"The Good Book says, 'If you owe debts, pay debts; if honor, then honor; if respect, then respect.' And we are gathered here at this Honorable Carry Ceremony to receive 55 flag-draped cases, which we trust include the remains of American heroes who fell in the Korean War.
"Some have called the Korean War the 'forgotten war.' But today, we prove these heroes were never forgotten. Today, our boys are coming home.
"President Trump asked me to be here on this day, on his behalf, and honestly, I've never been more humbled to be asked to represent him. You see . . . my dad, Lieutenant Ed Pence, fought in combat in the Korean War. He came back with a medal on his chest.
"But my dad — gone now 30 years — always told us that the real heroes of the Korean War were the ones that didn't get to come home. And I just know there's no place Dad would rather have me be than here with all of you, welcoming these heroes home. . .
"In just a few moments, the remains of some of those same American heroes were finally returned to American soil, draped in the colors of the country they served. Today, they are known but to God. But soon we will know their names, and we will tell their stories of courage.
"They were soldiers, yes, but they were also husbands and fathers, brothers and neighbors, long gone but never lost to the memory of their loved ones. . .
"To the veterans of our Korean War. . . thank you for your service. We hope that in this ceremony, in this promise kept, you see once more the deep gratitude that every American feels for your service, and that you'd leave with the absolute assurance that the Korean War is forgotten no more.
"And to our honored dead, who gave the last full measure of devotion for their families and our freedom . . . we breathe a word of thanks for your service and sacrifice. And we say to you, as one people, with one voice: Welcome home."
What words. What a tribute.
Grace & Peace & Love to you all -
Matt