Pelosi Remarks at USS John P. Murtha Christening Ceremony
"Good morning, everyone. I believe that was the voice of Debbie McCallam that we heard – voice of God. Thank you Debbie for your introduction. Debbie and I are from Baltimore, Maryland – and I say that because the Academy was just referenced and growing up in Baltimore, we revere the US Naval Academy – some graduates are with us today.
"Thank you Major General Robert Walsh thank you Vice Admiral Joseph Mulloy, for your comments, Lt. Governor Tate Reeves, it is such an honor to be in Mississippi. Yes, America appreciates the patriotic contribution that Mississippi makes to our national security. Thank you, Lt. Governor.
[Applause]
"And I have to say: one of those contributions is Congressman Bennie Thompson, who is the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee – working in a very bipartisan way to protect our country.
"I'm happy to be here on a happy occasion because on so many occasions that the invitation of Congressman Gene Taylor came in the aftermath of Katrina. This is a happier occasion than that, but that demonstrated the grip of the people of Mississippi.
"Brian, you congratulated everyone, so I associate myself with your remarks – your earlier remarks – but I do want to congratulate you and Mike Petters, President and CEO of Huntington Ingalls Industries. And second, I also want to join you in acknowledging the hard working men and women of labor whose determination and skill and patriotism built this ship to protect our men and women in uniform. Thank you. Congratulations, to all of you and again, congratulations to Huntington Ingalls Industries, Mr. Petters.
[Applause]
"Congratulations to Captain Kevin Parker, Prospective Commanding Officer on the christening of such a fine ship for your command today. And aren't you thrilled that such a fine representation of our veterans are here? Some there, others flew out for the gathering.
"Jack Murtha was so devoted to our veterans. He taught every Member of Congress that not only do we have the responsibility to protect and defend as we take that oath but to continue that devotion to our veterans when they come home.
"It is an honor to be here with his beautiful family – Joyce and Donna, the sponsor of today. But I want to also recognize his sons John and Pat who are here. John and Pat, thank you for sharing your dad with all of us.
[Applause]
"Service runs very deep in Jack Murtha's family: from his brothers, to his nephews Brian and Bob – all proud Marines – to his grandson, Lieutenant Jack Murtha, currently serving in the Air Force. So, it runs very deep.
"I also want to acknowledge – Jack said he stands for power and one of the he did was that he had such an effective staff. Many of Jack Murtha's staff are here. Thank you for your contribution to the defense of our country as well.
"Chairman Murtha was a legislator of unmatched talents, a soldier of extraordinary courage and a public servant to the end. So I really appreciate this opportunity to bring greetings and congratulations from his many friends in the Congress of the United States, on both sides of the aisle, on both sides in the Capitol and indeed all the way down Pennsylvania Avenue.
"Jack Murtha was so effective. His vision, his commitment to our national security, his knowledge of the issue, the judgement he brought to bear on appropriations and other matters that came before him – he always had a plan.
"I had the privilege of traveling in bipartisan delegations with Jack – we were in Kuwait, weeks, a matter of days before the initiation of hostilities into Iraq. And he got there – well, he was proud because his nephew Brian was there. There you are, Brian. Here you are now today. But also, the level of details he conversed with the soldiers, whether it was the comfort of the seats that they sat on and how they could endure what they had to do while they were driving and the rest – well, you know he was always about meeting their needs, responding to their calls, providing armor, up armored vehicles, reliable radios – you name it. Again, not just the big picture but down to the personal comfort of them. So, I feel very privileged.
"It was mentioned already that Jack was a Marine with two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star and 37 years' service to our country. He was a legislator of unsurpassed legacy of accomplishment. Jack Murtha poured everything – everything he was, everything he had – into the service of our country and the lives of the American people.
"To watch Jack Murtha legislate was to see a master at work. But more indicative of his character was to watch him communicate, again, with our men and women in uniform, in theater but also the Walter Reed Bethesda Naval Hospital.
"I went with him frequently – he would take a group of us on a regular basis to visit the troops who were in hospitals. One day, we were going into one of the rooms and the young man in there said – the nurse came and said, ‘Could you just wait a moment?' So we obviously wanted to be sensitive to the privacy of this soldier. And you'll know when it was when I tell you what happened. So, we go in – here's this young, injured solider, standing at attention to Jack Murtha when he walked in, wearing a Pittsburgh Steelers uniform jersey right after they had won the Super Bowl.
[Applause]
"I don't know what your team is, but nonetheless, Jack was very, very happy about that. He thanked them individually. He thanked them all for their courage and listened to their concerns and acted upon their concerns. He always acted upon them. He always answered their needs: responding to their calls for whatever it was they needed personally, professionally and militarily.
"His experiences in the battlefields of Vietnam fueled his boundless dedication to our men and women in uniform – that was a connection to those wounded warriors he so frequently visited in Washington, across the country and around the world.
"In those moments, he bonded with them, sharing his own personal military experiences, and caring for them really as a father. They returned his respect.
"And so, here we are today with this wonderful, wonderful opportunity to – and this ship is so beautiful. Jack Murtha would be so proud. He knew how serious a responsibility it is to send our men and women into harm's way, and he was unwavering in his conviction that we must honor their service not only with our words but our actions.
"And so today, the almost 25,000 tons of the USS John P. Murtha will symbolize the strength of Jack's commitment to our troops – and the force of his dedication to our democracy.
"It's fitting that a ship designed so that our proud Marines can defend democracy and serve American ideals will bear John P. Murtha's name – a decorated Marine who spent his life defending democracy and serving those great ideals.
"He said that the ‘P' stood for ‘power'. I would say maybe yes on some days, maybe every day. But it also stood for ‘patriot.' John Murtha was a patriotic American of the first order – gold standard patriotic American.
"And so this ship, manned by sailors, transporting Marines, the USS John P. Murtha will be an essential craft for the finest navy in the history of the world: the United States Navy.
[Applause]
"Like its namesake, the USS John P. Murtha will provide our servicemen and women the means to enter the battle and to make their way back home safely.
"'Semper Fi' – actually the Commandant was there on the day of the naming. We had a ceremony that started one of the phases of the construction of the ship was the naming, and that happened in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, was there and the then Commandant of the Marine Corps was there. And that, combined with all of you here and the distinguished folks I'm up here with – wouldn't Jack Murtha be John ‘Proud' Murtha?
"'Semper Fi' was the watchword of Jack's life. And always faithful he was: to his principles, to his promises, to the American people.
"To the end, he remained always faithful to God and to country, to the United States Marine Corps, to his hometown of Johnstown; and most of all, to his family, his children, Donna, Pat and Don, and his grandchildren, and, of course, his beloved wife, Joyce.
"Today, we gather to christen this ship in memory of his service, his leadership, in recognition of his strength, in honor of his unfailing leadership for our county.
"May God bless the USS John P. Murtha.
"May God bless the brave men and women who will serve aboard it and be transported within it.
"May God bless our veterans for their service to our country.
"May God bless the United States of America.
"Thank you."