 The President of the United States. Please be seated. Secretary Dole and Vice Admiral Irwin, Charjaye Sokolov, American and Soviet citizens, good morning and welcome to the White House. And I want to make my welcome especially warm because for so many of you coming here today was, well, let's just say it was unexpected to say the least. The first distress signal reached the Coast Guard Station at Cape May, New Jersey at 8.20 this past Saturday morning. Just 15 minutes later, the Coast Guard had established radio contact with the stricken vessel, a Soviet freighter, and fixed her position at a point some 200 miles east of Cape May. The first distress signal reached the Coast Guard Station at Cape May, New Jersey at 8.20 this past Saturday morning. Just 15 minutes later, the Coast Guard Station had established radio contact with the stricken vessel, a Soviet freighter, and fixed her position at a point some 200 miles east of Cape May. The first distress signal reached the Coast Guard Station at Cape May, New Jersey at 8.20 this past Saturday morning. The first distress signal reached the Coast Guard Station at Cape May, New Jersey at 8.20 this past Saturday morning. The first distress signal reached the Coast Guard Station at Cape May, New Jersey at 8.20 this past Saturday morning. And what took place next represents one of the most dramatic rescue missions in the history of the Coast Guard. 3 Coast Guard helicopters left Cape Cod to rendezvous with two C-130s already flying above the troubled vessel. The first chopper piloted by Lieutenant Keith Comer reached the ship at 11.19 am. I'll get it right. He found her listing 26 degrees to port in seas that were running 20 feet, with waves that would soon crash over the pilot house, the highest point of the ship. Lieutenant Comer's helicopter was being blasted by the C-130. He found her listing 26 degrees to port in seas that were running 20 feet, with waves that would soon crash over the pilot house, the highest point of the ship. Lieutenant Comer's helicopter was being blasted by rain and sleet and gale force winds that were gusting up to 55 knots. But Lieutenant Comer managed to hover steadily some 75 feet above the ship. He found her listing 26 degrees to port in seas that were running 20 feet, with waves that would soon crash over the pilot house, the highest point of the ship. Lieutenant Comer's helicopter was being blasted by the rain and sleet and gale force winds that were gusting up to 55 knots per hour. But Lieutenant Comer managed to hover steadily some 75 feet above the ship. His crew rescued 15 people before heading back to shore. Be very careful. He and his crew sent a basket to the deck that was rising up and down. The woman was the first one to enter this basket, and the other one. Only Lieutenant Comer and his crew rescued 15 people and headed to the shore with them. The third helicopter, piloted by Lieutenant Commander Gary Poe, plucked up the last six crew members and carried them to safety. The only injury in all of this, a cut finger. Coast Guard officials said afterwards that it was hard to overstate the skill and bravery that the rescue involved. I think we all know what they mean. Screaming winds, the rain, the sleet, the pitching seas, transferring people from a moving ship to moving helicopters, pilots contending with the helicopter's fuel range. One Coast Guard spokesman said with admirable understatement that, quote, in view of the fuel situation, they had to do it pretty rapidly. This mission represents just one more example of cooperation between the United States and the Soviet Union in search and rescue missions. Indeed, the Coast Guard and the Soviet merchant marines are scheduled to hold further talks in Moscow early next month. But in the end, the story of this rescue is above all the story of human beings, of men and women in desperate danger and the men and women who saved their lives. And if I could just interject something here, in the past I've often talked about what would happen if ordinary Americans and people from the Soviet Union could get together, get together as human beings, as men and women who breathe the same air share the same concerns about making life better for themselves and their children. And here we have a case where just that happened, where pilots from Mission Viejo, California, Cincinnati, Ohio and Prince Edward's Island, Canada reached out to sailors from the United States and they were taken to the United States. They were taken to the United States and they were taken to the United States and they were taken to the United States. And here we have a case where just that happened, where pilots from Mission Viejo, California, Cincinnati, Ohio and Prince Edward's Island, Canada reached out to sailors from Leningrad, Novgorod and Yaroslavl. I hope and pray that no matter how stormy international affairs, the leaders of the world can look at what happened when these flyers and sailors are between these flyers and sailors and be duly inspired. After all, this good planet whirling through space isn't so very different from a ship upon the sea. We must reach out to each other in good will, for we have no other alternative. And so to Captain Karazhov and his fine crew rescued from the Soviet vessel, welcome again to our country and we thank God for your safety. As you prepare to return home, I'm going to be very brave here, as just leave of a good life for the rest of the world. And to all the men and women of the United States Coastal Army, as you prepare to return home, I'm going to be very brave here, as just leave of a good life for the rest of the world. And to all the men and women of the United States Coast Guard, who made this rescue possible as your commander in chief, it's my high honored to commend you on a job well done. And to all the men and women of the United States Coast Guard, who made this rescue possible as your commander in chief, it's my high honored to commend you on a job well done. And to all the men and women of the United States Coast Guard, who made this rescue possible as your commander in chief, it's my high honored to commend you on a job well done. I would like to take this opportunity, Mr. President, to express to you personally, on behalf of the Soviet government, and of course, on behalf of the Soviet sailors present here at the ceremony, our gratitude for the successful rescue operation. Our special thanks go naturally to the United States Coast Guard, to all those who were directly involved in this courageous effort. It was conducted very expeditiously and efficiently. We also highly value the care and the friendly treatment according to our crew. Let me recall in this connection that the sailors of our two countries have a long and outstanding record of helping each other on the high seas. It underscores a broader point. When our two nations, their people, act in cooperation in things big and small, it brings the best out of them, helps worthwhile and noble things happen. Let it serve as an inspiration for our joint efforts in other areas as well. Mr. President, we appreciate the personal attention you have given to these men and women, American and Soviet, who, though coming from different lands, are united in this triumph of courage over misfortune. Again, thank you very much. On behalf of my commanding officer and the officers and crew of Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, may I present you with a model of our helicopter. Yes, thanks very much. Now it will be my honor to present the medals.