FRANCE: JOHN HASEY MADE AN OFFICER OF THE LEGION OF HONOUR FOR WARTIME SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE OF FRANCE

Record ID: 230415

  • Title: FRANCE: JOHN HASEY MADE AN OFFICER OF THE LEGION OF HONOUR FOR WARTIME SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE OF FRANCE
  • Date: 18th June 1996
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (JUNE 18, 1996) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV SALON D'HONNEUR, AWARD CEREMONY 0.06 2. MCU FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC PINNING ON AWARDS 0.20 3. SV/LV GUESTS (3 SHOTS) 0.29 4. SV JOHN HASEY HAVING AWARD PINNED ON BY CHIRAC (2 SHOTS) 1.00 5. CU CAMERA 1.04 6. LV CEREMONY 1.17 7. MCU HASEY SPEAKING AFTER AWARD CEREMONY ON STEPS OF ELYSEE BESIDE HIS SON, SAYING "WELL, THAT WAS A PRETTY FEROCIOUS BATTLE, BAYONET BATTLE..BUT I GOT IN THE WAY OF MACHINE GUN FIRE AND GENERAL DE GAULLE WROTE ME IN THE HOSPITAL THAT I WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN TO SHED HIS BLOOD FOR THE FREEDOM OF FRANCE SO I SHOULD BECOME THE FIRST AMERICAN COMPANION OF THE LIBERATION." (ENGLISH - VERY QUIET AND INDISTINCT OWING TO INJURIES) 1.52 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 3rd July 1996 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • City:
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVADX8T286V2I0TF5YBLXW4SNN70
  • Story Text: INTRO: John Hasey was made an Officer of the Legion of Honour today, for his wartime services to the people of France. As an American, Hasey is amongst just a handful of foreigners, including King George VI and Winston Churchill, to receive France's Napoleonic order of merit, one the country's most prestigious award.

    -------------------------------------------------------------- An American, who earned France's highest world War Two award as an officer in the French Foreign Legion, received the rosette of Officer of the Legion of Honour on Tuesday (June 18), as recognition of his wartime services to France.

    John Hasey, 79, was given the rosette by French President Chirac in the Elysee Palace, in Paris. He was amongst 100 Companions of the Order of Liberation who received the honorific medal on Tuesday.

    Since the end of the Second World War, only 1,086 men and women were made Companions by wartime French general de Gaulle as a recognition of their courage in fighting Germany's occupation of France.

    Hasey, who later joined the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in his native country, was amongst just a handful famous foreign dignatories to have received the medal usually reserved for the French. Amongst them are King George VI, General Eisenhower and Winston Churchill.

    Hasey, originally from Bridgewater, Massachusetts, worked for the luxury jeweller Cartier in Paris before the war broke. When France fell to the Germans in June 1940, he fled to London where he joined the French Legionnaires and fought in French West Africa and Syria.

    Hasey spent a year in hospital recovering from a injuries he suffered whilst fighting the Vichy French in Syria. He then joined General Koenig in London who led the underground maquis in occupied France.

    Speaking after the ceremony, Hasey said that during his stay in hospital, he received a letter from de Gaulle wishing to reward him as the first American to shed his blood for France and freedom. He told Hasey he wanted him to be the first American to be made Companion of the Order of Liberation.

    Hasey's son, a major in the United States Marine Corps, was at the ceremony.


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