<div><span style="color:#7D0025"><center><b>Unsung Hero</b> <span style="font-size: 80%"><i>SFC Raymond J. Provencher - March 21, 1925 - July 30, 2008</i></span></center> My father fought in WWII, having landed on Omaha Beach and fought his way through Normandy, to Belgium, where he was captured. He spent the last eight months of the war as a POW in a stalag on the Polish border. After the war he was stationed again in Normandy, at Brittany American Cemetery, where he served as Honor Guard. He rarely spoke of his war experiences, but little by little, through my mother and other acquaintances, we learned what a <a style="color:#009AA3" href="http://manormandie.googlepages.com/unsunghero" target="blank">hero</a> he was. Our most recent such revelation came at Brittany Cemetery on Memorial Day, 2004.</span> <center><a style="color:#336666" href="http://manormandie.googlepages.com" target="blank"><b>Visit <i>Ma Normandie</i> Website</b></a></center> <a href="http://manormandie.googlepages.com/manormandiegalleries-wwiimemorials"><font style="color: #336666;" > <b>« <i>Ma Normandie</i> Galleries - <i>WWII Memorials</i></b></font></a></div> http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/La-For%C3%AAt-de-Cerisy/190168079_KfPFV-Ti-1.jpg http://snoupi.smugmug.com/gallery/3400467_dSFa6/ 2007-08-31T13:44:26Z Copyright 2009, the copyright holder of each photograph. Some portions copyright SmugMug. All rights reserved. SmugMug <p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com">snoupi</a><br />Unsung Hero</p><p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/3400467_dSFa6#190174977_79t2N" title="Unsung Hero"><img src="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/unsunghero/190174977_79t2N-Th-1.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Unsung Hero" title="Unsung Hero" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> 2009-09-23T09:06:03Z snoupi http://snoupi.smugmug.com http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/unsunghero/190174977_79t2N-Th-1.jpg <p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com">snoupi</a><br />La Forêt de Cerisy 2002 - Dad revisits the site of some of his WWII battles.</p><p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/3400467_dSFa6#190168079_KfPFV" title="La Forêt de Cerisy 2002 - Dad revisits the site of some of his WWII battles."><img src="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/La-For%C3%AAt-de-Cerisy/190168079_KfPFV-Th-1.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="La Forêt de Cerisy 2002 - Dad revisits the site of some of his WWII battles." title="La Forêt de Cerisy 2002 - Dad revisits the site of some of his WWII battles." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> 2009-09-23T09:06:03Z snoupi http://snoupi.smugmug.com http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/La-For%C3%AAt-de-Cerisy/190168079_KfPFV-Th-1.jpg <p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com">snoupi</a><br />Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Director Richard Arsenault, upon discovering that my father had been Honor Guard there after the war, requests that he stay and allow him to "p ...</p><p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/3400467_dSFa6#190168250_JA4Ws" title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Director Richard Arsenault, upon discovering that my father had been Honor Guard there after the war, requests that he stay and allow him to "p ..."><img src="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190168250_JA4Ws-Th-2.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Director Richard Arsenault, upon discovering that my father had been Honor Guard there after the war, requests that he stay and allow him to "p ..." title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Director Richard Arsenault, upon discovering that my father had been Honor Guard there after the war, requests that he stay and allow him to "p ..." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> 2009-09-23T09:06:24Z snoupi http://snoupi.smugmug.com http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190168250_JA4Ws-Th-2.jpg <p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com">snoupi</a><br />Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Arsenault goes over the post-war logbooks with Dad as Judy looks on.</p><p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/3400467_dSFa6#190168356_vZTYM" title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Arsenault goes over the post-war logbooks with Dad as Judy looks on."><img src="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190168356_vZTYM-Th-2.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Arsenault goes over the post-war logbooks with Dad as Judy looks on." title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Arsenault goes over the post-war logbooks with Dad as Judy looks on." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> 2009-09-23T09:06:26Z snoupi http://snoupi.smugmug.com http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190168356_vZTYM-Th-2.jpg <p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com">snoupi</a><br />Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Dad reading the logbook, relives old times, as I look on.</p><p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/3400467_dSFa6#190168455_JsVFk" title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Dad reading the logbook, relives old times, as I look on."><img src="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190168455_JsVFk-Th-2.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Dad reading the logbook, relives old times, as I look on." title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Dad reading the logbook, relives old times, as I look on." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> 2009-09-23T09:06:24Z snoupi http://snoupi.smugmug.com http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190168455_JsVFk-Th-2.jpg <p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com">snoupi</a><br />Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Arsenault asks Dad to take part in the Memorial Day ceremonies.</p><p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/3400467_dSFa6#190168526_6fzyD" title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Arsenault asks Dad to take part in the Memorial Day ceremonies."><img src="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190168526_6fzyD-Th-2.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Arsenault asks Dad to take part in the Memorial Day ceremonies." title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Arsenault asks Dad to take part in the Memorial Day ceremonies." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> 2009-09-23T09:06:21Z snoupi http://snoupi.smugmug.com http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190168526_6fzyD-Th-2.jpg <p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com">snoupi</a><br />Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Mustering for the Procession - The local French veterans and dignitaries are excited to have an American WWII veteran join them.</p><p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/3400467_dSFa6#190170575_tfLAj" title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Mustering for the Procession - The local French veterans and dignitaries are excited to have an American WWII veteran join them."><img src="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190170575_tfLAj-Th-2.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Mustering for the Procession - The local French veterans and dignitaries are excited to have an American WWII veteran join them." title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Mustering for the Procession - The local French veterans and dignitaries are excited to have an American WWII veteran join them." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> 2009-09-23T09:06:24Z snoupi http://snoupi.smugmug.com http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190170575_tfLAj-Th-2.jpg <p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com">snoupi</a><br />Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Dad and Patrick Davis, son of the former director of Brittany American Cemetery, lay the American wreath at the monument.