Restoration Weekend: A Salute to the Troops By: FrontPage Magazine FrontPageMagazine.com | Monday, April 24, 2006
This dinner and salute to our troops took place on Saturday, February 25, 2006, at the Restoration Weekend at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix. — The Editors.
John O’Neill: Before we begin the actual program, I’d like to recognize certain wonderful people who will come up over the course of the night. But I’d like to recognize one person who not on the program: Gunnery Sergeant Larry Carlson. He led a platoon in Fallujah. He’s home now safely, and he’s here. If he could stand up, I’d like to recognize him.
I’d like to say a brief word about a special project called the Soldiers’ Memorial Project set up to produce a statue to honor Scott Vallely and many other soldiers killed in the War on Terror.
The topic of tonight’s dinner is courage. There are many different kinds of courage. David mentioned my wife, Anne O’Neill. Another person of courage I think about is my old boss and friend, Chief Justice William Rehnquist. He hoped someday to come back here and retire in Phoenix but instead found himself very ill. He arose from his sick bed to swear in and provide to the oath to the President of the United States, George W. Bush.
