Ronald Reagan

“ Americans have never believed that freedom was the sole prerogative of a few, a grant of governmental power, or a title of wealth or nobility. We have always believed that freedom was the birthright of all peoples, and our Vietnam-era veterans pledged their lives-and almost 60,000 lost them-in pursuit of that ideal, not for themselves, but for a suffering people half a world away. ”

“ We will continue to meet our commitment to compensation and health care programs for the more than 300,000 service-disabled Vietnam veterans and to programs to aid in Vietnam veterans' readjustment.
To all of our Vietnam-era veterans, we rededicate ourselves on this day to offer our continuing praise and thanks for your courage and patriotism. We pledge that our Nation will never forget the men and women who gave so much of themselves on behalf of the highest of human ideals. ”

“ That recognition, figured in the Memorial the Federal government accepted last November as a permanent sign of our determination to keep faith with those who served in that conflict, is both the result and the cause of a new unity among our people. ”