U.S. World War II veteran Harold Terence, left, 100, and Jeanne Swerling, 96, arrive to celebrate their wedding at the town hall of Carentin-les-Marais in Normandy, northwest France, on Saturday.
Jeremys Gonzalez/AP
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Jeremys Gonzalez/AP
Harold Terens was just 20 years old when he first went to Normandy as a U.S. Army Air Corps corporal tasked with bringing back freed American prisoners of war after D-Day in 1944. BRITAIN – This was a pivotal moment in World War II, providing Britain with help liberating Europe from Nazi occupation.
Eighty years later, Terrence returned to northern France with another mission – to marry his sweetheart Jeanne Svirling.
“I’m so lucky that I’m going to be married to a beautiful girl who’s the smartest girl, the wittiest girl, the best dancer, the funniest girl I’ve ever known,” Terrence said last week. .
“She’s the best of the rest,” he added.
Terrance, 100, and Swerling, 96, both grew up in New York but did not meet until 2021, through the daughter of Swerling’s former partner. Terrence and Sverling were both widows at the time. Terrence, who had sworn off dating at the time, said he felt an immediate connection with Sverling after the two were encouraged to go out for dinner, according to the Associated Press.
The two exchanged vows on Saturday at the town hall in Carentin. The city is also famous for the Battle of Carentan, when U.S. airborne troops fought to secure a connection between the landing beaches, Omaha, and Utah shortly after D-Day.
After the ceremony, the two were invited to attend a special state banquet at the Elysee Palace with French President Macron and US President Biden.
“Congratulations to the newlyweds,” Macron said, while France’s leading figures, celebrities and business leaders cheered Terrence and Sverling.
A few days ago, France honored Terence and dozens of other World War II veterans at a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings. European leaders such as Macron and Biden also attended the event.
On D-Day 1944, Terence was in England working on radios and helping to repair combat aircraft. Twelve days later, he volunteered to go to Normandy to help bring back American and British prisoners of war who had been held in German camps.
Terrence reportedly ended his service in 1945 and took a job with a British conglomerate that distributed beer, cigarettes and other goods. south florida sun sentinel.
