Introduction - The French will never forget

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Introduction
The French People have always cherished and valued the tradition of friendship
and alliance between France and the United States, which dates back
225 years.
Whatever circumstances and differences of views this friendship might have
gone through, we want to reaffirm strongly this profound feeling. We
cannot, do not, and will not ever forget the ultimate sacrifice American
heroes made during the two World Wars to liberate France.
To show our gratitude and demonstrate again this feeling, we have launched
an unprecedented initiative, a symbolic gesture to lay by July 4 a red rose on
each and every one of the 60,511 graves and 11 Missing In Action monuments
of Americans fallen in France during World Wars I & II.
July 4, the anniversary date of the independence of the United States, is also
an historic date for France. France supported the American Revolution and
was the first country to recognize America's independence. This year also
marks the 225th anniversary of the 1778 treaty of friendship between our
two nations.
Testimonals
4
News Coverage
8
US Cemeteries
10
Thanks
12
This grassroots initiative met with immediate enthusiasm from French
associations and organizations throughout the United States and France. And
it is this unanimous and overwhelming enthusiasm which has made this event
possible
This demonstrates yet again the deep feelings of friendship that unite the
French and American peoples, a friendship that has and will always survive
the passage of time. As President Roosevelt said, “There are no two nations
more united by history and mutual friendship than the People of France and
the People of the United States of America.”
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July 4th 2003, the French honored 60511 American heros with a rose.
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President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Message
to the French People.
Washington, D. C., November 7, 1942
“No two nations exist which are
more united by historic and mutually
friendly ties than the people of
Frnace and the United States.”
My friends, who suffer day and night, under the crushing
yoke of the Nazis, I speak to you as one who was with your
Army and Navy in France in 1918. I have held all my life the
deepest friendship for the French people-for the entire
French people. I retain and cherish the friendship of hundreds
of French people in France and outside of France. I know your
farms, your villages, and your cities. I know your soldiers,
professors, and workmen. I know what a precious heritage of
the French people are your homes, your culture, and the
principles of democracy in France. I salute again and reiterate
my faith in Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. No two Nations
exist which are more united by historic and mutually friendly
ties than the people of France and the United States.
Americans, with the assistance of the United Nations, are
striving for their own safe future as well as the restoration of
the ideals, the liberties, and the democracy of all those who
have lived under the Tricolor.
We come among you to repulse the cruel invaders who would
remove forever your rights of self-government, your rights to
religious freedom, and your rights to live your own lives in
peace and security.
We come among you solely to defeat and rout your enemies.
Have faith in our words. We do not want to cause you any
harm.
We assure you that once the menace of Germany and Italy is
removed from you, we shall quit your territory at once.
I am appealing to your realism, to your self-interest and
national ideals.
Do not obstruct, I beg of you, this great purpose.
Help us where you are able, my friends, and we shall see
again the glorious day when liberty and peace shall reign
again on earth.
Vive la France eternelle!
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Testimonials
Under threatening skies, more than 100 grammar school
children walked from their respective schools in Saint James
to the cemetery, arriving at the gate behind the Cenotaph.
They assembled on the stairs in front of the Memorial where
they joined the veterans and Scouts. After a brief explanation
they followed the veterans to the plot areas where
employees, pre-positioned by the buckets of roses would assist
all. Like a well-oiled machine all graves and WOM were
flowered in forty minutes. After some parting pictures by
the Cenotaph the children walked back to town.
It was a memorable moment for all including the employees.
One teacher came and related he had heard a number of the
children actually talk to headstones. The duty of remembrance
will surely be accomplished.
Jacques R. Adelèe
Superintendent
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“I am an American who knows that the
French American Friendship can not be erased
by words. Feelings go much deeper than that.
Your gesture says more than words can ever
hope to say. Thank you.”
Don Wright
Director of Logistics, The American Battle Monuments Commission
European Region.
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News Coverage
Over 125 television and radio broadcasts, as well as multitudes of newspaper articles in the United States
covered the event. Similar news
coverage took place in France and
many European countries
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From Associated Press
“The sweetest — and perhaps most powerful — message came
far from the hustle and bustle of urban tourist haunts.
