Transcripts For CSPAN3 Politics And Public Policy Today 2016

Let us pray. Lord, god, source of all that is good and just, be with us now and help us begin this ceremony in gratitude, for this opportunity to recognize and honor your gifts of courage and selfless service. Witnessed to us in these heroic acts of Lieutenant Colonel charles kettles. Let his courage remind us today and tomorrow of the great Human Dignity that possesses an indomitable spirit to serve and protect those most in need. We ask now that Lieutenant Colonel kettles actions we honor provide hope and inspiration for those who face the perils of terror and danger as they serve their brothers and sisters. Lord, bless this ceremony, the acts we honor, that they may strengthen the values that we hold dear in this nation, in our military, and our families, and our way of life. We ask all this in your holy name, amen. Good morning, everybody. Please have a seat. Welcome to the white house. Of all the privileges of this office, none is greater than serving as the commander in chief of the finest military that the world has ever known. And of all the military decorations that our nation can bestow, we have none higher than the medal of honor. As many who know him have said, nobody deserves it more than charles kettles, of indianapolis la ypsilanti, michigan. Many believe that, except for chuck. As he says, this seems like a hell of a fuss over something that happened 50 years ago. Even now, all these years later, chuck is still defined by the humility that shaped him as a soldier. At 86 years old, he still looks sharp as a tack in that uniforp. I pointed out he obviously has not gained any weight. And his life is as american as they come. Hes the son of an immigrant. His father signed up to fly for the United States the day after pearl harbor, and filled his five boys with a deep sense of duty to their country. For a time, he even served in the army reserves. For a time, even as he served in the army reserve, chuck ran a ford dealership with his brother. And to families who drove a new car off that lot, hes the salesman who helped put an American Icon in their driveway. To the aviation students at michigan university, chuck is the professor who taught them about the wonder of flight in the country that invented it. To the constituents he served as a rare republican in his home towns mostly democratic city council, hes the Public Servant who made sure their voices were heard. And to ann, his beautiful bride, who grew up literally as the girl next door, chuck is a devoted husband. Next march, they will celebrate their 40th anniversary. Happy early anniversary. So in a lot of ways, chuck kettles is america. And to the dozens of american soldiers he saved in vietnam half a century ago, chuck is the reason they lived and came home and had children and grandchildren. Entire family trees made possible by the actions of this one man. We are honored to be joined not only by ann, but also eight of chuck and anns ten children, and three of their grandchildren. Its the kettles Family Reunion here in the white house. Were also honored to be joined by chucks brothers in arms from vietnam. And some of chucks newest comrades, members of the medals of honor society. May 15th, 1967, started as a hot monday morning. Soldiers from the 101st airborne were battled hundreds of heavily armed north vietnamese in a rural riverbed. Our men were outnumbered. They needed support fast. Helicopters to get the wounded out and bring more soldiers into the fight. Chuck kettles was a hero pilot. And just as he volunteered for active duty, on this morning, he volunteered his hueys, even though he knew the danger. They call this place chump valley for a reason. Above the riverbed rose a 1500foottall hill, and an energy had dug in a series of tunnels and bunkers. The ideal spot for an ambush. Chuck jumped into the cockpit and took off. Around 9 00 a. M. , his company approached the landing zone and looked down. They should have seen a stand of green trees. Instead, they saw a solid wall of green enemy tracers coming right at them. None of them had ever seen fire that intense. Soldiers in the hilos were hit and killed before they could even leap off, but under withering fire, chuck landed his chopper and kept it there exposed so the wounded could get on and so he could fly them back to base. A second time, chuck went back into the valley. He dropped off more soldiers and supplies. Picked up more wounded. Once more, machine gun bullets and mortar rounds came screaming after them. As he took off a second time, rounds pierced the arm and leg of chucks door gunner, rahalened shank. Chucks huey was hit. Fuel was pouring out as he flew away. But chuck had wounded men aboard and decided to take his chances. He landed, found another helicopter, and flew rowland to the field hospital. By now, it was near evening. Back in the riverbed, 44 american soldiers were still pinned down. The air was thick with gun powder, smells of burning metal, and then they heard a faint sound. As the sun started to set, they saw something rise over the horizon. Six american helicopters, ozone of them said, as beautiful as could be. For a third time, chuck and his unit headed into that hell on earth. Death or injury was all but certain. A fellow pilot said later, and a lesser person would not return. Once again, the enemy unloaded everything they had on chuck as he landed. Small arms, automatic weapons, rocket propelled grenades. Soldiers ran to the helicopters. When chuck was told all were accounted for, he took off. And then, midair, his radio told him something else. Eight men had not made it aboard. They had been providing cover for the others. Those eight soldiers had run for the choppers but could only watch as they floated away. We all figured we were done for, they said. Chuck came to the same conclusion. If we left them for ten minutes, he said, they would be p. O. W. S or dead. A soldier woo was there said that day major kettles became our john wayne. With all due respect to john wayne. He couldnt do what chuck kettles did. He broke off from formation, took a steep, sharp, descending turn back toward the valley. This time, with no aerial or artillery support. A lone helicopter heading back in. Chucks huey was the only target for the enemy to attack, and they did. Tracers lit up the sky once more. Chuck became chuck came in so hot that his chopper bounced for several hundred feet before coming to a stop. As soon as he landed, a mortar round shattered his windshield. Another hit the main rotor blade. Shrapnel tore through the cockpit and chucks chair. And still, those eight soldiers started to sprint to the huey, running through the firestorm, chased by bullets. Chucks helo, now badly damaged, was carrying 13 souls and was 600 pounds over limit. It felt, he said, like flying a 2. 