US Presidency
1983

It says more than any of us could ever hope to say about the gallantry and heroism of these young men, young men who serve so willingly so that others might have a chance at peace and freedom in their own lives and in the life of their country. I'll let General Kelley's words describe the incident. He spoke of a young marine with more tubes going in and out of his body than I have ever seen in one body. He couldn't see very well. He reached up and grabbed my four stars, just to make sure I was who I said I was. He held my hand with a firm grip. He was making signals, and we realized he wanted to tell me something. We put a pad of paper in his hand, and he wrote ' Semper Fi. ' Well, if you've been a marine or if, like myself, you're an admirer of the marines, you know those words are a longtime, a greeting, and a legend in the Marine Corps.