A million red rose petals were showered over the Statue of Liberty
yesterday in a spectacular display to mark the 70th anniversary of the
D-Day landing in Normandy during World War II.
Dropped from three helicopters, the petals looked tiny against Lady
Liberty, a 93-metre colossus rising from an island in New York harbour.
But the crowds applauded enthusiastically, as tourists and children
carefully gathered the petals as they floated down around the statue, a
symbol of the United States and of Franco-American friendship.
In all, 70,000 roses – 1,000 for each year since the epic landing – were used.
One hundred and thirty French and American schoolchildren unfurled
huge French and American flags at the foot of the statue, and sang
French and American hymns, in honour of the US forces that stormed
ashore June 6, 1944 to help liberate France from Nazi occupation.
A dozen veterans, all more than 90 years old, also took in the sight, some overcome with emotion.
“I am not a hero, the heroes are still in Normandy, and France,” said
91-year-old Joseph Chiopolo, a former army medic who remembers the
landing on Omaha Beach with horror.
Source: Yahoo News
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