5 ton truck. He couldnt hover long enough to take off, but cool customer that he is, he says he saw his shattered windshield and thought, thats pretty good air conditioning. The cabin filled with black smoke as chuck hopped and skipped the helo across the ground to pick up enough speed to take off. Like a jack rabbit, he said, bouncing across the riverbed. The instant he got airborne, another mortar ripped into the tail, the huey fishtailed violently, and a soldier was thrown out of the helicopter, hanging on to a skid as chuck flew them to safety. Couldnt make this up. This is like a bad rambo movie. Right . Youre listening to this, you cant believe it. So the armys warrior ethos is paced on a simple truth. A soldier never leaved his comrades behind. Chuck kettles honored that creed. Not with a single act of heroism, but over and over and over. And because of that heroism, 44 american soldiers made it out that day. 44. We are honored today to be joined by some of them. Chucks door cgunner, who was hit, rowland shank. The soldier chuck rescued that day, the one who figured he was done for, dewy smith. And a number of soldiers or Vietnam Veterans who fought in that battle. Gentlemen, i would ask you to either stand if you can or wave so we can thank you for your service. [ applause ] now, chucks heroism was recognized at the time by the armys second highest award for gallantry. The distinguished service cross. But bill velano decided chuck deserved an upgrade. Bill is a retired social worker who went to chucks house to interview him for a veterans history project sponsored by the local rotary club. Ann overheard the interview from the other room and reminded chuck to tell the story i just told all of you. This is something chuck and i have in common. We do what our wives tell us to do. Chuck told the story, and with his trademark humility, finished it by saying it was a piece of cake. Bill, hearing the story, knew it was something more. He started a fiveyear mission along with chucks son mike, a retired navy pilot, to award chuck the medal of honor. Bill and mike are here, as is congresswoman debbie dingell, who along with her legendary his, don dingell, went above and beyond to pass a law to make sure we could still fully recognize chuck kettles heroism today. We thank them for their outstanding efforts. Thats one more reason this story is quintessentially american. Looking out for one another. The belief nobody should be left behind. This shouldnt just be a creed for our soldiers. This should be a creed for all of us. This is a country thats never finished in its mission to improve, to do better, to learn from our history. To work to form a more perfect union. And at a time when, lets face it, we had a couple tough weeks, for us to remember that goodness and decency of the American People and the way that we can all look out for each other, even when times are tough, even when the odds are against us, what a wonderful inspiration. What a great gift for us to be able to celebrate Something Like this. It might take time, but having failed to give our veterans who fought in vietnam the full measure of thanks and respect they had earned. We acknowledge that our failure to do so was a shame. We resolve that it will never happen again. It can take time, but old adversaries can find peace thanks to the leadership of so many vietnam vets, i was able to go to vietnam recently and see a people as enthusiastic about america as probably any place in the world. Crowds lining the streets. And we were able to say that on a whole lot of issues, vietnam and the United States are now partners. Here at home, it might take time, but we have to remember everyone on our team, just like chuck kettles. Sometimes we have to turn around and head back and help those who need a lift. Chuck said the most gratifying part of this whole story is dewys name and rowlands name and the name of 42 other americans he saved are not etched in the solemn granite wall not far from here that memorializes the fallen from the vietnam war. Instead, it will be chuck kettles name forever etched on the walls that communities have built from Southern California to South Carolina, in honor of those who have earned the medal of honor. Of course, chuck says all this attention is a lot of hub bub, but ill survive. Chuck, you survived much worse than this ceremony. And on behalf of the American People, let me say that this hubbub is richly and roundly deserved. As a military agent prepared to read the citation, please join me in saluting this proud american soldier and veteran who reminds us all of the true meaning of service. Lieutenant colonel chuck kettles. [ applause ] the president of the United States of america authorized by act of congress, march 3rd, 1863, has awarded in the name of congress, the medal of honor to you, major charles s. Kettles, United States army. Major charles s. Kettles has distinguished himself while serving as flight commander 176th aviation company, air mobile light. 