58,000 fell in defense of freedom. Their names now enshrined on a black granite wall not far from here. To all of our Vietnam Veterans gathered here in the midst of this 50th anniversary, i say thank you, and welcome home. [applaus [applause] im told that one of those veterans has come to this ceremony almost every year and almost always introduced as he was today, but i dont think his story has ever been told. And i hope he wont mind too much if i tell it today. 36 years ago this march, a First Lieutenant in the United States army, 1st battalion, 97 artillery, awoke at dawn to a massive north vietnamese attack on a hill top outpost. He and his brothers were heavily outnumbered, it took just minutes for the enemy to break through their defenses and the fighting very quickly became handtohand. History records in that moment that that young 1st lieutenant rallied his brother to stand their ground. Ordered air and artillery strikes from a dangerously exposed position for four straight hou