Le maire de Bourgaltroff reçu en Oklahoma
Il y a un an, c’est Hall Duncan qui revenait en Lorraine pour
rendre hommage à Ruben Rivers, ce tankiste du 761st Tank Battalion,
tombé le 19 novembre 1944 entre Guébling et Bourgaltroff (Moselle)
(voir dossier 5 : Le
761st TANK Battalion
"Black Panthers" et hommage au sgt Ruben Rivers )
Le 11 septembre 2011, accompagné des maires de Guébling et
Bourgaltroff, Hall Duncan, était venu visiter l’Espace de Mémoire.
( voir dossier 4 : Visite
de Hall Duncan )
Cette année, au tour de Sylvain Hinschberger, maire de
Bourgaltroff, d’être reçu en Oklahoma par Hall Duncan.
Article publié et transmis par notre amie Paula.
By Matt Dinger | Published: October 1, 2012 Oklahoman
The
mayor of Bourgaltroff, France, is in Oklahoma for the next two weeks,
in part to honor a black soldier killed in World War II.
Sylvain
Hinschberger arrived Friday in Oklahoma City, and plans to visit the
Tecumseh memorial site for Ruben Rivers, an Army staff sergeant
killed defending French territory in November 1944.
Rivers,
whose remains are buried in France, was not properly recognized until
the Clinton presidency, Hinschberger said.
Rivers
was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in 1997.
Repaying
a visit
Hinschberger
is the guest of Hall Duncan, who served with Rivers in France.
Duncan's
hand was wounded by a bullet during combat.
“Why
Oklahoma ? Because last year, Dr. Duncan, from Oklahoma City, was in
my village,” Hinschberger said.
Duncan
felt that Rivers had not received proper recognition for his efforts
and arranged a permanent memorial in the French town of Beueblin
(Guebling), near Bourgaltroff.
“It's
a big thanks for the U.S. Army and all the soldiers who died for my
freedom, for freedom for my country,” Hinschberger said.
Hinschberger
also stopped by the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum on
Sunday afternoon to lay a memorial wreath.
He
received permission to wear the official French sash during all
ceremonies performed in Oklahoma City during his visit.
Duncan
and Hinschberger will make a joint presentation at the University of
Central Oklahoma's Radke Auditorium at 4 p.m. Wednesday. Hinschberger
will travel to Tecumseh to visit Rivers' memorial site Oct. 8, before
returning to France on Oct. 15.
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 |
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| Sylvain
Hinschberger lays a wreath Sunday at the Oklahoma City National
Memorial and Museum in Oklahoma City. Photos by Sarah Phipps, The
Oklahoman |
Sylvain
Hinschberger take a moment Sunday after laying a wreath at the Oklahoma
City National Memorial and Museum in Oklahoma City. |
Sylvain
Hinschberger take a moment after laying a wreath at the Oklahoma City
National Memorial and Museum in Oklahoma City, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012.
Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman |
