Press copy of Remarks of the President at Bancroft Hall, U. S. Naval Academy, 1 August 1963

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AUGUST 1, 1963 OFFICE OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND THE WHITE HOUSE REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT AT BANCROFT HALL U. S. NAVAL ACADEMY ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND Admiral, Officers, Members of the Brigade: I hope you will stand at ease. Perhaps the plebes will. Did you explain that to them? That comes later in the course. I want to express our very strong appreciation to all those of you in the plebe class who have come into the Navy. I hope that you realize how great is the dependence of our country upon the men who serve in our Armed Forces. I sometimes think that the people of this cantry do not appre- ciate how secure we are because of the devotion of the men and their wives and children who serve this country in far off places, in the sea, in the air, and on the ground, thou- sands and thousands of miles away from this country who make it possible for us all to live in peace each day. This country owes the greatest debt to our service- men. In time of war, of course, there is a tremndous enthu- siasm and outburst of popular feeling about those who fight and lead our wars, but it is sometimes different in peace. But I can assure the people of this country, from my own personal experience in the last two and a half years, that more than anything, more than anything, the fact that this country is secure and at peace, the fact that dozens of countries allied with us are free and at peace has been due to the military strength of the United States. And that strength has been directly due to the men who serve in our Armed Forces. So even though it may be at peace, in fact most especially because it is at peace, I take this oppor- tunity to express our appreciation to all of them whether they are here at Annapolis, or whether they are out of sight of land, or underneath the sea. I want to express our strong hope that all of you who have come to the Academy as plebes will stay with the Navy. I can think of no more rewarding a career. You will have a chance in the next 10, 20 and 30 years to serve the cause of freedom and your country all over the globe, to hold positions of the highest responsibility, to recognize that upon your good judgment in many cases may well rest not only the wellbeing of the men with whom you serve but also in a very real sense the security of your country. I can imagine a no more rewarding career. And any man "who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worth while can respond with a great deal of satis- faction, "I served in the United States Navy. So I con- gratulate you all. This is a hard job, particularly now as you make the change, but I think it develops in you those qualities which we like to see in our country, which we take pride in. I am sure you are going to stay with it. I am sure you are going to be able, by what you are now going through, to find the meas to command others. MORE