Sandy Springs Veterans To Receive French Legion of Honor

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Two Sandy Springs residents will be among 12 veterans of World War II who will be honored next week by the Consulate General of France in Atlanta.

Consul General Denis Barbet will present the insignia of the Legion of Honor to the veterans at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27 at the Floyd Veterans Memorial Building — Plaza Level, East Tower at 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SE in Atlanta.

Each will receive the medal of Chevalier, the eternal gratitude of the guarantee of France with regard to their courage and fight, the consulate general’s office said.

Sandy Springs residents Farish C. Chandler, Jr. (Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.), 8th Air Force) and Lloyd E. Pittman (1st Lieutenant, 492nd Bomb Group) are among the veterans who will be honored at the ceremony.

Other veterans who’ve confirmed their presence at the ceremony are:

• John Martin of Stone Mountain (Major, 829th Amphibious Truck Company)
• John F. Bales of Good Hope (Capitan, 492nd Bomb Group, 859th Squadron)
• Catchpole Harry T. of Bogart (Technical Sergeant, 9th Traffic regulation Group, 3rd Army)
• Frank W. Blackston of Dunwoody (Staff Sergeant, Company B, 36th Tank Battalion)
• Arthur Mohor of Hartwell (Staff Sergeant, 302nd Infantry Regiment, 94th Division)
• Frank G. Bond of Fayetteville (Technician 5th Grade, 106th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron)
• William B. Johnson of Atlanta (Technician 5th Grade, 340th Field Artillery Battalion, 89th Division)
• Bert R. Sadler of Morrow (Navy Store / Landing Craft, 652 LCM Flotilla, 32RM Battalion)
• Henry R. Petree of Bethlehem (Private First Class, 1306th Engineer General Service Regiment)

Established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, the National Order of the Legion of Honor is the highest French honorary decoration which rewards outstanding merit rendered to France.

It recognizes eminent services to the French Republic. Foreign nationals who have served France or the ideals it upholds may receive a distinction from the Legion of Honor. American veterans who risked their lives during World War II and who fought on French territory qualify to be decorated as Knights of the Legion of Honor.

Veterans must have fought in one of the four main campaigns of the liberation of France: Normandy, Provence, Ardennes, or Northern France. Recipients of this honor are designated by the President of the Republic, François Hollande.