National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, 2024, 61009-61010 [2024-16852]

Agencies

• Executive Office of the President

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 146 (Tuesday, July 30, 2024)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 61009-61010]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-16852]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 146 / Tuesday, July 30, 2024 / 
Presidential Documents

[[Page 61009]]


                Proclamation 10788 of July 25, 2024

                
National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, 2024

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                On National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, we honor 
                the service and sacrifice of the American and Korean 
                service members who fought valiantly in the Korean War 
                from 1950 to 1953. We hold in our hearts the memories 
                of the 36,000 Americans and more than 7,000 Korean 
                Augmentation to the United States Army soldiers who 
                laid down their lives for the sacred cause of freedom. 
                We recommit to upholding their legacy through our 
                alliance with the Republic of Korea and by securing the 
                future they gave everything for--one of peace, 
                stability, and prosperity.

                Today, I am thinking of Korean War veterans like 
                Colonel Ralph Puckett, Jr., USA (Ret.), whom I awarded 
                the Medal of Honor to in 2021. Prior to his passing in 
                April, Colonel Puckett was the last living Korean War 
                veteran to have received the Medal of Honor. His story, 
                though one of uncommon valor, was reflected in the 
                experiences and trials of so many of our Nation's 
                Korean War veterans--trudging through frozen rice 
                paddies, fighting on the rocky terrain of the Korean 
                Peninsula, and persisting in spite of the fact that the 
                enemy often far outnumbered our troops. Like I said to 
                Colonel Puckett and his family years ago: Though the 
                Korean War is sometimes called the ``Forgotten War,'' 
                the heroes who were there under his command will never 
                forget his bravery, and neither will we. Our entire 
                Nation owes a debt of gratitude to every Korean War 
                veteran for their service and sacrifice. As we 
                recognize the service and sacrifice of our Nation's 
                Korean War veterans, we also remember the thousands of 
                service members who went missing in action during the 
                Korean War--we will never stop working to bring each of 
                them home.

                Last year, I joined President Yoon of the Republic of 
                Korea to mark the 70th anniversary of our countries' 
                alliance. It is an unbreakable bond because it was 
                forged in bravery and the sacrifice of both of our 
                peoples--sanctified by the American and Korean troops 
                who fought and died to defend liberty. Our Korean War 
                veterans are the reason the alliance stands and remains 
                strong today as two vibrant and innovative democracies. 
                This alliance is why I was proud to sign the Korean 
                American VALOR Act into law, helping Korean veterans 
                who fought alongside American troops and are now 
                American citizens receive access to Department of 
                Veterans Affairs health care services.

                Our Nation's Korean War veterans answered the call to 
                duty. Like every generation before them, these veterans 
                knew that freedom is never guaranteed--one has to fight 
                for it and defend it in the battle between autocracy 
                and democracy, between the greed of a few and the 
                rights of many. As Colonel Puckett said: ``Our country 
                depends on you, me, what you do every day, and how you 
                live . . . It depends on us.'' May we all show our 
                gratitude for our service members, who show us every 
                day what it means to put our democracy and our Nation 
                first.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of 
                the United States of America, by virtue of the 
                authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws 
                of the United States, do hereby proclaim July 27, 2024, 
                as National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day. On this 
                day, I encourage

[[Page 61010]]

                all Americans to reflect on the strength, sacrifices, 
                and sense of duty of our Korean War veterans and bestow 
                upon them the high honor they deserve. I call upon all 
                Americans to observe this day with appropriate 
                ceremonies and activities that honor and give thanks to 
                our distinguished Korean War veterans.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                ninth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2024-16852
Filed 7-29-24; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F4-P