president clinton: mr. dawson, you did your men proud today. general shalikashvili, mr.onkrite, chaplain, distinguished leaders of our government, members of congress, members of the armed services, our hosts from france, and most of all, our veterans, their families and their friends. in these last days of ceremonies, we have heard wonderful words of tribute. now we come to this hallowed place that speaks, more than anything else, in silence. here on this quiet plateau, on this small piece of american soil, we honor those who gave their lives for us 50 crowded years ago. today the beaches of normandy are calm. if you walk these shores on a summer's day, all you might hear is the laughter of children playing on the sand, or the cry of sea gulls overhead, or perhaps the ringing of a distant church bell. the simple sounds of freedom barely breaking the silence. peaceful sounds. ordinary sounds. but june 6, 1944 was the least ordinary day of the 20th century. on that chill dawn, these beaches echoed with the sounds of staccato gunfire, the roar of aircraft, the thunder of b