, hip, hip hip. Ross perot, seniors, boundless generosity is his legacy. That legacy continues through his son, ross jr. I want to thank him, his wife sarah, for making possible that incredible special exhibition right here at the nixon that opened today to. The public, in honor of all of you our p. O. W. S and its called captured shot down vietnam. Thank you very much. And if any of you or your kids, your grandkids like to listen to podcasts and ive got a great one for you because like the exhibit its called captured and you can download it now all podcast platforms and sarah and Ross Perot Jr made that podcast possible as well on behalf of ross perot senior. Thank you, ross. Its now my pleasure to welcome you to the Nixon Library this evening. We. Again jim thank you very much. It is a tremendous honor for me to be here to try represent my father, which is a task, but if you remember, on the 30th anniversary, my father here and he wrote you a letter and at the back of that letter i actually have it says p. S. Our be at the 40th and 50th reunion he didnt make the 50th but he is here with us. Spirit, as you can see with that hip, hip, hooray and when i come ive been so blessed. I dont know how many reunions ive been to with this p. O. W. A family. And it is like a Family Reunion for me because i grew up with these great. In the men in this room. Youre my heroes. I want to be like you. And i joined the air force because the inspiration that you gave me and robby was my graduation speaker. Vance robby gave me his wings when i became an air force pilot. And right before robby passed away as able to put those on my son when he became an air force pilot. Thank you. And i at the age rose fortunate enough i could with the vietnam p. O. W. Jeff ellis was on mine structures advance and we had a great time in the squadron fred flom. I was able to fly off his wing. And i learned very quickly we had general moseley here with us, chief of the air force eight. Chief, i learned when you fly with the former p. O. W. , there are no rules. And i assure you as a young first lieutenant, i wanted to fly with fred flom because did things that the air force told us we couldnt do through the years. We had those great reunions at the ranch. In your memory, those t38 by and my bird force pilot thunderbird flew the g eight and said hey boss what you want me to do . I said, bird man, these are p. O. W. S. There are no rules. You give them the best possible show you could give them because these deserve that show. And my wife and i were there and we made this all approved is because were right next to daves at the airport. Faa had come in approve the whole thing i think mad about it might have been about 50 feet and full afterburner when he came over and what was great, i looked over at the faa official was watching us it it was staring his feet he didnt want to report what he saw. It. So if you look at the life weve had within, my father decides run for president. Who helps him . Orson swindle. Orson, youre here. God bless your son for your friendship, your who is his Vice President . Admiral stockdale. Wonderful. Admiral stockdale. God bless you. And they were General Motors in our working on the air force from war together when we needed help and we go to congressman johnson, we always had sam and i would see sam in the halls of congress in that golf cart with his thunderbird patch right at the front of that golf cart, with that huge smile. And the last time i saw he was in our office in his wheelchair as my father there during, the p. O. W. Exhibit at the office and looked up at my father and you said if it wasnt for you, i wouldnt be alive today. And that that is the most important thing that our family we could hear is, because we truly love the men that served and were p. O. W. S and all the Vietnam Veterans and the impact youve on my life has been stunning and its one that i will never forget. And if you remember our 45th reunion just a few years back and you remember the that came over to about 500 feet above the ranch with the bombay doors open again, theres a little bit of that. General, we had to call general moseley. Now, chief, how do we get this b52 . Somehow it just showed up and somehow that young pilot that b52 understood there no rules. If you had the p. O. W. S to take care of in this for you that werent there youre flying over neighborhoods on a friday afternoon at 500 feet with the bombay doors over. The best part of this story is everybody was briefed. Everybody knew neighbors started calling 911. Whats happening . And we said the police all everybody figured their were they said, look, this is the vietnam theater these and everyone said outstanding. No one filed a complaint. So you are the spirit, america. You are heroes, youre what makes this nation great. And thank you for this great impact. Youve had on my life, my familys life and this nation. God bless, you and god bless everybody in this room. Thank you. All our guests, amigos. All like everyone else for this stage tonight. I, too, went to vietnam to visit you men. I went for two reasons because my own was fighting there and because i wanted to pay my respects. To his home safe. Thank god. And because i wanted to pay my respects to all of the fighting. There. But if we are going to get together again, i must much rather do it this way. Not only do i not have to travel so far, but lets face it the food is a little better here. I. Asked for two nights. I am honored like all of us are, to be here. Pay my respects. One more, once more to you. Men who shared the brotherhood of pain and suffering thank god that is all behind you. And now we can all