"Last French D-Day Hero Passes at 100, Leaving a Warning for the Young"
Leon Gautier, the last surviving member of an elite French unit that participated in the D-Day invasion, has passed away at the age of 100. Gautier, who met with President Emmanuel Macron and was an important voice of memory and warning, dedicated his post-war life to ensuring that the lessons of World War II are not forgotten. He gave interviews, participated in commemorations, provided testimonials at schools, and helped establish a museum in Ouistreham that honors the French commandos who helped liberate Normandy. Gautier and his comrades were among the first waves of Allied troops to storm the heavily defended beaches of Nazi-occupied northern France, marking the beginning of the liberation of western Europe.
