Andrews – In 1987, Raymond Barrios was on a six-month deportment to the small port town of Marseille, France, when he was forever touched by the townspeople’s gratitude to the American flag.
During World War II, German troops occupied the small port town of Marseille, France, in order to control the southern ports. They raided homes, took food and supplies from the locals and terrorized citizens.
However, in August 1944, the American 7th Army, led by Gen. Alexander Patch, landed with three experienced infantry divisions in France. The First Free French Army, under the command of Gen. Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, landed shortly after the American divisions, and Operation Dragoon commenced.
On Dragoon’s D-Day, the Allies landed 94,000 men and suffered just 395 casualties. The First French Army quickly surrounded Marseille and neighboring Toulon. Both cities fell to the French on Aug. 28, 1944, according to nationalww2museum.org.
Barrios served in the U.S. Marine Corps. While serving in the Mediterranean, he volunteered for the ceremonial honor guard as they conducted various ceremonies in the area. Barrios was assigned to carry the U.S. flag.
“It was October, getting close to November when Armistice Day is celebrated in Europe,” he said. “This village about 20 miles away was having a ceremony, and invited us to come over and lay a wreath in the cemetery to honor the war dead.”
A platoon of 35 Marines, a lieutenant colonel and the honor guard marched to the church and attended the Catholic service there. After the service, Barrios said the streets of the small town were lined with people holding French and American flags putting him in mind of the end of Word War II.
“People were clapping and waving the flags as we came back from the cemetery to the town hall where a large lunch was being held,” Barrios remembered. “When we got there, they were putting up the Marine Corps flag and a woman came up to me and asked if her mother could touch the flag.”
Barrios said the woman could touch the flag. He’s never forgotten the awe-inspiring moment that happened right after.
“Here is this small woman, wrinkles upon wrinkles, and her eyes were red and swollen like she had been crying,” he said. “She patted me on the chest and then kissed the American flag.”
Barrios said the woman had suffered a lot during the war. She recalled how french citizens had been terrorized by german troops who would come into their home and take whatever they wanted.
Barrios said the moment the woman kissed the flag he was honored by her respect to Americans for liberating her city many years ago.