Photo By Staff Sgt. Noah Sudolcan | U.S. Military personnel pose for a photo with the Bertot family and friends in...... read more read more
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SAINTE-MÈRE-ÉGLISE, France –
Filled with nerves, I slowly ascended a set of stairs into a home where I know no one and don't speak the language. The nerves quickly wash away as I am greeted with warm smiles and open arms into the Bertot’s family home.
As I arrived in the Normandy area of France, I learned U.S. Army and Air Force personnel get the opportunity to be welcomed into the homes of local French families and celebrate the 80th anniversary of D-Day together.
I had the pleasure of sharing this experience with four U.S. Army Soldiers, from the 82nd Airborne Division, and three U.S. Air Force Airmen. Everyone involved gathers at Sainte-Mère-Église city hall, France, where the hall is filled with a mixture of military personnel and local French families.
After some brief introductions and socializing, families pair up with service members and welcome them into their homes.
For the eight of us who called the Bertot’s house ‘home’ for the evening, stories flowed around the table that would lead you to believe we’ve known each other for a lifetime. Laughter and food flooded the table leaving everyone full of both.
The warm hospitality of their family was unlike anything I've ever experienced.
Christine and Serge Bertot have been hosting U.S. personnel for 30 years, starting in 1994. Christine emotionally expressed how much she loves all the connections and endless conversations she gets to have with Americans and getting the chance to honor and recognize what the U.S. military has done for them.
Their daughter, Carine, recounted stories of growing up in the area. She would run around the streets of her town while they were flooded with Soldiers, quickly swiping patches off unsuspecting men and women to add to her collection, a practice I found common among children. I took her story as a cautionary tale, that if I want to keep mine, I better keep an eye out for them.
Carine Bertot expressed how special the day is for her, as she served both in the French military and in the United States Army as a medic at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in D.C.
D-Day is one of the most amazing celebrations I have had the honor to be a part of. Every city is beaming with life, and every person is filled with joy. The streets keep alive a memory that in the moment makes you feel as though it will never die.
The celebrations honor the efforts of military personnel alongside various Allies and partners and the efforts made during World War II. D-Day, the beginning of Operation Overlord, began on June 6, 1944 and was the largest seaborne invasion in history.
I would be remiss if I did not at least attempt to convince every person I meet from this point on in my life, that coming to France and joining in the celebrations of D-Day, I'm convinced is the lost 8th wonder of the world.
| Date Taken: | 06.03.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.06.2024 05:02 |
| Story ID: | 473207 |
| Location: | SAINTE-MèRE-ÉGLISE, FR |
| Web Views: | 62 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Hospitality knows no language barrier, by SSgt Noah Sudolcan, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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