President Biden erroneously said that his son, Beau, “lost his life in Iraq” during a speech in Colorado on Wednesday. “I say this as a father of a man who won the Bronze Star, the conspicuous service medal, and lost his life in Iraq,” Biden said. Beau died of brain cancer in 2015.
Biden made the speech on Wednesday near Vail, Colorado, where he designated Camp Hale as a national monument. Biden said in a 2019 speech that he believes Beau’s “exposure to burn pits” in Iraq “in my view, I can’t prove it yet, he came back with stage four glioblastoma. Eighteen months he lived, knowing he was going to die.” Biden, speaking in Colorado, highlighted the role that Camp Hale played in training the famed 10th Mountain Division ahead of World War II.
“American soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division scaled that 1800-foot cliff, at night, caught the Germans by surprise, captured key positions, and broke through the Germans’ defensive line at a pivotal point in the war,” the president stated before mentioning Beau.
“Just imagine — I mean it sincerely — I say this as a father of a man who won the Bronze Star, the conspicuous service medal, and lost his life in Iraq. Imagine the courage, the daring, and the genuine sacrifice — genuine sacrifice they all made.” The White House did not respond to requests for comment by press time.
