10 Jan. 4 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1996

Remarks at the Funeral Service for tacks and helped plan the war’s concluding Admiral Arleigh A. Burke in battles at Philippine Sea, Leyte, Iwo Jima, Annapolis, Maryland and Okinawa. For that extraordinary heroism January 4, 1996 and grand vision, he earned the Navy Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Vice Admiral Metcalf, we thank you for Star, and the Purple Heart. your remarks and for your service. Admiral Like all good sailors, Admiral Burke had Owens, Admiral Boorda, Admiral Larson, the ability to see over the horizon. He taught Secretary Dalton, Deputy Secretary White, the Navy how to fight at night, attacking with Senator Lugar, Senator Chafee, Mr. Perot, torpedoes as well as guns. As Chief of Naval Mr. Justice White, to the members of the Operations for those unprecedented three diplomatic corps who are here, representa- terms, he created the most balanced, versa- tives of the four services, all those who served tile fleet in history, one that enabled us to with Arleigh Burke, Dr. Ward, and most es- preserve the peace and safeguard our free- pecially Mrs. Burke. dom throughout all of the hard days of the We gather today to honor the life of one cold war. He built nuclear submarines so that of the Navy’s finest sailors and greatest lead- our Navy would be as strong below the ers. Every life is a lesson, but his life particu- ocean’s surface as it was above it. He armed larly so, for in 94 years on this Earth, at sea them with Polaris missiles so we could better and on land, Arleigh Burke gave nothing less deter Soviet attacks. He took from blueprint than everything he had for his cherished to shipyard the idea of a fleet propelled by Navy and his beloved country. the power of the atom. Born at the dawn of this century, on a The Navy all Americans are so proud of, hardscrabble farm at the foot of the Colorado the Navy that stood up to fascism and stared Rockies, educated at this great Academy, down communism and advances our values wed to his wife 72 years ago here in this very and freedom even today, that Navy is Arleigh chapel, Arleigh Burke stood watch over our Burke’s Navy. freedom for more than four decades. Today we mourn the passing of a great Late this summer, just before I traveled American. But his spirit is all around us. We to Pearl Harbor to commemorate the end see it in a promise of the young midshipmen of the Second World War, I had the honor who will take on the challenge of living up of spending an evening with Admiral Burke to his magnificent example. We see it in the at the Pentagon. This hero of long nights and fine men of the ship that bears Admiral long days of the Pacific war gave me his wise Burke’s name and who will soon man the counsel. And like so many of my prede- rails on the road to his gravesite. We see it cessors, I came away far richer for it in an in all the Arleigh Burke class destroyers that evening I will never forget. are protecting peace and helping democracy As a Navy captain in 1943, it was Arleigh take root from the Persian Gulf to Haiti, to Burke who understood the full potential of the former Yugoslavia. the Navy’s destroyers, its ‘‘Tin Cans.’’ In so These destroyers, each named for a naval doing, he helped turn the tide in freedom’s hero, a naval leader such as John Paul Jones, favor—at Empress Augusta Bay off Cape St. John Berry, and just recently, Winston George and across vast stretches of the South Churchill, are a special class of ships, the Pacific. During one campaign that spanned class of Arleigh Burke. Admiral Burke was 22 separate engagements, Burke and his the inspiration for these ships. They were squadron of Little Beavers, some of whom meant to be feared and fast, the very at- are here with us today, accomplished aston- tributes that earned their nickname—their ishingly big feats. They demolished an enemy namesake the nickname ‘‘31-Knot Burke.’’ cruiser, 9 destroyers, a submarine, 9 smaller And they are both feared and fast. Today, ships, and downed some 30 aircraft. in memory of this destroyerman, I have or- Later, while serving under Admiral Marc dered all the Burke class and Little Beaver Mitscher, Arleigh Burke pulled shipmates squadron ships currently underway to steam from the flaming aftermath of kamikaze at- at 31 knots for 5 minutes beginning at noon.

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Arleigh Burke’s life spanned what has Letter to Congressional Leaders on come to be called the American century, one Iraq in which the American people understood January 4, 1996 our Nation’s special place in the world as a force for freedom and hope and peace. As Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:) the new century approaches, it is fair to say Consistent with the Authorization for Use that no American did more to act upon that of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution responsibility than Arleigh Burke. The free- (Public Law 102–1), and as part of my effort doms we cherish, the peace we enjoy were to keep the Congress fully informed, I am sustained by his vision and his labors. Those reporting on the status of efforts to obtain freedoms and that peace are his greatest leg- Iraq’s compliance with the resolutions adopt- acy. As long as we remain devoted to them, ed by the U.N. Security Council. we will stay faithful to him and to the remark- On December 17, 1995, the Executive able generation of Americans he helped to Chairman of the U.N. Special Commission lead. on Iraq (UNSCOM), responsible for disman- My fellow Americans, the challenges we tling Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs, released his latest report face today are new. The foes who oppose us to the Security Council. The report makes have changed. But the values and the inter- clear that Iraq remains far from compliance ests we must stand for are the same ones with its WMD obligations. The regime’s Arleigh Burke dedicated his 18-hour days to promises of new openness and honesty in its preserve, the same freedom and peace and relationship with UNSCOM have proven democracy and human dignity. worthless. Not only is Iraq continuing to hide With Arleigh Burke’s passing, we change information on its past weapons programs, the watch. A new generation takes the helm. UNSCOM has discovered that it has contin- May it find guidance and inspiration in the ued work on prohibited missile programs up lessons of his long life so well lived. And may to the present day. This was evidenced by it stay true to the course Admiral Burke set the recent interception by the Jordanian gov- of peace through strength, of freedom ernment of a shipment of missile compo- through sacrifice, of success through tireless nents destined for Iraq. In addition, the Iraqi devotion to duty. government only recently turned over other Mrs. Burke, you were the Admiral’s part- prohibited missile parts. ner throughout his long and rich life. You Further, Iraq continues to drag its feet on blessed him greatly with your love, as his its obligations to account for hundreds of Ku- powerful quote on the front of our program waitis and third country nationals missing so clearly says. In turn, he blessed America since the invasion. Iraq has not returned the with his service. millions of dollars worth of Kuwaiti property May God now bless Arleigh Burke in the looted during the occupation. The Iraqi Re- warm embrace of his eternal love, in the publican Guards still use a large quantity of timeless words of the sailor, ‘‘Fair winds and stolen Kuwaiti military equipment. Iraq con- following seas.’’ tinues to provide safe haven for terrorist groups. Given this Iraqi track record of dis- respect for its international obligations, the NOTE: The President spoke at 12:42 p.m. in the Security Council maintained the sanctions Chapel at the U.S. Naval Academy. In his re- regime without change at the November 8, marks, he referred to Vice Adm. Joseph Metcalf 1995, review. The U.N. Security Council has III, USN (Ret.); Adm. William A. Owens, USN, Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; Adm. J.M. authorized Iraq, pursuant to Resolution 986, Boorda, USN, Chief of Naval Operations; Adm. to export a limited quantity of oil in order Charles Larson, USN, Superintendent, U.S. Naval to purchase humanitarian goods. However, Academy; former Presidential candidate Ross the Government of Iraq continues to reject Perot; Supreme Court Justice Byron White; and this Resolution. Roberta Burke, wife of Admiral Burke, and her Saddam Hussein’s unwillingness to comply Godson, Dr. Patrick C. Ward. with the norms of international behavior ex-

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