Wright Brothers Day, 2003

Proclamation 7745 of December 17, 2003

Wright Brothers Day, 2003

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

A spirit of exploration and discovery has been a part
of the American character since our founding days.
Orville and Wilbur Wright exemplified this spirit when
they made the dream of human flight a reality on
December 17, 1903. On Wright Brothers Day, we honor the
vision of these bicycle mechanics from Dayton, Ohio,
and celebrate the centennial of manned, powered flight.

One hundred years ago, the Wright brothers changed our
world with their 12-second, 120-foot flight in North
Carolina. Their achievement inspired other aviation
pioneers and marked the beginning of a new era of
freedom. Since that first flight, aviation and
aerospace technology has advanced at a remarkable pace,
allowing us to fly across oceans, break the sound
barrier, orbit the Earth, land on the moon, and study
our universe in a way our ancestors could not have
imagined. Each new generation of engineers and other
inventors, following in the Wright Brothers' footsteps,
continues to move the technology of flight further.

Today, air transportation touches the lives of people
throughout the United States, and helps unite the
American people. Air transportation brings families and
friends together, delivers aid to those in need, and
facilitates industry and commerce.

As we look to the future, we remember the extraordinary
accomplishments of the Wright Brothers. Their
determination and innovation continue to inspire us as
we embark on the second century of flight.

The Congress, by a joint resolution approved December
17, 1963 (77 Stat. 402; 36 U.S.C. 143) as amended, has
designated December 17 of each year as ``Wright
Brothers Day'' and has authorized and requested the
President to issue annually a proclamation inviting the
people of the United States to observe that day with
appropriate ceremonies and activities.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the
United States of America, do hereby proclaim December
17, 2003, as Wright Brothers Day.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
seventeenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
two thousand three, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and twenty-
eighth.

(Presidential Sig.)B