Posted on 06/03/2014 2:35:51 PM PDT by Kartographer
A 94-year-old man who fought for the U.S. in World War II is heading to France for D-Day ceremonies, a journey he nearly wasn't able to make because he didn't have the proof of his citizenship needed to get a passport.
But after getting some help from social media and his local congressman to overcome his financial and passport issues, Sherwin Callander, of Alabama, was set to board a plane Monday night for Paris.
Callander heard last month about ceremonies for the 70th anniversary of D-Day and said he thought it would be meaningful to attend. He hadn't been back to France since landing on Utah Beach during the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944 and had cherished memories of buddies lost that day.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
GOD Bless Him!He”Forgot”his”passport”last time as well!!!!!!
I thank him and those who did what they had to do that day, for their heroic service and for those who did not come home, sacriface.
Yes, and there weren’t any French officials on the beach, that day,to check his documentation. The only uniformed men were German, and they had other duties to perform !
Read it again. It was the US government that was refusing to give him a passport because they weren’t able to prove he was a US citizen.
It was our own USA style ignorant jackasses that nearly made him miss the trip. France welcomes these guys from all stories.
Thanks for your reply. Just an offhand comment, based on an old anecdote. I hold The French blameless, here, as well. Freegards !
‘You have been to France before Monsieur?’ the official asked in an aggressive tone.
Harvey, smiled and admitted that he had been to France before.
‘In that case you should know enough to have your passport ready for inspection,’ barked the bad-tempered officer.
Harvey gently informed the man that the last time he came to France he did not have to show his passport or any other documents.
‘Pas possible, old man. You Americans always have to show your passports on arrival in ‘la belle France.’
Harvey gave the Frenchman a long hard look. ‘I assure you, young man, that when I came ashore on Omaha Beach in Normandy on D-Day
in 1944, there was no damned Frenchman on the beach asking for passports.’
My Granddad stormed the beach that day. The only thing that he would ever say about it was that he didn’t understand why he lived while all of his buddies died. I miss you Paw Paw!
Tears. May God bless and keep this hero.
Godspeed, Hero!
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