|
French Delegation Visiting Chattanooga
 6/6/2008French Delegation Visiting Chattanooga Chattanooga, Tennessee - It was nearly 64 years ago to the day – D-Day – June 6, 1944. To honor United States WWII veterans, a delegation from France will visit Chattanooga as part of the Tennessee-Bretagne Tour. The group will join D-Day memorials all across the state to honor WWII veterans. The tour is sponsored by the U.S. Chapter of the 15th Cavalry Brittany History Group. “Through me, thousands of French children are saying thank you,” said translator Victoria Mataouchek. Local officials have joined the group to honor and acknowledge their shared military history. “They are here today because we were there over 60 years ago,” said Pete Lumpkin, Hamilton County resident and coordinator for the group. The Chattanooga visit will include National Park Service tours to view historic sites on Lookout Mountain, Signal Mountain and Moccasin Bend. The tour will culminate with a special ceremony at the National Cemetery on D-Day, June 6, at 9:00 a.m. The history of past Medal of Honor winners will be shared during the ceremony. The United States and its allies began the liberation of France in June 1944, and by September 1944, joined with the French Resistance to bring the European theater closer to an end with interactions at Normandy, Paris, and Brittany. The U.S. 15th Cavalry provided a vital role in the liberation of many Brittany seacoast towns, including Brest. The 15th Cavalry Brittany History Group, located in Ploubezre, France, was established by Mr. Eric Boete to honor the brave efforts of the 15th Cavalry and the sacrifices of WWII heroes. Tennesseans instituted the U.S. Chapter of the French 15th Cavalry Brittany History Group, which is headquartered in Lawrenceburg, Tenn. Lawrenceburg is the home of retired WWII veteran and Brittany liberation campaign hero Capt. Bob Hamsley. Members of the U.S. chapter visited Brittany in September 2007, and the U.S. chapter is hosting 12 members of the Brittany History Group for a historic military tour of the Tennessee and Kentucky region. For additional information, please contact: Pete Lumpkin 423-605-0891 |
|
