In this war it has been my high honor to serve, in two theaters, as an Allied Supreme Commander. In these commands fighting men of many nations have been included, but always the bulk of the forces were soldiers, sailors and airmen of Great Britain and the United States. They have lived, worked, fought and some have died, together - all as members of one great team, animated by a common devotion to the task of defeating Nazism and the self-styled super race that hoped to enslave the world.

Full victory has been attained in Europe. Only the defeat of Japan remains as the last war task to be accomplished.

The victory in Western Europe was won by integration of spirit as well as of technical services. It was the brains and hearts of fighting men that secured the Normandy beachhead as much as it was the guns, the airplanes, the ships and special equipment we had at our command.

No courage could exceed that displayed as patient routine by the sailors in our minesweepers, landing and escort craft, Merchant Marine, submarines and torpedo boats. Where is there gallantry and stamina to exceed that of the riflemen, machine gunners and mortar men that have fought their way through obstacles and enemy lines from Cherbourg and Caen to Lubeck and Leipzig? Could we hope to find heroism and determination in brighter hue than that which has carried our airmen, day after day, night after night, into the heart of the enemy stronghold? These qualities of the United Nations fighting men have been backed by the weapons and equipment our home fronts have produced. The whole has been skillfully employed by great leaders on the sea, in the air and on the ground, all working in common purpose and real comradeship. And they have been supported by an equal devotion and efficiency in the field of supply and maintenance. Altogether, this Allied Force of almost five million men and women is one of history’s mightiest engines of righteous destruction.

As a United States Officer, I deem it my right to pay, tonight, special tribute to my British comrades - from highest commanders to the newest private. They have earned the high respect, admiration and friendship of all their Allied comrades. Speaking particularly for 3,000,000 Americans in this Theater, I merely say - we don’t like war; we will never like it - but so long as we had to fight this one we thank our God we had the men of the British Empire as partners.

Our earnest hope is that the spirit of good will and mutual understanding that has carried this Allied Force to a succession of notable victories, will persist always in preserving to the world the blessings of peace.