WEBVTT 00:00.180 --> 00:02.230 I'm Lieutenant General Jonathan P . 00:02.240 --> 00:04.351 Braga . I'm the commanding general of 00:04.351 --> 00:06.073 the United States Army Special 00:06.073 --> 00:08.296 Operations Command . Well , here we are 00:08.296 --> 00:10.470 today on the 81st anniversary 00:10.470 --> 00:12.748 celebrating at this moment , this time , 00:12.869 --> 00:15.310 Point Duhak . Uh , here at Point Duhak 00:15.310 --> 00:18.549 is where the 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger 00:18.549 --> 00:20.493 Regiment scaled these cliffs right 00:20.493 --> 00:22.438 behind us . But 100 ft high cliffs 00:22.438 --> 00:26.110 where 225 Rangers scaled these cliffs 00:26.110 --> 00:28.430 and faced insurmountable odds of a 00:28.430 --> 00:30.549 force twice their size and tried to 00:30.549 --> 00:32.438 repel them off the cliffs as they 00:32.438 --> 00:34.689 climbed it . Yes , we're commemorating 00:34.689 --> 00:37.220 the not only those who gave their life 00:37.220 --> 00:39.109 and they're also a sacrifice , 54 00:39.109 --> 00:41.340 Rangers , uh , both here and on the 00:41.340 --> 00:44.340 beaches , uh , of , of Normandy lost 00:44.340 --> 00:46.507 their lives on that day with countless 00:46.507 --> 00:49.340 more , uh , wounded in action , um . 00:50.080 --> 00:52.240 What we talked about today is is 00:52.240 --> 00:54.351 individual heroic actions that led to 00:54.351 --> 00:57.639 historic moments in time and a history 00:57.639 --> 00:59.972 book that . And when you think about it , 00:59.972 --> 01:02.195 they didn't know how it was gonna end . 01:02.195 --> 01:04.360 Yet they provided individual heroic 01:04.360 --> 01:06.839 actions at page by page , added chapter 01:06.839 --> 01:09.349 by chapter in history book we know now , 01:09.559 --> 01:11.670 but they didn't . They didn't know as 01:11.670 --> 01:13.948 they climbed the cliffs of Point Duhak . 01:14.339 --> 01:16.450 Grenades raining down on them , shots 01:16.450 --> 01:19.180 from above , ropes being cut . They 01:19.180 --> 01:21.402 didn't know how that story was going to 01:21.402 --> 01:23.624 end , whether it was in their demise or 01:23.624 --> 01:25.624 the freedom of the world , uh , yet 01:25.624 --> 01:27.736 they went forward and they drove on . 01:27.736 --> 01:29.847 So absolutely inspiring to this day , 01:29.847 --> 01:32.069 the actions that the rangers here , the 01:32.069 --> 01:34.124 rangers on the beach of the Normandy 01:34.124 --> 01:36.236 took , uh , 81 years ago . It's great 01:36.236 --> 01:38.513 to celebrate that remembrance . I mean , 01:38.513 --> 01:38.239 our , our history to our oldest ally , 01:38.500 --> 01:40.667 France , uh , which helped us become a 01:40.667 --> 01:44.449 nation , uh , almost 250 years ago . Uh , 01:44.489 --> 01:47.220 coming up here this next year . It's 01:47.220 --> 01:50.169 great to celebrate that with such , uh , 01:50.580 --> 01:52.469 uh , such a unique relationship , 01:52.469 --> 01:54.469 really unparalleled , and here they 01:54.469 --> 01:56.580 come out every year to celebrate what 01:56.580 --> 01:58.900 happened here at this point and all 01:58.900 --> 02:01.233 along Normandy every year they come out , 02:01.233 --> 02:03.400 and I honestly wish more Americans can 02:03.400 --> 02:06.769 see that pride , that patriotism , that 02:06.769 --> 02:08.491 relationship . It's absolutely 02:08.491 --> 02:10.630 unparalleled . I think the 02:10.630 --> 02:12.630 relationships we celebrate with our 02:12.630 --> 02:14.949 NATO allies is is critical , and I 02:14.949 --> 02:17.500 think efforts like here celebrating , 02:17.509 --> 02:19.565 commemorating what happened 81 years 02:19.565 --> 02:22.229 ago in one of the greatest alliances of 02:22.229 --> 02:24.451 all the world to face down the evils of 02:24.451 --> 02:26.562 the world that had a different vision 02:26.562 --> 02:28.396 of the world , uh , it's good to 02:28.396 --> 02:30.618 remember what can happen when the power 02:30.618 --> 02:33.070 of a few when they come together has a 02:33.070 --> 02:35.292 cumulative effect and an impact that is 02:35.292 --> 02:37.809 greater than the sum of its parts . So 02:38.199 --> 02:40.421 remembering the sacrifices here is part 02:40.421 --> 02:42.477 of that . Remembering those who came 02:42.477 --> 02:44.729 before us is critical . I think 02:44.729 --> 02:46.840 provides us some vision going forward 02:46.840 --> 02:49.007 as well . I just say that I mean I'm , 02:49.007 --> 02:51.229 I'm personally inspired by whether it's 02:51.229 --> 02:53.340 individual stories like uh Lieutenant 02:53.340 --> 02:55.451 Colonel James Earl Rudder who led the 02:55.451 --> 02:58.080 Rangers up the cliffs of Dohak or . 02:58.610 --> 03:00.770 Others like PFC Bowen , who we spoke 03:00.770 --> 03:02.992 about , who lost his life here climbing 03:02.992 --> 03:04.770 these same cliffs . It provides 03:04.770 --> 03:06.937 information , inspiration to me , uh , 03:06.937 --> 03:08.881 to this day , and the rangers that 03:08.881 --> 03:10.992 stood here in this formation , I know 03:10.992 --> 03:13.214 they drew inspiration from it as well , 03:13.214 --> 03:13.160 and it's just proud to , uh , 03:13.169 --> 03:15.449 commemorate as the Rangers led the way 03:15.449 --> 03:17.729 off the beaches of Omaha and then led 03:17.729 --> 03:19.729 the way here climbing the cliffs of 03:19.729 --> 03:22.160 Point Duhak . Um , it's just amazing to 03:22.449 --> 03:24.449 just to be a small part of that and 03:24.449 --> 03:26.671 commemorate and remember those who gave 03:26.671 --> 03:27.130 the ultimate sacrifice .