There have been a couple of themes to our travels around France and one is the search for information regarding Pat's grandfather's service in France during WW1 for which James A. McDevitt was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross.
This search has been quite fruitful, and enjoyable. Earlier this summer, Culley and Pat spent two days climbing around in WW1 trenches that still occupy the dormant countryside under the very knowledgeable direction of Florence LaMousse.
That July trip resulted in a newspaper article being written about Pat's grandfather in the L'Est Republicain, the region's daily newspaper and as a result of that article and Florence LaMousse, Pat received an invite to attend a ceremony with the mayor of Mamey, the mayor of Flirey, and several folks from the area - in Mamey, one of the villages where Pat's grandfather launched his balloon over 90 years ago.
This search has been quite fruitful, and enjoyable. Earlier this summer, Culley and Pat spent two days climbing around in WW1 trenches that still occupy the dormant countryside under the very knowledgeable direction of Florence LaMousse.
That July trip resulted in a newspaper article being written about Pat's grandfather in the L'Est Republicain, the region's daily newspaper and as a result of that article and Florence LaMousse, Pat received an invite to attend a ceremony with the mayor of Mamey, the mayor of Flirey, and several folks from the area - in Mamey, one of the villages where Pat's grandfather launched his balloon over 90 years ago.
The mayor of Mamey presented Pat with a custom made plaque bearing the crest of Mamey, and a certificate of appreciation from the people of Mamey to Pat's grandfather - for the bravery he demonstrated and the service he rendered.
We will take home this memory and share it with all of Pat's relatives, spreading the pride that Pat felt as he stood there hearing his grandfather applauded again after 90 years.
One of the highlights of the trip was taking a drive through Mamey and the surrounding country side to see the fields where the balloon was likely launched. Pat met the author of the article published in August in the newspaper L'Est Republicain, the daily paper for the Lorraine Region (Nancy and all the small towns around it).
On a more somber note, we also visited one of the two military cemeteries in the area, and met Bob Bell, the superintendant of the St. Mihiel, Thiaucourt, France Cemetery where around 5000 Americans are buried.
