WELCOME TO YOU

For your Stars & Stripes to give us back our freedom, thousands of you made the ultimate sacrifice on our beaches in 1944.

In June 1944, you came to give back to our proud country a new chance, a new hope. And yet you did know little about France, being so far from your homeland, so far from your familiar surroundings.

Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword were chosen. Names imprinted forever in blood letters to the whole world, and even more in the Norman people's hearts, who suffered so much under friendly fire.

Glory to you. Without fear under fire, and only responding to your patriotic values and courage, you came as knights to conquer our beaches that were transformed into bloody and heroic battlefields.

The American cemeteries of Colleville and St. James are today hallowed ground where we come to express our gratitude. In silence, at the foot of each white marble cross and star of David, the one who comes to meditate feels with "his" soldier. Close to him.

You were all so young, so full of expectations for the futures, so without fear. In front of each sponsored grave, we are looking for a face. Was he white, black or mulatto? Whatever his image, he was, undeniably, a man of honor.

Dear Veterans and Friends, after sixty years, welcome to you. Come, and see your comrades are not strangers to us. Their graves will always be honored with flowers, it is our duty. Together, we will accomplish this with Les Fleurs de la Mémoire.

Claude Lavielle