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Ed Berthold was given the award on the 80th anniversary of D-Day on the beaches of Normandy.
DENVER — On the 80th anniversary of D-Day Thursday, veterans were honored during a ceremony at the American cemetery in Normandy, France near Omaha Beach.
The grandfather of a Denver woman was among those honored. Ed “Bud” Berthold was awarded the Legion of Honor Medal, the highest French decoration.
“Just seeing the look on his face today, he was so happy,” granddaughter Karly Stein said. “I grew up hearing all of his war stories. I am crying again. It all just kind of came here and being so proud of him my whole life, just it was all, really was real today.”
This is her grandpa’s first time back in Normandy since the war. He is now 104 years old.
“He’s been having the time of his life, and has been treated like a celebrity all week there,” Stein said.
The veterans were able to go to France with the help of the Best Defense Foundation, a nonprofit helping military veterans and their families.
Stein has heard all about the history her grandpa has lived.
“He always told the story about how his draft number was coming up and he had no interest in being in the Army,” Stein said. “And he was always kind of very intrigued by airplanes, so he just made the decision to enroll in the Army Air Corps, and that’s how he became a bomber pilot.”
In the decades that have passed, the stories that will come after this trip will certainly be different.
“I can’t wait to hear about his trip when he comes back,” Stein said.
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