</p><p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/3400467_dSFa6#190170657_Qwc7o" title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Dad and Patrick Davis, son of the former director of Brittany American Cemetery, lay the American wreath at the monument."><img src="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190170657_Qwc7o-Th-2.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Dad and Patrick Davis, son of the former director of Brittany American Cemetery, lay the American wreath at the monument." title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Dad and Patrick Davis, son of the former director of Brittany American Cemetery, lay the American wreath at the monument." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> 2009-09-23T09:06:27Z snoupi http://snoupi.smugmug.com http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190170657_Qwc7o-Th-2.jpg <p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com">snoupi</a><br />Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial - Dad and Davis Paying their Respects</p><p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/3400467_dSFa6#190170722_dC6ez" title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial - Dad and Davis Paying their Respects"><img src="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190170722_dC6ez-Th-2.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial - Dad and Davis Paying their Respects" title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial - Dad and Davis Paying their Respects" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> 2009-09-23T09:06:19Z snoupi http://snoupi.smugmug.com http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190170722_dC6ez-Th-2.jpg <p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com">snoupi</a><br />Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Davis and Dad with other dignitaries watch the Proceedings.</p><p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/3400467_dSFa6#190167413_WrL9G" title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Davis and Dad with other dignitaries watch the Proceedings."><img src="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190167413_WrL9G-Th-2.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Davis and Dad with other dignitaries watch the Proceedings." title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Davis and Dad with other dignitaries watch the Proceedings." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> 2009-09-23T09:06:24Z snoupi http://snoupi.smugmug.com http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190167413_WrL9G-Th-2.jpg <p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com">snoupi</a><br />Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - The mayor delivers a heartfelt and moving tribute to the young Americans who gave their lives to liberate France from the Nazis.</p><p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/3400467_dSFa6#190167500_ojpDa" title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - The mayor delivers a heartfelt and moving tribute to the young Americans who gave their lives to liberate France from the Nazis."><img src="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190167500_ojpDa-Th-2.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - The mayor delivers a heartfelt and moving tribute to the young Americans who gave their lives to liberate France from the Nazis." title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - The mayor delivers a heartfelt and moving tribute to the young Americans who gave their lives to liberate France from the Nazis." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> 2009-09-23T09:06:25Z snoupi http://snoupi.smugmug.com http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190167500_ojpDa-Th-2.jpg <p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com">snoupi</a><br />Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Procession back to the Chapel</p><p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/3400467_dSFa6#190167588_25hAs" title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Procession back to the Chapel"><img src="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190167588_25hAs-Th-1.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Procession back to the Chapel" title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Procession back to the Chapel" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> 2009-09-23T09:06:03Z snoupi http://snoupi.smugmug.com http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190167588_25hAs-Th-1.jpg <p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com">snoupi</a><br />Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Procession - Dad and Davis</p><p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/3400467_dSFa6#190167715_DGyZ8" title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Procession - Dad and Davis"><img src="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190167715_DGyZ8-Th-2.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Procession - Dad and Davis" title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Procession - Dad and Davis" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> 2009-09-23T09:06:26Z snoupi http://snoupi.smugmug.com http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190167715_DGyZ8-Th-2.jpg <p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com">snoupi</a><br />Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Procession - Dad and Davis</p><p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/3400467_dSFa6#190167835_z89N8" title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Procession - Dad and Davis"><img src="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190167835_z89N8-Th-2.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Procession - Dad and Davis" title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Procession - Dad and Davis" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> 2009-09-23T09:06:27Z snoupi http://snoupi.smugmug.com http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190167835_z89N8-Th-2.jpg <p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com">snoupi</a><br />Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Procession - Arriving at the Chapel</p><p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/3400467_dSFa6#190167969_NZ63G" title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Procession - Arriving at the Chapel"><img src="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190167969_NZ63G-Th-4.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Procession - Arriving at the Chapel" title="Brittany American Cemetery 2004 Memorial Day - Procession - Arriving at the Chapel" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> 2009-09-23T09:06:33Z snoupi http://snoupi.smugmug.com http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Brittanny-American-Cemetery/190167969_NZ63G-Th-4.jpg <p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com">snoupi</a><br />Saint-Lo 2003 - Old Friends - Dad and Roger Casrouge - Roger was Dad's driver while he was stationed at Brittany Cemetery.</p><p><a href="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/3400467_dSFa6#190168172_jPiVb" title="Saint-Lo 2003 - Old Friends - Dad and Roger Casrouge - Roger was Dad's driver while he was stationed at Brittany Cemetery."><img src="http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Saint-Lo-2003-Old-Friends-Dad/190168172_jPiVb-Th-2.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Saint-Lo 2003 - Old Friends - Dad and Roger Casrouge - Roger was Dad's driver while he was stationed at Brittany Cemetery." title="Saint-Lo 2003 - Old Friends - Dad and Roger Casrouge - Roger was Dad's driver while he was stationed at Brittany Cemetery." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p> 2009-09-23T09:06:18Z snoupi http://snoupi.smugmug.com http://snoupi.smugmug.com/Ma-Normandie/WWII-Memorials/Unsung-Hero/Saint-Lo-2003-Old-Friends-Dad/190168172_jPiVb-Th-2.jpg