PRESIDENT CLINTON TO PARTICIPATE IN WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL GROUNDBREAKING

                                CEREMONY
                  The Rainbow Pool, The National Mall
                           November 11, 2000

     Today, President Clinton will participate in the American Battle

Monuments Commission official groundbreaking ceremony for the National World War II Memorial. The ceremony will honor the World War II generation and acknowledge its pivotal role in the 20th century. Conceived in 1987, the World War II memorial received final architectural design approval on September 21, 2000. President Clinton dedicated the Rainbow Pool site on the National Mall on Veterans' Day 1995.

President Clinton will be joined on stage by Senator Bob Dole, Chairman, National World War II Memorial Campaign; General Fred Woerner, Chairman, American Battle Monuments Commission; Frederick Smith, Co-Chairman, National World War II Memorial Campaign; Ambassador Haydn Williams, Chairman, World War II Memorial Committee; Representative Marcy Kaptur, who introduced legislation to build the memorial; Commissioner Pete Wheeler, Chairman of the World War II Memorial Advisory Board; Tom Hanks, National Spokesman, World War II Memorial Campaign; Captain Luther Smith, Tuskegee Airman; Fredrich St.Florian, Design Architect, National World War II Memorial; Jess Hay, member of the World War II Memorial Advisory Board; and Archbishop Philip Hannan, World War II Chaplain.

In addition, the audience of approximately 9,000 will include Members of Congress who served in World War II, leaders of national veterans' organizations, and members of the World War II generation.

Order Of Program:
Invocation by Archbishop Philip Hannan, World War II Chaplain Retiring of the Colors and State and Territory Flags General Fred Woerner, Chairman, American Battle Monuments Commission, makes brief remarks and introduces Representative Marcy Kaptur Representative Marcy Kaptur makes brief remarks and introduces Captain Luther Smith
Captain Luther Smith, Tuskegee Airman, makes brief remarks 4-minute video, "Remember When: The U.S. Goes to War," is played Tom Hanks reads an article by World War II war correspondent Ernie Pyle Senator Bob Dole makes brief remarks and introduces Fred Smith Fred Smith makes brief remarks and introduces Ambassador Haydn Williams Ambassador Haydn Williams makes brief remarks. General Fred Woerner introduces President Clinton Presiden Clinton makes remarks
The U.S. Army Band and Beryl Davis perform "I'll Be Seeing You" Groundbreaking is performed
4-minute video, "Remember When: Victory!" is played Metropolitan District of Washington Band and singers perform "God Bless America"

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