 I want to welcome all of you, senior statesman, to the White House and to this very special occasion in honor of Jimmy Doolittle. Now, some of you haven't learned by now, you probably have, that I have to call this the White House too, for some reason or other, even if there is a street in between the two. But you're welcome. And we wanted to promote General Doolittle to four-star rank in front of many of his former colleagues. I was going to say peers, but Jimmy has few peers when we consider all his accomplishments. With this promotion today, he not only receives long overdue recognition for his many contributions to modern air power, he becomes the first reserve four-star general in the Air Force. Few Americans have had a professional life so filled with achievements. Jimmy Doolittle laid the foundation for air power as we know it today, proved the value of his ideas as a combat leader, and has been a captain of industry and strong spokesman for national security. He's one of our most courageous, adventurous, and brilliant air pioneers. He made the first cross-country flight in September of 1922, taking less than 24 hours to go from Florida to California. Seven years later, he flew the first completely instrumented flight. His pioneering efforts proved that airplanes had an important job to do and stimulated an aviation industry that was still in its infancy. As America was gearing up for World War II, Jimmy was largely responsible for the conversion of our automobile plants to the manufacture of airplane parts, making America the arsenal of democracy. And then on April 18, 1942, Jimmy Doolittle and his raiders flew from the pitching deck of the USS Hornet to carry the Pacific War to the Japanese homeland. In simple terms, the Doolittle raiders revitalized America's fighting spirit at a moment when morale was very low. When Jimmy returned to Washington, D.C., he was immediately whisked off to meet President Roosevelt, who informed him that he was to be awarded this nation's highest award for his valor. In September of 1942, Jimmy took command of the 12th Air Force in North Africa, fighting Rommel's Africa Corps. After commanding the 12th, he took over the 15th Air Force and carried the air war into Axis, Italy, and Germany from the Mediterranean Theater. In 1944, he assumed command of the Eighth Air Force and led it in the strategic bombing of Germany. After the German surrender, he finished the war in the Pacific, commanding the transferred Eighth Air Force. Jimmy returned to inactive status after the war into the Shell Oil Company. He's been a senior executive officer, both with Shell and Mutual of Omaha. During this time, he has been one of the most active of all, the Air Force's senior statesman. He has educated many of the Air Force's senior leaders through his lectures at Air Force professional schools and through his willingness to participate in a host of studies and conferences. We have never let him rest. Even during this conference, he is contributing to the future of the Air Force, working with Dick Cohn, Benny Schreiber, Tom Marsh, and Sam Phillips on an oral history on Air Force research and development over the last 50 years. It's very appropriate that a grateful nation recognize one of America's great air pioneers, combat leaders, and spokesmen for national security. Before I pin on a long overdue star, I would also like to thank Senator Barry Goldwater for his part in making this ceremony possible today. And I also want to recognize another great aviator who was unable to be with us today, General Irager. He too recently pinned on his fourth star. Mrs. Ager, would you please pass my congratulations to the General? And now Barry, if you and Jimmy will step forward, we'll get Jimmy promoted. Oh, over here. Ladies and gentlemen, by the direction of the President and with the advice and consent of the Senate, Lieutenant General James H. Doe will advance from the United States to the grave of the General for article 2, Section 2, clause 2 of the Constitution of the United States, effective for April 1985. Jimmy, when General George Patton received his fourth star, he gave you a set of four star insignia because he knew that you someday would get your fourth star. And I have those stars here today, and I want to return them to you with our nation's great gratitude for all the contributions that you have made. Thank you, Senator Goldwater. Thank you, Secretary O'Core. And thank all of you kind ladies and gentlemen for your great courtesy to me. I would like to express the regret of my favorite girl whom I met in 1910 and to whom I've been married for several years, that she could not be here. She was most anxious to come, but she had a stroke and was not able to travel. But she sends her very best wishes to all of you and I join her. Thank you very much. A symbolic coincidence here today with my being able to present those stars from General Patton, a cavalry general, that I was able to pin a star on one of your shoulders because I was a second lieutenant of the cavalry reserve, the horse cavalry that day.