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REMARKS DELIVERED IN THE ROOSEVELT ROOM, THE WHITE HOUSE
By
Tweed Roosevelt, Sept. 16, 2002
Mr.
President: Theodore Roosevelt's descendents and members of the Theodore
Roosevelt Association are pleased and honored to be here today in the Roosevelt
Room to present his Medal of Honor to the White House. In this room in 2001,
Theodore Roosevelt, posthumously of course, was awarded the Medal of Honor, for
his part in the taking of San Juan Hill.
Many
people are aware of the fact that Theodore Roosevelt's son, General Theodore
Roosevelt, Jr. was also awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on D-Day. He
was the only general officer to go ashore that day, and was in the first boat to
hit Omaha Beach. General Omar Bradley was once asked to describe the bravest
action involving an U. S. soldier and he told the story of Uncle Ted on the
beach that day.
What
many people, even my family members, are not aware of is that another Roosevelt
also was awarded the Medal of Honor. George Washington Roosevelt, a young
private in the Pennsylvania Volunteers, fought in the Civil War. Twice, first at
Bull Run and later at Gettysburg, he single-handed captured the Confederate
Colors. For this he was awarded the medal, fortunately for him, not
posthumously.
Back
to TR's medal. Several years ago, the family joined the effort to have TR
awarded the Medal - not because we felt that TR needed another honor, he had
received more that enough already. We got involved because we thought placing
the Medal here on the mantel along side TR's Nobel Peace Prize might be of some
use to future presidents. This room is often used by every President to host
private meetings with various foreign dignitaries, not all of whom are
cooperative. When faced with an obstinate foreign leader, perhaps it might be
useful for the President to point to the mantel place and say that these medals
represent the highest aspirations of the United States - peace with honor; two
medals, two sides of the same concept.
In
the year that the medal has been away from this room, the family has taken it on
a tour of the United States from coast to coast where it has been on public
display in all kinds of locations. It has been to the D-Museum in New Orleans,
to many towns in North Dakota, a state of particular importance to TR, to
Sagamore Hill, TR's home, to the US Aircraft Carrier, Theodore Roosevelt, just
before she sailed for the war against terrorism, and to many other locations
across the country. Everywhere it was greeted most warmly. TR's legacy still
lives.
As
a representative of the family, I want to publicly thank all who have been
involved in making the awarding of this medal a reality. Particularly we thank
Representatives Lazio and McHale who together started the ball rolling in the
House, and Sen. Conrad who kept it moving in the Senate. And finally, the
Theodore Roosevelt Association, and especially John Gable, for all they did.
TR
was awarded this medal in this room, the Roosevelt room, which he built, and we
of the family think it is a most appropriate time and place to give this medal
to the White House and to the Country.