Georgia WWII Veteran, 98 Receives French Legion of Honor- Invasion of Normandy, Battle of the Bulge
- AP News, Sept. 18, 2021.
THOMSON, Ga. (AP) — A 98-year-old World War II veteran who took part in the D-Day invasion and the Battle of the Bulge and witnessed the German surrender during the war has been honored by France. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Louis Graziano was given the French Legion of Honor during a ceremony on Friday in Thomson, Georgia, where he lives.
The honor has been given to many American World War II veterans as recognition for the role they played in liberating France from German occupation. Hundreds of friends and family gathered for the ceremony which was held at the First United Methodist Church Family Life Center.
“France is what it is today, a free and sovereign country, thanks to the bravery of such veterans and thanks to America,” said Vincent Hommeril, consul general of France in Atlanta, according to the newspaper. “You are a true hero. Your example is an inspiration for the future and your legacy provides a moral compass for generations to come.”
Graziano was born in 1923 to Italian immigrant parents in East Aurora, New York. He was working at his sister’s beauty parlor as a hairstylist in 1943 when he was drafted by the army. In 1944, he took part in the June 6 invasion of Normandy. In a video interview with the American Veterans Center and posted Youtube, Graziano described how he came ashore in the third wave of American troops on Omaha Beach.
“I drove a gasoline truck ... onto the beach and I jumped out of it real quick and got my guns and flame thrower,” Graziano said. He “laid down on the ground of the beach there with the dead soldiers.”..
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https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-france-europe-veterans-constitutions-b5216d2b02dda1cfaaba7d7f6331b17f
- World War II veteran Louis Graziano reflects on his service while visiting the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford with his family, Sept. 24, 2019. The 98-year-old World War II veteran who took part in the D-Day invasion & the Battle of the Bulge & witnessed the German surrender during the war has been honored by France for his military contributions. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Graziano was given the French Legion of Honor during a ceremony on Sept. 17 in Thomson, Ga., where he lives.
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Mr. Graziano.