This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy – and 19 local veterans who served in France during those perilous times received international recognition today.
Houston’s French Consul General came to San Antonio to present the former military members with France’s highest honor.
The French Order of the Legion of Honor is France’s highest decoration for bravery in military service.
Col. Scott Bleichwell of Army North says Consul General Sujiro Seam is in San Antonio to honor the veterans who fought in France during World War Two.
“He’s going to present them with a Legion of Honor medal. It’s a program that the consulate has been running now for a couple of years. It was done last year in Houston, and we’re honored to be able to do it here in San Antonio this year.”
The French Order was established by Napoleon to recognize merit and bravery, and there are five degrees of recognition in the Order. The Knight Medal is the highest of these and is awarded only to veterans who served at Normandy, Provence or Southern France, or Northern France.
Also of note is that the medal is awarded only to living veterans. Nineteen of those veterans were to be at Fort Sam Houston to receive the honor Friday during the post’s Salute to Veterans ceremony.