14th combat aviation battalion, near duke, republic of vietnam. On 15 may, 1967, major kettles, apardon learning an airborne infantry unit had suffered casualties immediately volunteered to lead a flight of six uh1 delta helicopters to carry reenforcements to the force and evacuated wounded personnel. Enemy small arms, automatic weapons and mortar fire inflicted heavy damage to the helicopters. However, he refused to depart n until all helicopters were loaded to capacity. He returned to the battlefield with full knowledge of enemy fighter waiting his arrival to bring more upon departing, major kettles was advised by another helicopter crew he had fuel streaming utof his aircraft. Despite the risk posed by the leaking fuel, he nursed the craft back to base. Later than day, the commander requested immediate extract of the remaining troops, including four members of his unit that were stranded when their unit was destroyed by enemy fire, with only one helicopter remaining, major kettles volunteered to return to the deadly landing zone for a third time, leading a flight of six evacuation helicopters, five from the 101st aviation company. During the extraption, he was informed by the last helicopter that all personnel were onboard and departed the landing zone accordingly. Army gun ships supporting the evacuation also deported the area. Once airborne, major kettles was advised eight troops were unable to reach the helicopters. With complete disregard for his own safety, he passed the lead to another helicopter and returned to the landing zone to recuse the remaining troops. Without gunship, artillery, or tactical air spoers, the enemy concentrated all firepower on his lone aircraft, that was damaged by a round that shattered the windshield and was further raked by small machine gun fire. He maintained control of the aircraft and the situation, allowing time for the eight soldiers to board the aircraft. In spite of the Severe Damage to the helicopter, he once more guided his aircraft to safety. Without his courageous actions and superior flying skills the last group of soldiers and his crew would not have made it off the battlefield. Major kettles selfless acts are keeping in the highest traditions of military service and reflect greatly upon himself and the United States army. Let us go forward with joyful hearts, with these words. Be not afraid for i have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine. When you pass through waters, i will be with you. Through rivers, you shall not be swept away. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned nor will flames consume you. Let us now go forth into the world in peace. Dedicated to your service, amen. Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes the ceremony, but we have a reception. I hear the food here is pretty good. Lets give one more round of applause to mr. Chuck kettles. [ applause ] arkansas senator tom cotton is in cleveland for the Republican National convention, which starts this afternoon. Later today, he will be interviewed by the atlantic magazine. Live coverage is at 2 00 p. M. On cspan. The Republican National convention from cleveland starts today. Watch live every minute on cspan. Listen live on the free cspan radio app. It its oeasy to download from the apple store or google play. Watch live or on demand any time at cspan. Org, on your desktop, phone, or tablet, where youll find all of our Convention Coverage and the full convention schedule. Follow us cspan on twitter, and like us on facebook to see video of newsworthy moments. Dont miss a moment of the 2016 Republican National Convention Starting today at 1 00 p. M. Eastern on cspan, the cspan radio app, and cspan. Org. Cspan makes it easy for you to keep up with all the latest convention developments with the cspan radio app. Available as a Free Download from the Apple App Store or google play. Get audio coverage of every minute of the conventions, as well as Schedule Information about important speeches and events. Get cspan on the go with the cspan radio app. Next, a panel of historians talks about espionage tactics used from the cold war to post9 11. They discuss techniques and human intelligence gathering by the cia and Russias Foreign Intelligence Service as well as the shift in intelligence methods after the 9 11 terrorist attacks. The new York Military Affairs Symposium in new york city hosted this twohourlong event. With that, i would like to turn things over to ailing but here bright and lively is the publisher of enigma books, mr. Robert miller. Thank you. Thank you very much. I was very sad to hear about the passing of bob maness. I just was shocked by the news, and i wish we could have this information earlier on our website. So im pleased to welcome all of you to this twoday event on espionage from the cold war to asymmetric warfare. I shall first offer a few words of introduction followed by a brief presentation of our panel. Since the collapse of the soviet union and the 9 11 attacks on new york, the American Public has never been so thoroughly informed of the successes and failures of its Espionage Services. Starting with the crumbling of the berlin wall in november, 1989, and the disclosure in the mid1990s of the venona, there was ample reason to congratulation fbi and cia for a job well done. By 1945, american cryptog rfers had broken the soviet codes at arlington hall, the washington, d. C. Campus, where the secret work took place, and proof of the vast amount of soviet spying that had been long suspected was confirmed. The victory over communism came with the vindication of our intelligence organizations. But then, the new open russia suddenly closed its archives with the assent of a former kgb officer named Vladimir Putin to the presidency of that country in 1999. Ending a short window of transparency and Cooperation Among historians. Just a year and a half later, the greatest shock troubled the newfound satisfaction in our Security Apparatus with the september 11th, 2001 destruction that took place in this city