Consulate General of France in Los Angeles Commemorates D-Day 70th Anniversary at S.S. Lane Victory

LOS ANGELES - May 31, 2014 - PRLog -- The Consulate General of France in Los Angeles and the D-Day 70^th Anniversary Committee invite veterans and the general public to commemorate this important anniversary of the Normandy landings on Saturday, June 7, 2014 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the S.S. Lane Victory in the Port of Los Angeles (Berth 49; GPS address: 3600 Miner St., San Pedro, CA 90731).

“The French Government is proud to participate in this event,” said Axel Cruau, Consul General of France in Los Angeles. “This may be one of the last opportunities to publicly recognize these members of ‘The Greatest Generation’ who helped liberate mainland Europe during World War II.”

In cooperation with the Port of Los Angeles and Los Angeles City Council District 15, World War II veterans who served in France and in the European liberation campaign will be honored at a special ceremony with dignitaries (1 p.m., admission by invitation only).

“Our main goal is to recognize the World War II Allied veterans in Southern California that served in France,” noted Robert W. Johnson, Lt. Col., USAF (Ret.) and Christopher Scott, Co-Chairmen of the D-Day 70^th Anniversary Committee. “It is our sincere hope that as many veterans as possible will be able to join us on this special occasion.”

The general public is invited to view World War II era vehicles, military hardware and memorabilia. Festivities include aircraft flybys and a fireboat display. Admission to S.S. Lane Victory is $5 for adults and $2 for children. Parking and display viewing is free of charge.

About D-Day
D-Day (June 6, 1944) was the largest military operation in history and marked the beginning of the liberation of France and Europe during World War II. 156,000 Allied troops, 5,000 ships and landing craft, 50,000 vehicles and 11,000 planes were involved. French President François Hollande, U.S. President Barack Obama and other heads of state will celebrate the 70^th anniversary in Normandy (http://www.the70th-normandy.com).

About the Consulate General of France in Los Angeles
The Consulate General of France in Los Angeles is a consular representation of the French Republic in the United States, under the authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development. Its jurisdiction covers the American Southwest. Please visit us at http://www.consulfrance-losangeles.org.

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings, a number of initiatives are being held within the French diplomatic network in order to express France’s gratitude to the Allied nations for the sacrifices they made in 1944. An interactive map of the activities can be found at http://bit.ly/1otNKWy.

About the D-Day 70^th Anniversary Committee
Working under the auspices of the U.S. Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II (USMMVWWII), the D-Day 70^th Anniversary Committee is a volunteer, non-profit organization. World War II veterans are encouraged to contact the committee directly at dday70rsvp@lanevictory.org. Donations can be made at http://lanevictory.org/DDay70.php.

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