Speeches
Remarks by Ambassador Joseph A. Mussomeli, Ceremony for the Repatriation of Possible American Remains to the U.S.
Pochentong Airport, Phnom Penh
September 17, 2007
GEN Pol Saroeun, Mr. Lapresse and members of the POW/MIA Committee
Ambassadors and other honored guests,
My fellow Americans,
I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to all of you for assembling here today as we repatriate the remains of what may be a US citizen who died in service to our nation more than 30 years ago.
In July 2007, the United States requested assistance from the Royal Government of Cambodia to conduct joint recovery operations in Kampong Cham Province and Sihanoukville, Kingdom of Cambodia. The Cambodia government, as always when we make such requests, was gracious and extraordinarily helpful. A few days ago, the joint teams of Cambodians and Americans completed excavating these sites and recovered the possible remains of an American missing in the Kingdom of Cambodia.
The recoveries and return of the remains would not have been possible without the support and cooperation of the Royal Government of Cambodia and the Cambodian people. I would especially like to thank General Pol Saroeun and members of the Cambodian POW/MIA Committee standing here with us today for their efforts. During every phase of the operations in Kampong Cham Province and Sihanoukville, Americans and Cambodians worked side-by-side to achieve our goal: the fullest possible accounting of all Americans missing from past conflicts. Without the support of our Cambodian friends, operations such as this would be impossible. We, of the United States of America, individually and collectively, are deeply grateful for their outstanding support.
To my fellow Americans assembled here today, I am humbled and honored to join with you to pay respect to our fellow countrymen who put our nation’s needs above their very lives. Today, we honor colleagues who died far from home and whom we never knew. We honor them so that they and their families and all Americans know how deeply we appreciate their sacrifices. At a time when our country continues to send its sons and daughters to the far corners of the Earth, our gathering here today in honor of our colleague is a poignant reminder of their sacrifices. These men and women are the best that we are. They are our nation’s greatest and most precious natural resource and like all such resources they need to be honored and never squandered. We owe it to them to never forget their sacrifices, to always honor their memory, and to strive as a nation to build peace, justice and freedom everywhere.
This ceremony also comes at an opportune time in that it is this Friday, September 21, that is recognized by the United States as National POW/MIA Recognition Day. On this day, we express our enduring commitment to achieve the fullest possible accounting for all of our men and women who have been prisoners of war or are missing in action.
As we prepare to gratefully receive the remains from the Royal Government of Cambodia and to return them to our homeland, I hope that the returning of the remains will ease the pain their families have endured for so many years.
