October 2, 1998
by Mark Norris
I was glad to address "What the Navy Means to Me" on the occasion of the Navy’s 223 birthday. Coincidentally, I received word of this invitation on my way to Crosswind Elementary School in Collierville where I was to give citizenship awards to youngsters who had written essays in a competition on "What America Means to Me".
If you could read these essays, as I did, and look into the eyes of those children as they came up to receive their awards, as I did; if you could revel in their simple sincerity and youthful love of God and Country, unspoiled by age and indiscretion, and take stock of all that has made it possible, as I did; and if you could feel the pride of parents at the products of their freedom and feel the future building from within, then you would feel what the Navy means to me.
You are the crown jewel of Shelby County. When I think of this great Navy, I think of the veteran I met outside Millington last weekend who landed at Normandy and endured over 330 consecutive days of combat to return home to farm in Shelby County, and when I thanked him he nearly cried and so did I. Just like my first cousin who was a naval officer in Vietnam when I thanked him; and my stepfather who was a naval aviator in World War II and my uncle who flew for the lighter-than-air squadron in blimps off the west coast. You see, the Navy means a lot to me.
I thank you personally and on behalf of Shelby County. You are this County and this Country. God bless you, and God bless America.
