458
I just think this is really cool of them.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=90824280
Eight years ago, a French couple founded an organization that adopts graves of American servicemen who died during the Normandy invasion of World War II. The volunteer group encourages French families to lay flowers on the graves when the Americans' own families can't do it. High on a bluff above Omaha Beach, the American cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer is a place of stunning beauty and tranquility. Rising from thick, manicured grass, rows of white crosses and stars of David face westward, towards America.
It's hard to imagine that 64 years ago, war raged here. But there are the 10,000 graves to prove it.
Among them is the uncle of a North Carolina NPR listener, Jennie Malcolm. Walter Malcolm was killed near here, two month after D-Day. Last summer, while investigating her uncle's death, Jennie Malcolm came across the French volunteer organization, Les Fleurs de la Memoire, or Flowers of Memory.
Malcolm said she mustered up her best French and asked if flowers could be placed on her uncle's grave. Two months later she received a photo of his grave in the mail. "It was quite an emotional experience," she says.
Malcolm was particularly touched because her uncle's immediate family are all now dead, and no one had ever visited his grave. MarieTherese La Vieille, who founded the organization eight years ago with her husband, says its important that each soldier be remembered when their own families cant come anymore.
"When we joined, we promised to visit the grave once a year and to lay flowers on the grave," she says. "Sometimes people take flowers from their own gardens. And they say it is like a son, like a cousin, like a brother. It is a member of the family."
This year dozens of members of Les Fleurs de la Memoire have shown up at Colleville-sur-Mer for the annual Memorial Day ceremony, which begins with a flyover by U.S. fighter jets in the missing-man formation.
A French priest recites the Lord's Prayer, then a rabbi chants the Kadish. And a French military band plays the "Star-Spangled Banner."
But behind the grand ceremony, a simple tribute unfolds at the back of the cemetery. Jean Michel Miette, 50, kneels in front of the grave of Jennie's uncle, Pvt. 1st Class Walter C. Malcolm. Miette is the one who adopted Malcolm's grave and he has come from Paris this morning to honor him.
Miette, like Jennie Malcolm, discovered Les Fleurs de la Memoire last summer. He says the organization has enabled him to honor the American soldiers who sacrificed their lives for his country and for liberty.
"With enormous emotion in my heart, I want to say thank you, Walter," Miette says. "I will never forget you or your heroic compatriots."
Since Les Fleurs de la Memoire brought them together, Jean Michel and Jennie Malcolm now speak regularly on the phone. She says she feels her uncle finally has family to visit his grave.
51
Yeah, those Frenchies are not so bad after all! (I mean, how can they be? They have baguettes!)
I visited that cemetery several times when I was in Normandy. I can highly recommend visiting the different WWII sites in Normandy, it's something everyone interested in our history should do. In fact, it's something everyone should do.
47
194
It must be an emotional rush to visit such a place.
41I do not at all mean to sound like a pussy, besides the fact i am drunk, but I honestly cried, just because my grandfather told stories of friends who went on this and never came back and talking of how he wanted to Normandy and the Canadian Juno beach. These guys did so much for us and secured out freedom. I don't care if it sounds corny its the truth, they are true heroes and have allowed us to remain free from brutal regimes and at a somewhat state of world peace. And hats off the the french who put all this effort into this, a few years ago a friend of the family went to france, and was world war II vet and he could not believe how much respect he got from literally every french person he say, sometimes the world is a great place.
14I think this is a really great idea, helps build respect.
191
The next guy I hear say the words "Freedom Fries" is getting a punch in the face.
My hat's off to France.
115Originally Posted by cdbob
I am right there with you on that. I started tearing up about halfway through.
Good job France Good job.
423You point out something that also irked me after 9/11; all this removal of the word "French" went a bit too far. There is nothing wrong, in my eyes, with good ol' patriotism, but I think a small, ignorant minority conveniently forgot the role France had with the shaping of my nation.
Hey, from my nation's standpoint, I can see why we were a little irked about not having them join the fight. But also, they have their own interests to protect, and I understand that.
I truly believe that France, while not always voicing it, are still extremely grateful to the Allies of World War II. Much the same as I am very grateful that they helped us, politics aside, during our own revolutionary war.
And if it comes a time where the interests of France are threatened, I know that America will be the first to step up, no matter the politics of the past, present and future.
458
Hell, we changed the name of "German Toast" to "French Toast" during WWI, it happens all the time.
Still, this is fantastic of French to take care of the graves for American families.
134Yeah, and I hear that in Iraq certain shops are only taking Iraqi Express cards...
Er, sorry to lower the tone. I've been to the Colleville-Sur-Mer cemetary to pay my respects, and it was a hugely moving experience. I'm glad to have done it, though. And I'm extremely glad of the French people who take part in Les Fleurs De La Memoire.
We all owe these soldiers a huge debt of gratitude, showing respect is the least we can do. The French know this as well as anyone. War heroes (of any country) are shown huge respect.
I've also paid respects to the dead at La Cambe, one of the German war cemetaries, as I honestly believe the 'man on the field', the average Joe soldier, was merely fighting for his country. The large hill in one of the photographs is made up of unidentified soldiers, which really hit home the enormity of the whole thing.
88
Not only that, it's stupid. The name "french fries" actually has nothing to do with France.
51
Thank you! French fries -> BELGIUMS!!!!, not French (with all the respect to the French and their cuisine).Not only that, it's stupid. The name "french fries" actually has nothing to do with France.
Read all about it and tell all your friends on the magnificent Wikipedia, because it's something for which we Belgians rip our hair out.
458
They may be fries, but they still aren't proper chips. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find proper chips in the US?
51
I think there's some misunderstanding in the words fries and chips.
When we say french fries (we actually just say fries, "frieten"), we mean sliced potatoes, washed and dried, fried at 160°C, cooled down and fried again at 180-190°C for that crispy brown skin.
http://www.belgianfries.com/pre2001/cook_n.htm
Don't look at the pics with "alternative" cutting methods, we never use those
The result should be:
Err...how did we come up with french fries again in this WWII topic?
86
^i like em the smaller the better
those are cut way to thick for my likeing
when we talk about chips, we mean these things, whatever they are made off: patatoes, corn, prawn, ...
208^ Naw they are Crisps. jensked Pic is of Chips (although the 'double cook' is a bit la di da).
458
I tend to confuse people - here in the US what the Brits call crisps are chips and chips are fries. I tend to call them crisps and chips. I don't know why, probably for the same reason I call it a boot instead of a trunk.
719
Methinks you've been hanging around Vette Boss a little too much.
(Dunno how that would work though, he's all the way in Arkansas...oh well, the Internet is beautiful.)
78
Too much Top Gear, maybe?Methinks you've been hanging around Vette Boss a little too much.
(Dunno how that would work though, he's all the way in Arkansas...oh well, the Internet is beautiful.)
(nah, it's not possible)
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