They gave their last full measure.

If you listen carefully you can still hear the planes leaving the deck, fully armed, in search of the enemies of our country. Anxious moments as the ship's crew awaits the safe return of each pilot. Today, four flat tops bob up and down with the tide at the Bremerton Naval Shipyard, like Gulliver tethered to the ground, unable to move. Their missions now complete. But deep within their hulls, if you are still, you too will hear the heartbeat of freedom.

Each day when I come to my office in Bremerton Wa. I am reminded of the tremendous price that has been paid by so many for the freedom I enjoy. I hope that this picture can serve as a reminder of that fact for you as it does for me.