Eleven (11) Veterans of the Central Massachusetts Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, Chapter XXII received the prestigious French decoration, which is called :”Chevalier de la Legion d’ Honneur.” on November 29, 2011. The French “Consul General de France” came from Boston, MA. to pin these medals on the chest of our Veterans; all of them fought on the French soil from Omaha Beach, Normandy or Southern France all the way to the Northeastern border of France and Germany. This very special ceremony has been organized by Dr. John E. McAuliffe, a retired Worcester dentist, who created Chapter XXII VBOB nineteen years ago and has been its President for all these years.
The veterans:
Dorothy Taft-Barre – 16th General Hospital
William Ford – 107th Evacuation Hospital
Francis J. Gaudere – 30th Infantry Division
Arthur J. Hubbard – 110th AAA Gun Battalion
John F. Judge – 26th Infantry Division
Charles Kady – 128th AAA Gun Battalion
John F. Kreckler – 110th AAA Gun Battalion
Athanace Joe Landry – 776th AAA AW Battalion
Helen Najarian-Rusz – 59th Evacuation Hospital
Chester C Wenc – 106th Infantry Division
Richard Woolson – 110th AAA Gun Battalion
Information by Christian W. de Marcken, Secretary of Chapter XXII
Photos by Robert Rhodes, Associate member
Worcester Telegram & Gazette