French President Emmanuel Macron recently bestowed the Legion of Honor upon 11 American veterans, recognizing their exceptional bravery and service to freedom. The Legion of Honor is France's highest civilian and military award, established by Napoleon in 1802.
During the ceremony, Macron expressed his gratitude to the veterans, stating, 'for your bravery, for your service to our freedom.' The recipients of this prestigious honor include Hilbert Margol, John Wardell, Robert Pedigo, Calvin Shiner, Edward Berthold, Dominick Critelli, Bill Cassasa, Victor Chaney, Raymond Glansberg, Richard Stewart, and John Kinyon.
Approximately 150 American veterans traveled to Normandy to mark the anniversary, with around two dozen of them having participated in the historic D-Day operation. Charles Djou, the secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC), noted that the ABMC is an independent agency responsible for managing US military cemeteries and monuments overseas.
