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Legion d'Honor  April 18, 2011 Five Jacksonville area veterans were awarded the prestigious Legion d'Honor
medal by the French government in a moving ceremony at the Brasserie restaurant in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. The medals
were awarded at the direction of the President of France to veterans of military service in the liberation of France and Europe
from Nazi occupation during World War II. The occasion of the ceremony was the 50th anniversary banquet of the Alliance Francaise
of Jacksonville. The five American Army, Navy, and Air Force veterans honored for service to France during 1943 to 1945 were Lawrence Carastro, Robert Smith, Edward McGuire, Donald Carragher, and Melvin Van Gundy. The medals were presented by the French Consul General from Miami, Messier Gael De Maisonneuve. Master of ceremonies was Mr. Francois Kloc, French Honorary Consul in Jacksonville and north Florida. An honored guest was Mrs. Suzanne Carroll, herself a past recipient of the Legion d'Honor and founder of the Alliance Francaise of Jacksonville. The seventy attendees included spouses and guests of the awardees, members of the Alliance, and members of the Sister Cities organization of Jacksonville. The ceremony was opened with the moving trumpet renditions of the American and French national anthems, played by Mr. Cliff Newton, of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra.The ceremony and banquet were held in the ornate ballroom of the Brasserie Restaurant, which was gaily decorated in red, white, and blue flowers along with miniature French and American flags. The entire even was expertly managed by Pom Souvannasoth of the Brasserie, located on Beach Boulevard. Appropriately, the menu was typically French, including; French onion soup, Flank Steak Roulade, Trigger Fish Francaise', and Floating Isles for dessert. The Legion d'Honor, otherwise known as the Legion of Honor, is the highest award bestowed by the French government for distinguished service that can be given to non-French citizens. In recognition of the diminishing numbers of surviving World War II veterans, the President of France directed his government to seek out surviving veterans and honor them with this prestigious award on behalf of a grateful French nation. The Alliance Francaise of Jacksonville was founded in 1951 to promote French-American relations as well as spread the French language and culture through peaceful means. Regular Alliance meetings and cultural events are held throughout the year. French language courses are also provided for members. Persons interested in joining the organization or learning more about its activities are encouraged to contact us through our website or, directly, thru afjax@aol.com |