Press release from the Consulate Général de France á Atlanta:
The Consulate General of France in Atlanta will decorate World War II veteran Earl H. Snypes of Black Mountain, North Carolina with the Legion of Honor, France’s highest merit, during a ceremony on Tuesday, June 1 at 2:30 p.m.
The Legion of Honor is bestowed upon French citizens as well as foreign nationals who have served France or the ideals it upholds, including individuals who have contributed to the country professionally, as well as veterans such as the Americans who risked their lives during World War II fighting on French soil.
President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron designates the recipients of the Legion of Honor. Mr. Snypes will be decorated by the Consul General of France in Atlanta Vincent Hommeril. Below is a brief summary of Mr. Snypes’ involvement in World War II:
Mr. Earl H. Snypes entered into active service in the United States Army on April 10, 1944. After basic infantry training at Camp Wheeler in Georgia, he boarded a ship for Europe, arriving in Northern France a few months after the D-Day Normandy landings. As an assistant gunner – light mortar crewman with Company K of the 26th Infantry, he participated in the Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe military campaigns. In recognition of his service, he was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, the American Theatre Service Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal with Three Bronze Service Stars, and the WWII Victory Medal, among others.
Some of the best-known American recipients of the Legion of Honor include Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower and Douglas MacArthur and, as an institution, the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Mr. Snypes and the Consul General will be available after the ceremony for comment.
What: Legion of Honor Ceremony
When: Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at 2:30 p.m.
Where: Mountain View Church, 2221 North Fork-Right Fork, Black Mountain, NC 28711
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