When Vincent DeMartino arrived in Europe in July of 1944 with the United States Army’s 95th Infantry Division, to join the Allied forces 90 days after the invasion of Normandy, he was nearly sent back to America.
“I’m six months shy of 90, but I was only 18 when I was in Europe. I joke about it now, but my first sergeant didn’t believe I was 18,” the longtime Floral Park resident and Albertson V.F.W. Post 5253 past commander said. “They had to send off for my birth certificate.”
Though he enlisted in the Army Reserve at age 17, while still a student at Valley Stream Central High School, DeMartino stayed in France and fought.
Under the direction of Gen. George S. Patton, the 95th Infantry helped take the German fortress at Metz, then held off the Nazis during the Battle of the Bulge in allowing Patton to relieve the 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne.
On Saturday, 71 years after he first set foot in Europe, DeMartino was back in France, this time under less deadly circumstances — he was knighted by the French government.
“I was welcomed with open arms. I could not believe the treatment they gave me. The people were incredible,” said DeMartino, who received the title of “chevalier de la Légion d’honneur,” or “Soldier in the Legion of Honor.”
Dressed in military garb and joined by Patton’s granddaughter Helen, DeMartino was honored by Philippe Catherine, mayor of the French community of Picauville, to commemorate the 71st anniversary of the Normandy invasion.
“Every hamlet and every town we went to, we were greeted by every mayor and staff,” DeMartino said. “Every town over there has some sort of monument for remembrance of their liberation.”
“There’s nothing there that you can do for them,” he added. “They didn’t let me pay for nothing. Not even a sandwich.”
DeMartino said he was eager to represent the United States in France on the anniversary of the invasion, which began on June 6, 1944, but was mostly unaware of the honors that awaited his arrival.
It was the same “aw shucks” demeanor that DeMartino said guided his decision to spend nearly three decades in the military — joining a rare fraternity of soldiers who have served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam — and more recently volunteer with various veterans organizations.
“For me, it was just the way it worked. I didn’t feel there was anything unusual about it. That’s just the way things happened,” he said. “Then I retired and I had to go to work.”
