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25th Anniversary of Operation Eagle Claw: The Guts to Try
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| April 25th, 2005 |
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“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” Those words were echoed many times by Ronald Reagan when he was serving as president. I think they are particularly poignant today.
25 Years ago, 90 young men who volunteered to go to the desert. 8 of them never made it home. The oldest was 35, the youngest just 21.
One of those who died was Air Force Tech. Sgt. Joel C. Mayo, 34, from Bonifay, FL, near Hurlburt Field in my district. He is buried here in a grave that is called a common grave, but nothing is common about this grave, along with his crewmates Major Bakke and Major Lewis.
Sgt. Mayo, the flight engineer on the EC-130, performed his fire control duties so others might escape - until it was too late to save his own life. He died while trying to rescue his pilot, Captain Lewis.
One of his comrades and good friends, retired Master Sgt. Taco Sanchez, had this to say about his friend Sgt. Mayo: "I talked to him that night. It's important people understand. Joel had no idea he was going to give his life that night. But, if you told him he was going to die, he still would've gone."
Two of his four sons, Brett and Douglas, are here today. I cannot express in words how grateful I am for Joel’s sacrifice. Not only was he a true hero, but his death, and those who died with him, gave life to what we now know today as Special Operations Command and Air Force Special Operations Command
The Air Force personnel who died were members of the 8th Special Operations Squadron based at Hurlburt Field, in my district in the Florida Panhandle. After Desert One the 8th SOS was given its motto: “The Guts to Try.” The patch of the 15th Special Operations Squadron has five burning fires, representing the five Air Force Personnel who died. The men who died have not and never will be forgotten.
To all of the families here today I say this: If your loved ones had not tried on that fateful day the enormity of the task of integrating the military at the time might not have been realized. The urgency of the situation might not have been fully understood and the creation of the truly joint Special Operations Command could have been delayed for a number of years, resulting in who knows how many further US casualties. Of course this does not bring them back and nothing can replace the emptiness where they once were. Hopefully time has done all it can in that regard. But you should know that every citizen of this country owes a special debt of gratitude to your husbands, brothers, sons, fathers, cousins, and comrades who died that day.
“Freedom is never more than one generation from extinction.”
Can you imagine if we had not had the capabilities of Special Operations Command after September 11th? We would have still pursued and destroyed out enemies, but who knows how many more American lives would have been lost if we had only had conventional forces to rely on?
Cailin Mayo is one of Joel’s grand children. She is old enough now to understand her grandfather’s sacrifice. It is to her and all the other grandchildren of those eight men that I say this: don’t ever forget the sacrifices made by your grandfathers. Know that they are all with God and they will forever look down upon and continue to protect you. And know the freedom you and your children will enjoy was not passed down from your parents in your bloodstream.
It was fought for by a brave, courageous group of men, attempting the impossible, for a noble and worthy cause. They were Marines and Airmen, but they came together for one purpose, to rescue Americans and as Americans they died together in a distant far away desert.
But because of them, freedom lives.
God bless the souls of the eight we remember today, and their families. And may God bless the United States.
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There are no Floor Speechess to be displayed for this month.
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