09/21/2026
đ«đ·đïž Last Friday, France had the honor of awarding the LĂ©gion dâhonneur, its highest distinction, to Second Lieutenant Murray Lirette, a World War II veteran of the U.S. Army Air Forces.
As a bombardier with the legendary 100th Bomb Group, he flew twelve combat missions over occupied Europe before being shot down over Belgium in May 1944. Severely wounded, he endured nearly a year as a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft III.
More than eighty years later, France remembers. This decoration is a tribute to his courage, sacrifice, and the enduring friendship between France and the United States.
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đ«đ·đïž Vendredi dernier, la France a eu lâhonneur de remettre la LĂ©gion dâhonneur, sa plus haute distinction, au sous-lieutenant Murray Lirette, vĂ©tĂ©ran de la Seconde Guerre mondiale de lâU.S. Army Air Forces.
Bombardier au sein du lĂ©gendaire 100th Bomb Group, il a accompli douze missions de combat au-dessus de lâEurope occupĂ©e avant dâĂȘtre abattu au-dessus de la Belgique en mai 1944. GriĂšvement blessĂ©, il a ensuite passĂ© prĂšs dâun an en captivitĂ© au Stalag Luft III.
Plus de quatre-vingts ans aprĂšs la LibĂ©ration, la France nâoublie pas. Cette dĂ©coration rend hommage Ă son courage, Ă son sacrifice et Ă lâamitiĂ© indĂ©fectible entre la France et les Ătats-Unis.
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Embassy of France in the U.S. Grande chancellerie de la LĂ©gion d'honneur The National WWII Museum MinistĂšre de lâEurope et des Affaires Ă©trangĂšres U.S. Air Force