join hands and share in their brotherhood of peace and joy i. I am very grateful to the president bringing us all together and to you men for representing country with such dignity, such courage. You magnificent. I am very honored to be here. Very honored to be here with the president of this great country of ours, as president , who made this evening possible by getting you men all. You know, i want to tell you, when you stepped off those airplanes, that there are just one dry eye in the country and, all of us that were short of plug for you when we suddenly realized that you were really whole, it was like the whole world sort of stopped long enough to make things in this country. My wishes for you. Oh, there are a lot of i. I wish peace for you i wish calm i. I wish you happy illness which you certainly earn. And i think youre going to get so from may and from millions of people who love their country. I just want to thank you for serving your country with honor. And thank you, mr. President , for making this evening what it is like to. Know ive been to say that if you didnt know, i want you to real a real right here that did a sensational job in vietnam shaking and hed done a great job. Hes a great citizen in every category related. Gentlemen, mr. John wayne. Right. Mr. President , ladies and, gentlemen, i. I guess i feel like all americans, were sorry that about 40,000 of your comrades in arms cant be here. Ive said it before, and ill say it again. I think theres a country. Its a lot off than you got. Exactly. Ink as a lot of other president s bring us, all together like this tonight, im happy all you fellows, your families could get here to be with him. I feel pretty good that he has this chance to meet you all because you all have a lot in common. You hang in there when john was up so ready stuck by your gun gun. You stuck by your guns already you love this blessed country. And so rosie, so to all of us human all great thanks for showing the whole world. The kind of man a free country can put up when the going gets rough you know the best we have and ill ride off into the sunset with you any time. Just one more thing before i sit down. I want to thank you, mr. President. Not for any one thing. Just everything. Like. Ambassador Robert Obrien knows a thing or two about hostage negotiations from 2018 to 2019. He served as president trumps representative, traveling around the world leading secret negotiations that directly brought 25 distressed americans home and out of harms way. Ambassador obrien then served as the 27th National Security adviser to the president , United States and the nixon today benefits immensely from his strategic guidance as chairman of the board of directors. Please welcome ambassador obrien. All right. I would never have agreed to speak this order following john wayne, Jimmy Stewart and bob hope. Had you told me that jim, i would have gone earlier in the program. But thank you. And tricia and melanie. Thank you. I feel like were your guests. And i see youre your father and your grandfather. It must be bittersweet. I grew up at the time when. We saw him on tv every night. You know, the three networks. And youre in that distinctive voice. And its one of the great things about the Nixon Foundation. The Nixon Library is the families. Julian, tricia and chris and melanie and the other members of the nixon family. And im just grateful for you having us tonight. Its very special to have you here. And i think for everyone here, were grateful for you. So thank you very much. So, senator, thank you for your words. Governor, madam first lady. Thank you, mr. Ambassador. All the general officers weve got here, distinguished guests. Its such a huge honor for little marie and me to be here. You know, roberts National Security adviser. I just have to go over to the pentagon from time to time. We go in the tank and meet with the chairman of the joint chiefs and the chiefs understand that chief and mark really had a running gag, would do it every time he did to say, okay, pay attention. Weve got army reserve jag officer major robert here. Hes here to give you a briefing. Attention to them. Well, we kind of laugh, but i sure feel that today with with all of you here, its such an honor for for a lot more, amy, to be here. You know on april and april, 1962. There was a white house dinner for noble nobel laureates, and there was a famous quote the president kennedy said. He said i think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of Human Knowledge that has ever been gathered together at the white house, with the possible exception of when thomas dined alone. Now, thats a great quote, but think weve got a quote somewhere tonight and that is here in the east room, the Nixon Library. We have the most extraordinary collection of human honor, courage, patriotism and heroism thats ever been gathered anywhere. And i want to thank all the and their families and especially the families who are here with them tonight. God bless you and thank you. So its hard to believe 50 years ago you were at the white house. Ten years ago. You were here in this beautiful east. Which which for those of us whove been there, its it reminds us of that. And now 50 years has passed and since youve been brought home and your ranks are thinned. And i know thats hard, but your honor is undiminished. The love of your country and your devotion still inspires all of us. You kept faith with america and president nixon in the nixon family kept faith with you. Now my years of special presence along the way for hostage affairs, i was involved bringing some americans home, and during president trumps term, he brought 55 