[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 177 (Thursday, November 20, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2299-E2300]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   A TRIBUTE TO THE FLOWERS OF MEMORY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BARNEY FRANK

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 19, 2008

  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, I have for many years had 
the benefit of learning from Jack Authelet, a journalist and the town 
historian of the town of Foxborough--an important town in my district 
known for a number of things, including being the home of our New 
England Patriots.
  Recently, Mr. Authelet wrote to me about a group that he accurately 
describes as ``very appreciative and dedicated French citizens who have 
. . . made a solemn vow'' that the Americans who gave their lives in 
the defense of freedom in France will not be forgotten. The 
organization of French citizens who have dedicated themselves to this 
is Les Fleurs de la Memoire, or The Flowers of Memory.
  Madam Speaker, what they have done and are doing is an inspirational 
example of international cooperation, and I ask that the very 
thoughtful and informative letter from Jack Authelet describing the 
work that they do be printed here, along with the essay entitled ``A 
Tribute,'' written by Claude Lavielle, who is president of Les Fleurs 
de la Memoire. This essay was written for Memorial Day 2002.
  Madam Speaker, Mr. Authelet asked that I do this on Veterans' Day, 
but since we were not in session on that day, I have chosen the next 
day in which it is possible to insert this into the Record as an 
appropriate way of acknowledging their great work.

                             Foxborough Historical Commission,

                                                   Foxborough, MA.
     Congressman Barney Frank,
     Newton, MA.
       Dear Barney, thank you for your dedication and leadership 
     role in resolving the fiscal crisis that grips this nation. 
     In the midst of all the uncertainty, I would like to call to 
     your attention a living tribute to the fallen of World War II 
     that I pray will move you to call for national recognition of 
     this unique volunteer effort on Veterans Day.
       In the aftermath of World War II, some 15,000 American 
     military personnel who made the Supreme Sacrifice remain on 
     French soil in the Normandy and Brittany Cemeteries where 
     there families seldom--if ever--have an opportunity to visit 
     their graves.
       We as a nation have honored the pledge we would never 
     forget their sacrifice in part by properly maintaining the 
     military cemeteries there and around the world.
       There are some very appreciative and dedicated French 
     citizens who have also made a solemn vow: these brave 
     Americans will never be forgotten because they know that 
     every day they live in freedom, they become even more 
     indebted to those who lie buried in the countries they came 
     to liberate. They belong to the organization Les Fleurs de la 
     Memoire (The Flowers of Memory) and each volunteer is 
     assigned the grave of an American to decorate at every 
     opportunity and especially on the American Memorial Day. Many 
     volunteers adopt more than one grave, and also make every 
     attempt to locate family members of the deceased that they 
     might know someone is there looking over the grave of their 
     loved ones.
       I became aware of The Flowers of Memory when Vincent 
     Robillard, the French volunteer assigned to the grave of 
     Airman Clinton Davison (Class of 1939, Foxborough High 
     School) was finally able to contact Clinton's brother, 93-
     year-old Lewis Davison of Walpole, himself a World War II 
     veteran. I have been handling the correspondence for Lewis, 
     for whom contact with the French volunteers has brought the 
     comfort of knowing there are many who appreciate the family's 
     loss. Through Vincent, the family now has had many of its 
     questions answered about the death of Clinton, even to an eye 
     witness account of what happened that fateful day at the 
     height of the war when his plane failed to return following a 
     bombing run over Germany. I have attached a story I published 
     in The Foxboro Reporter about the French volunteers and what 
     this has meant to the Davison family.
       The commitment by these French volunteers to honor those 
     brave Americans is both heartwarming and extraordinary. 
     However, most Americans don't even know the group exists.
       I have provided background on The Flowers of Memory in 
     hopes that you would use your considerable influence by 
     taking the initiative to afford this group and its volunteers 
     some national exposure this Veterans' Day that the people of 
     America would know about this magnificent tribute being paid 
     every day to those who gave their lives when their Nation 
     called.
       The attached information provides background on The Flowers 
     of Memory and their mission and I think it would bring 
     comfort to the American people to know that so many people in 
     France living in freedom today attribute that gift to those 
     whose graves they decorate as an outward symbol of an inner 
     vow that they will never be forgotten.
       Thank you for your consideration and again, my personal 
     appreciation for your inspired leadership in a time of 
     crisis.
                                                    Jack Authelet,
                                                   Town Historian.

[[Page E2300]]

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                    [From fleursdelamemoire.free.fr]

                               A Tribute

                          (By Claude Lavielle)

       Worse than death, is to be forgotten . . . So that this 
     never happens to those to whom we owe so much, the 
     association ``Les Fleurs de la Memoire'' (Flowers of 
     Remembrance), came to life. It happened on December 15, 2000, 
     in Saint Lo, a city which, after the June 6, 1944, bombing 
     raids, was called the Capital of Ruins.
       Since that day, along with our members, we have paved the 
     way along memory's roads. These paths of memory lead to the 
     American military cemeteries where those, swept along by the 
     Star-Spangled banner, listening only to their courage, came 
     to offer their life, so that we could reclaim our freedom.
       At the core of Les Fleurs de la Memoire, the 720 members, 
     put aside their differences, religious beliefs, and their 
     origins, share the same gratitude towards the GI's who repose 
     at Colleville-sur-Mer or Saint James.
       Together, on Memorial Day or individually on any other day 
     of the year, we come to meditate, in silence, or in prayer. 
     Then, in an affectionate gesture, as would a godparent for 
     their godchild, allowing the heart to speak, we place flowers 
     at the base of the headstone.
       It is not uncommon to see grandparents, at times moved to 
     tears, accompanied by their children and grandchildren moving 
     along the rows on the way to find ``the'' grave.
       Once at the gravesite, their heads filled with images. . . 
     . All listen, all meditate.
       Is it the sound of the breeze? . . . Rather, isn't it the 
     sound of the souls, the living memory of the dead speaking to 
     our subconscious? . . . Then the terrible sounds of combat 
     invade the mind . . . those unbearable sounds of bombs which 
     explode . . . the whining cry of diving planes . . . the 
     agonizing cries of the suffering. All the horrors of war 
     assault our memories.
       Finding the spirit of those who died for that we may live 
     in a better world, kneeling in front of the headstone, 
     placing these flowers, is this not a profound appeal for 
     peace?
       That is, I believe, what each person feels when coming to 
     execute their pledge towards our association, ``Les Fleurs de 
     la Memoire''. A humble pledge always accomplished with the 
     infallible faith and immense fraternity with those whom we 
     honor. It is true we have so much to say to you who sleep 
     forever in our Normandy soil. Yes, so many things, which 
     however must be resumed in one word: ``Merci.'' Yes, ``Thank 
     You. Always!''

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