Deep Respect prepares the reception of seven veterans in June 2011

Created in September 2010 by Carol Duval and Tenno Dogger, passionate about the history of the Second World War and Operation Overlord, the Deep Respect association was preparing the reception of veterans from June 4 to 11, for the 67th anniversary of the Landing. It had 25 members and honorary members of French, Belgian and Dutch. Tenno Dogger was the president and Carol Duval the secretary.

The association wanted to preserve and transmit the memory of the fighters by laying plaques, restoring monuments or burials, depositing flowers and transmitting individual stories. She also offered to help veterans and their families make their wishes come true. Schools in the region could participate and sponsor projects.

Three American veterans were expected: Charles N. Shay, Steve Kellman and David A. Nelson, all presented as having landed in Omaha on June 6, 1944. They were to be joined by four British: Eric L. J. Rackham, Richard Morrison, Robert Rome and Cyril G. Banks.

On Sunday, June 5, with the Passerelles d'Omaha, a reception was scheduled at 11 a.m. in Grandcamp-Maisy by Mayor Serge Bigot and Deputy Jean-Marc Lefranc, followed by ceremonies at the monuments F. Peregory and Ranger. At 2:15 p.m., the veterans were to arrive by jeep at the Vierville museum, where Mayor Jean-Marie Oxéant would welcome them for a meeting with the public. At 5:30 p.m., at the U.S. National Guard monument, David Nelson was to receive the Legion of Honor and the veterans of the diplomas of Honorary Citizens.

On Monday, June 6, the program announced an inauguration at Pointe du Hoc at 10:30 a.m., a ceremony in Hermanville at 3 p.m., then a ceremony with deposit of wreaths and Souvenir medals in Vierville at 6 p.m. On Wednesday, June 8 at 11 a.m., a plaque dedicated to the crews of British minesweepers was to be inaugurated at the Arromanches circular cinema, with an English school, the general councilor Jean-Pierre Richard, the cinema director Jean-Claude Lefranc and Léon Gautier, veteran of the Kieffer commando.

The contacts published were 02 31 51 93 12 and 02 31 10 03 53; the annual membership was set at €20.

Archive image: https://vierville.cordelle.eu/PhDoc10/2011-Juin-DeepRespect.jpg