Photo By Eric Ritter | French Consul General, Michael Charbonnier, pins the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor...... read more read more
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On the eve of this year’s Veterans Day celebrations, the country of France continued to thank American World War II veterans for their efforts in liberating their country over 70 years ago. Surviving American veterans of the liberation were presented with the nation’s highest honor, the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor at the French embassy in Washington, D.C., Nov. 10.
French Consul General, Michel Charbonnier, expressed to the veterans that presenting the medal to them was a great honor for him and all of France.
“We are here to express our appreciation to you, veterans of World War II whose courageous determination and self-sacrifice made possible the liberation of France more than 70 years ago,” he said. “We, the French, know that in our darkest hour of our history, you, the American people, were there by our side as you came on to the shores of Normandy to help liberate us even though you knew what the price was.”
One of the veterans receiving the award was retired Air Force Col. Arnold D. Gabriel who also rose to fame as a conductor for the Air Force Band. Gabriel was a machine gunner with the U.S. Army during the war when he stormed the beaches on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
“We had to stop the Nazi war machine,” he said. “Who knows what they would have done if we couldn’t stop them.”
Gabriel said being presented the medal was a real honor, but it was also a little bittersweet.
“I’m wearing this to honor the guys who couldn’t be here,” he explained. “A lot of those guys didn’t make it [on D-Day]. This is to honor
their memory.”
Gabriel retired from the Air Force Band in 1985, but still actively conducts with several local bands and orchestras including at JBAB where he has been a guest composer on many occasions.
| Date Taken: | 11.10.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 11.17.2016 15:56 |
| Story ID: | 215001 |
| Location: | DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 291 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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