Still grateful two generations later, France is recognizing World War II vets who helped free their country from invading Germans, 63 years after the fact.
Interlochen resident Richard Rizzio received France's highest honor, the Legion of Honor medal, on November 2 in Detroit. Given by the French Consul General based in Chicago during a ceremony that also honored three other liberators from Michigan, the award is something the radio operator never expected to receive.
"It is special, it was an honor,” said Rizzio, who served in nine straight months of combat for the 274th Armored Field Artillery, part of General George Patton's Third Army.
Rizzio fought in four of the five major European campaigns — all subsequent to but not including D-Day — and noted that his service in France made him eligible for the award.
"I feel that any of the vets who served from D-Day to the German border in the actual liberation of France — that's the qualification,” he added.
A newspaper story led Rizzio to apply for the Legion of Honor, a recognition for both civilians and soldiers that traces its roots to Napoleon, who established the award in 1802. With help from Congressman Dave Camp's office, the retired salesman gathered all the paperwork needed, documentation that included discharge papers as well as citations for his Purple Heart and Silver Star.
"They dug deep, it took three months,” recalled Rizzio of the meticulous process by the French that included Library of Congress verification. "You had to prove your time over there.”
Rizzio wants to get the word out to his fellow veterans that the Legion of Honor award is available. He recounted that only 414 medals have been granted although he has heard that more than 6,000 men still alive may qualify. With surviving World War II veterans in their ninth decade and dying nationwide at an increasing rate, the time is running out.
"There's thousands of guys who qualified and there's not too many of us left,” said Rizzio, an active member of the West Michigan Chapter of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge organization.
World War II veterans who served actively during the liberation of France may be eligible for the Legion of Honor; for help determining or documenting their status, they may call Ryan Tarrant in Congressman Dave Camp's office at 929-4711.