American WWII veteran honored by France more than 80 years after D-Day

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - On the eve of Veterans Day, a 103-year-old World War II veteran who helped liberate France received one of the nation’s highest honors during an emotional ceremony at Fort Jackson.Dominick Giarratana, who landed in the first wave of American troops at Omaha Beach during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, was awarded the French Legion of Honor, France’s highest distinction, in recognition of his service during World War II. The honor was presented by Matthieu Clouvel Gervaiseau, the Consul General of France in Atlanta.The ceremony served as a tribute not only to Giarratana’s military service, but also to the lasting impact of the Americans who helped free France from Nazi occupation more than eight decades ago.Among those in attendance was Virginia Durr, who is from Normandy, and wanted to thank Giarratana personally.“You were fighting for freedom for families like mine,” Durr said. “You did not know our names, you did not know the people living in our villages, yet