Pourquoi????

Dear Congressman,

Today's prize goes to 84 year old Howard Manoian, an American World War II veteran of the European campaign in 1944-1945.

Mr. Manoian was awarded the Legion d'honneur for bravery for his part in the D-Day Normandy invasions for landing with the 82nd Airborne and fighting at Sainte-Mere-Eglise. There was even a plaque in his honor in the town, and Mr Manoian reveled for years about telling the stories of parachuting down as the German defenders fired at and killed many of his fellow soldiers.

Additional, Mr. Manoian was wounded in the days after D-Day, taking machine gun bullets to his left hand and both legs in battle, and then wounded again when a German plane attacked the hospital in which he was recovering.

With all this said, it never ceases to amaze me the lengths that some people will go to when trying to impress others. Kudos to the Boston Herald, who took the extra step of obtaining Mr. Manoian's military records.

Turns out Mr. Manoian served with the 33rd Chemical Decontamination Company, not the 82nd Airborne as he has claimed for many years. He did in fact land at Utah beach, but on a supply ship many days after the fighting had moved inland, thus the main danger he faced on D-Day while the 82nd was fighting for their lives was trying to reach the mess hall in Southern England early enough to get first dibs on chow before it got cold.

And the risky duties of his intrepid service to the US Army? That would be the terrifying nerve-wracking assignment of looking after a supply dump in Northern France., all the while perilously dodging tanks, jeeps and supply convoys crawling past his post on their way to the front lines, many many miles away.

As for Mr. Manoian's bullet wounds, I think he may have hit his head on a pole coming out of the latrine tent one day and lost his memory, as his service record shows the only wound he received was a broken finger while in England, accompanied by brusing on the other hand... definitely painful but not quite the same league as bullet wounds received while in combat.

So after all these years Mr. Manoian, thank you for your service during WWII, but I would not expect any more free drinks at the VW from visiting Frenchman or retired veterans. And I would not be planning any more victory laps around Sainte-Mere-Eglise next time you drop by there for the many thanks you have received but not particularly earned.