Gray sky, chilly air
and pouring rain did not dampen the sprit of an enthusiastic crowd
Dec. 17 as they awaited the arrival of the event’s most
anticipated guest speaker. President George W. Bush was scheduled
to address the crowd at the Wright Brothers National Memorial on
Dec. 17, the last day of the yearlong centennial of flight
celebration.
Around 9:20 a.m., the thunderous roar of five Marine Corps
helicopters cut through the sounds of patriotic music, crowd noise
and the reverberation of public-service announcements. Heads turned
toward the aircraft above the tree line just west of the stage.
Despite miserable weather and rumors he would not show, the
president had arrived.
Following an introduction by Secretary of the Interior Gale
Norton, the president took the stage.
“For as long as there is human flight, we will honor the
achievement on a cold morning on the outer banks of North Carolina,
by two young brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright,” Bush
said.
The achievements of the two brothers came after considerable
hard work and the demonstration of some qualities that Americans
today still posses and can still be proud of, Bush said.
“We take special pride in their qualities of discipline,
persistence, optimism and imagination,” Bush said of the
brothers. “Those traits still define our nation. We still
rely on men and women who overcome the odds and take the big
chance, with no advantage but their own ingenuity and the
opportunity of a free country.”
Those traits have paid off in dividends for the United States
over the last century, Bush said. They made the country the first
in powered flight and kept it at the head of the pack in all areas
of aviation.
“These past hundred years have had supersonic flight (and)
frequent space travel,” Bush said. “(Now) the Voyager
One spacecraft is moving at 39,000 miles per hour toward the outer
edge of our solar system. By our skill and daring, America has
excelled in every area of aviation and space travel. Our national
commitment remains firm: We will continue to lead the world in
flight.”
While Bush did say the United States was committed to a future
of continued excellence in air and space technology, he told the
crowd the day was for remembering the past.
“This day is one for recalling an heroic event in the
history of our nation and in the story of mankind,” Bush
said. “Here at the Wright Brothers National (Memorial), we
remember one small machine, and we honor the giants who flew
it.” [ANN Thanks Staff Sgt. C. Todd Lopez, AFPN]