captives home from around the world and that appreciate that experience give me an appreciation for the skill and the determination and the patience and the persistence that president nixon and dr. Kissinger, my predecessor, who we saw earlier, devoted to bringing you home. They had to deal with an entrenched, intransigent and inhumane enemy, and their efforts were undermined. And i had this happen to me well by naive and unhelpful by peace activists and celebrity whose wellbeing they were, wellmeaning they were. Now, on december 18th, 1972, and i had this conversation who i was able to visit many of your tables, not all of them. And i forward to seeing most of you. If i ever didnt see you before president. Nixon made a very tough decision, and it was a controversial decision. He called he called it the most difficult decision of the war. And when he sent the b52s in, when operation linebacker took place. And i found this in experience, you had to be tough if you want to get our people home. And four months after operation linebacker, you were all home pieces. Right. So for all your years of captivity you mean the prisoners of war, the missing in action were always foremost in the president s mind. He wrote in his memoirs, each p. O. W. Was an individual to me obtaining their release became a burning cause. He named his close friend and his military aid general john hughes as the white house liaison. And dr. Kissinger met weekly with the families, as he mentioned, of the National League of p. O. W. Marriage families from january 20th, 1969, the day he was first inaugurated until march 29th, 1973. The light of the day the last of you was released and saved. President nixon focused on bringing you home and bringing you home with dignity. His efforts were the most difficult and most successful hostage negotiation in american history. Now sadly the basic knowledge of our shared american including your stories these are these Amazing Stories each of you have or not been to our kids in school. And their ability to learn by americans. Last year, the Annenberg Public Policy Center and the annenberg is were big supporters. You know, this foundation, this library conducted the Technology Survey and. It found that 37 of the respondents couldnt name of the freedoms guaranteed in the First Amendment of the bill of rights. Less than one in four of the respondents could name the religious freedom was one of the freedoms protected. The First Amendment civil rights. Only 26 of the respondents to the survey could name the three branches of our government. So describe these results of the study, the centers director warned we are unlikely to cherish, protect and exercise of rights if we dont, we have them. Our children and our grandchildren are not learning the principles and values that sustained you in those nights and those long days in that faraway land. Now the Nixon Foundation is working to change that and the nixon family. Family is working to change that. And so tonight, im pleased to announce. A 40 million American Civics Campaign to revive the teaching understanding of civics and american in our country. The American Civics Campaign will ensure that the Nixon Library remains active. Center for the study of americas heritage and our role in the world and contributions to the campaign will fund, among other things, the following the construction of a hands on Education Center that will use simulations and, you know, we got to have a little interaction and Online Learning days to teach about our constitution and the extraordinary system of government that. Our Founding Fathers gave us that senator carper, about the construction, a magnificent special exhibition hall that will be here on the library premises. Weve got a nice small hall now. Were going to have a wonderful 15,000 square foot hall that will host visitors from around the world. Well build a president ial transportation pavilion to permanently house marine one. A marine ones a great ive had the privilege of flying on marine one and others in the room have weve got a great marine one here. It flew president johnson, president kennedy, president nixon. But is its got a little wear and tear on the weather. Were going to build a beautiful pavilion to taos, marine one, and itll be a teaching that space as well. It also has the president s armored Lincoln Continental limousine, which we call the beast. So im happy to tell you. We already have 26. 1 million in pledges towards our 40 million. All the government of qatar is providing half the campaigns entire target with a 20 million gift. Cutters generosity commemorates the 50th anniversary of the establishment of relations between the United States and qatar and earlier year. As many of you know, President Biden designated qatar as a major ally of the United States. Now theres 2023 step. So as president foresight regarding this gulf back in 1972, again nixon its 50 years later and nixons in the headlines because of the relationship that he established with the emir with the Family Member and and close Family Member of the masters. So the Nixon Foundation name the special exhibit exhibition hall for the state of qatar. In recognition of the soaring diplomatic relations between our nations. The state of qatar and his highness the emirate represented evening by his excellency Sheikh Michel bin hamad althani, cutters ambassador, the United States sheikh. I take this the moment. Meshaal is not just a colleague, hes a friend and of know tonight i can disclose that ambassador althani was involved in the events leading to the friend american hostage named jeff wuttke, whod been held for many years in mali. And