President Bush's Visit to Normandy - 2002-05-27

President Bush today paid tribute to American soldiers who were killed during the Allies' 1944 invasion of Normandy. The President of the United States visited a cemetery near the site of the 1944 Allied invasion of Normandy, where approximately nine thousand American soldiers, both men and women, are buried. This invasion ultimately led to the liberation of France and the defeat of Nazi Germany. Mr. Bush, in a speech at the cemetery, stated that Memorial Day is a day for reflection on all the achievements and all that was lost in the war for freedom. The President of the United States said that the only territory the United States claims ownership of outside its own borders is the cemeteries where American men and women who sacrificed their lives to defend freedom are laid to rest. Jacques Chirac, the President of France, who met with President Bush yesterday in Paris, also accompanied the President of the United States during the visit to Normandy. This ceremony takes place as the American people also honor war veterans and those who sacrificed their lives in service to their country on the official Memorial Day holiday.