Remarks of The Honorable Louis Caldera Secretary
of the Army, at the
Medal of Honor Ceremony for Alfred Rascon. Pentagon,February
8, 2000
Thank you General Hendrix.
Senator Chafee, Congressman Romero-Barcelo, Under Secretary Gansler, Under Secretary de Leon, Assistant Secretary Bailey, Assistant Secretary Bacon, Assistant Secretary Rush, Assistant Secretary Cragin, Under Secretary Rostker, Assistant Secretary Westphal, General Counsel Blanchard, Selective Service Director Coronado, Mr. Hudson, General Officers, Sergeant Major Hall, members of the Secretariat, veterans and service members, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen:
It is great honor to welcome Mr. Alfred Rascon to the Hall of Heroes. He is joined today by his wife Carol, his daughter Amanda and son Alan. We are delighted that the three of you could be with us for this special ceremony.
He is also joined by fellow veterans from the 173rd Airborne Brigade who fought with distinction during some of the most intense combat of the Vietnam War. Without the efforts of his former comrades-in-arms, who were so persistent, in the Halls of Congress, in the White House, and here, in insisting that Alfred Rascon’s heroic deeds be recognized, there would have been no Medal of Honor ceremony today. A special thanks go to them and the 173rd Society and Congressman Lane Evans, who sponsored the legislation authorizing this award.
Our country today honored the service of then Specialist Four Alfred Rascon, whose heroic actions as a 20-year old medic in Vietnam have earned him the Medal of Honor. It was just presented to him by President Clinton at a very moving ceremony at the White House.
Our nation is blessed with individuals of unsurpassed courage and devotion to country who, in the face of mortal danger, perform acts of heroism of a magnitude that no one would have criticized them for it, had they not done those heroic deeds. The Medal of Honor given for: "…conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty."
Today we further honor one such individual as we induct Mr. Alfred Rascon into the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes. For almost three decades, this memorial has permanently displayed the names of the men and one woman who have earned the Congressional Medal of Honor. Each one in our nation’s time of need, served with such distinction and demonstrated such uncommon valor as to be worthy of our country’s highest military decoration. From the Civil War to Somalia, their names stand as testimony to the sacrifice, professionalism, and devotion to duty and country of those Americans who, when thrust, into moments of great peril, time and again responded with a courage so bold that it deserves to be celebrated in the annals of our nation’s history forever.
Mr. Rascon, by virtue of his stirring acts of heroism and courage, now joins the hallowed company of other heroes listed on the roll call of honor in this sacred hall. Alfred Rascon risked his life and suffered grievous injuries to save the lives of his fellow soldiers in the face of overwhelming odds. Two of them are here: Elmer Compton and Neil Haffey. It has been almost 34 years since that day when the soldiers of the first of the 503rd Airborne Battalion of the 173rd Airborne Brigade survived daunting odds to win a hard fought victory at Long Khanh Province. The day on which Alfred Rascon earned the Medal of Honor. To Alfred Rascon, the events that day were nothing more than doing his duty. He has said about that day, "To me, it’s just a matter of me doing what I had to do that day, like any other day."
Of over three thousand Medal of Honor awardees, he is only the thirty-first medic. Alfred Rascon will now join the ranks of heroes like Sergeant York, First Lieutenant Vernon Baker, Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud, and Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez.
He will soon join, I am proud to note, a display of our nation’s 37 other Hispanic American Medal of Honor recipients. A short walk down this corridor, you will see their pictures and citations – soldiers like Private First Class Silvestre Herrera, Staff Sergeant Marcario Garcia, Corporal Rodolfo Hernandez, and Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez. It is a proud display of Hispanic Americans who have distinguished themselves in service to our nation in uniform. For many, their heroic actions occurred long before they themselves and their families were fully accepted as members of our society with all its rights and privileges; yet, they served proudly and selflessly with distinction and without hesitation in every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces in all our nation’s conflicts. I know this award will be a source of great pride for soldiers throughout the Army, and for our veterans and that it is of special pride for our Hispanic American soldiers and veterans.
It has taken some time to give Alfred Rascon the recognition he deserves for the actions in Vietnam on March 16th, 1966.
We have a duty to recognize such heroic actions in time of war as best we can. For many reasons, not every act of bravery and valor that goes beyond the call of duty has been appropriately recognized. However, it is fitting that when we do have an opportunity to recognize such actions, that we do so. And we thank again all those who worked to make sure Alfred Rascon’s actions were not overlooked.
On behalf of a grateful nation, and all our men and women in uniform, we say to you Alfred Rascon, that it is an honor to unveil here in the Hall of Heroes your name and portrait which now joins the gallery of extraordinary American heroes whose names are etched on these walls.
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