so, michel, thank you for your not only not only for the contribution qatar, but for your efforts on behalf of american hostages and captives around the world. We sincerely appreciate, barbara and alex, both longtime supporters, the library for their pledge of 3 million that will go to the construction of the transportation pavilion. And over the past several and friends of the library ive gotten to know them well Lincoln Charlie zang have been very generous donors donors of the foundation, including the support for tonights event and the music that was provided here for us, which, by the way, the music was just terrific. Thank you. Now monday, charlie, whos a board member and a good friend, informed jim byron of me that he and ling would make a further contribution 2 million to fund the construction, the transportation pavilion. So now i will say. This was over lunch and ling wasnt with us. And so i said, charlie, im going to announce this. You may want to tell ling before the dinner so she doesnt hear about it from. Me, you know, over the over the podium, sir. So thank you. Lang. And thank you, charlie. One of the perks of being the National Security adviser is you the opportunity to meet extraordinary americans. And we have two of them here tonight. You heard from ross jr. But sir. And ross perot are great americans. Thank you for everything youve done for this country. And. I, like the nixons, have got to see their dad, their it was great seeing ross in your honor. I know we all grew up with them watching him on tv and then it was a great scene. I know its probably tough on you that hes not here tonight, but i know hes looking down on us and. So is president nixon. Theyre looking and saw the that arent with us tonight. Theyre looking down. Theyre proud of everybody here and so when i reached out, we had we wanted to do an exhibit with tonights dinner and the exhibit everything costs these days. And so we turned the pros to tell the story. And i probably shouldnt say this i sent an email. I said, ross, you know, i got to know ross a little bit before becoming chairman of the library. Can you support this is something you be willing to support. And he wrote back and said, well handle it. Of course, i didnt tell him how much it was. So i didnt we didnt take advantage of this. And but but were grateful for that. And were grateful for the support over many years, not just tonight, but over the many years that your family, your dad has supported the p. O. W. S and library. Now talking about hostages, theres something the pros know. As you know, they supported the p. O. W. Its like nobody else. But they also know something about getting hostages home. So if you havent read folletts on the wings of eagles, go. Go and find about what the pros did and what Ross Perot Jr did to get hostages out iran. And thats not an easy task. I know. I was able to get some people of iran, unfortunately, are still people that were there that i couldnt get home. But it was pretty amazing. So we can follow this book for you. The chance now Richard Nixon said that you were courageous, the p. O. W. You were courageous in your actions, but your most courageous in your captivity and his personal diaries. So on a daily basis that he was thinking about you and how humbled he was by your heroism. The president was overwhelmed by the fact that you presented him that night that weve been watching tonight, this evening. And for those of you i know, the p. O. W. Is not what it said, but others may not. It was inscribed our leader, our comrade richard the lionheart. It he treasured that gift. Now, as we bring this 50th Anniversary Dinner to a close, let me share a passage from president nixons memoirs as he spoke about the first night that we had at the white house. Well, i saw it on tv as a kid, but you had at the white house trace out of the white house. Tricia was only one years old at that event. The show did not end until after midnight wrote. And the dancing went until after 2 00. But pat, i went upstairs around 1230. I kissed her goodnight and i went to the lincoln sitting room. And as i before the fire, listening to the sounds of the music and the laughter coming up from downstairs, i felt this is one of the greatest nights of my life. There were no words then, and there are really none now that could describe the joy and the satisfaction that i felt at the thought that i had played role in bringing these men back. And are they who are so completely courageous and, admirable, admirable, general seemed to consider the decisions i had about the war to be courageous and admirable ones. Ill leave it with that. May god bless you. May god bless the United States of america. And as we close can, i invite you to not not to join me, because i cant sing as my wife will tell you, but get together. Can we sing . Bless america. Thank you. You know, now id like to sing the song for you, but doesnt take much from this because what little i ever had has left me completely nervous on ill sing one chorus for you and then ill ask you to sing finish rest of it. The song, of course, is one that is closer to me than any ever written. I am talking about god bless america. God bless america. Learn that i love, stand beside and. Through the night with a long. From the moment news to release to the ocean why with all gods bless america more more so we owe you all from the lord has. Sung why. Mary oh. Sweet. Married call me. So. He. Thank you to all. Ladies and gentlemen. That concludes vietnam prisoners of war 50th anniversary homecoming. Thank you for coming. God bless you and god bless america
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