In simple ceremonies at military cemetaries, men, women and
children placed a simple red rose at each of the 60,511 graves of
U.S. soldiers who dies fighting on French soil in the two world
wars. The tribute began Thursday at the huge D-Day cemetary in
Normandy and continued Friday at smaller burial sites in France.
‘Its like a family. There are conflicts, but in the end one remains a
family. You stay together.’ Said Anne-Colombe de La Taille, who
helped organize the grass roost initiative.
...An open letter, signed by myriad groups, from friendship
clubs to businesses, schools and culinary associations notes French
support during the War of Independence in which the Marquis de
Lafayette, prominent at the start of the French Revolution,
played a role. The letter is entitled, “The French Will Never
Forget,” recalling the height of bitterness between Paris and
Washington over Iraq when some Americans implied that France
was betraying U.S. Soldiers killed for France.”
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American WWI and WWII Cemeteries in France
AISNE-MARNE American Cemetery
David Atkinson, Supt/Flora Promelin, Cemetery Associate
MEUSE-ARGONNE American Cemetery
France Joseph P. P. Rivers. Supt./ Carig P Rahanian, Asst. Supt-Trainee/
Domenique Didiot, Cemetary Associate
OISE-AISNE American Cemetery
John R. Aust, Supt/Nathalie Lantoine, Cem. Associate
SAINT-MIHIEL American Cemetery
Phillip D De La Mater, Supt./Nadia Ezzedine, Cemetery Associate
SOMME American Cemetery
Bobby Bell, Supt/Murielle Defrenne, Cem. Associate
SURESNES American Cemetery
David Bedford, Supt./Gabrielle Mihaescu, Cem Associate
BRITTANY American Cemetery
Jaques R. Adelee, Supt./Maurice Lemardelle, Cem. Associate
EPINAL American Cemetery
Roland B. Prieur, Supt./wilfred J. St-Pierre, Asst/Dominique Jamboise, Cem Associate
LORRAINE American Cemetery
Horace E. Thompson, Supt./Walter Gebhardt, Cemetery Associate
NORMANDY American Cemetery
Gene S. Dellinger, Supt./Fred Rhodes, Asst./Sylvie Jean, Cem Associate/
Maryvonne Guidon, Cem Associate.
RHONE American Cemetery
Alvin V Nagel, Supt./Gilles Poli, Cem Associate
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SPECIAL THANKS
GENERAL LESZCZYNSKI
THE AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION EUROPEAN REGION
DON WRIGHT, DIRECTOR OF LOGISTICS, THE AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION EUROPEAN REGION
SU PPO RTING O RGANIZATIO NS
ASSOCIATIONS DES CADRES DE RESERVE FRANCAIS AUX ETATS UNIS
AMERIQUES-CERCLE DES NATIONS AMERICAINES
FLEURS DE LA MEMOIRE
FRENCH-AMERICAN FOUNDATION
ASSOCIATION FRANCE-ETATS-UNIS
CONSEILLERS DU COMMERCE EXTERIEUR DE LA FRANCE
HOPITAL AMERICAIN DE PARIS
PARIS AMERICAN CLUB
CHAMBRE DE COMMERCE FRANCO-AMERICAINE DE NEW YORK
CLUB 600
FRENCH INSTITUTE/ALLIANCE FRANCAISE DE NEW YORK
LYCEE FRANCAIS DE NEW YORK, CLUB NORMANDIE AMERIQUE/SOUVENIR NORMAND
L’ATLANTIDE
L’AVENIR
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LE SOUVENIR FRANCAIS
L’UNION DES FRANCAIS DE L’ETRANGER
L’UNION ALSACIENNE
ASSOCIATION DES FRANCAIS D’AMERIQUE
FEDERATION DES ANCIENS COMBATTANTS
SOCIETE CULINAIRE PHILANTROPIQUE
FRANCO-AMERICAN SCHOOL OF LARCHMONT
ENTRAIDE FRANCAISE
ASSOCIATION DES ANCIENS ELEVES D’HEC A NEW YORK
ACCUEIL NEW YORK
ASSOCIATIONS DES ANCIENS DE SCIENCES-PO
COMITE DES ASSOCIATIONS FRANCAISES
ASSOCIATIONS DES ANCIENS DE L’ESSEC
AUMONERIE CATHOLIQUE DE NEW YORK
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