When he volunteered with the Canadian Armed Forces, Joseph Vogelgesang was only 17 years old.
He was among the 14,000 Canadians who landed on the beaches of Normandy in 1944. Now, at age 99, Vogelgesang has been recognized with France’s highest decoration.
He was decorated as a Knight of the Legion of Honour at a ceremony in Vancouver on Thursday, as the world marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day. But Vogelgesang is humble about his past.
“I didn’t go through hell,” he said. “Just imagining civilians that are in a war and can’t defend themselves, that’s my concern.”
Vogelgesang said surrounding himself with good people is his secret to a long and happy life. He had nine siblings growing up and went on to have three children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Veteran Harry Greenwood, also 99 years old, was at the event in Vancouver.
“I was there on D-Day, five hours before the landings,” he told Global News.
Greenwood was part of a group escorting minesweepers whose job was to clear the channels before the Allies would land on the five beaches.
He joined the Navy at 17 years old and received the Knight of the Legion of Honour seven years ago in France as he used to travel back every five years to commemorate D-Day in France.
“When I go back, not only do I go to the Canadian cemetery or the British cemetery… I go to the German cemetery because there were many young German boys who were not Nazis who died and fought in that war,” Greenwood said. “They were brave too. You have to give courage to the people.”
The Legion of Honour Award was created by Napoleon in 1802. Since 2014 it has been presented to more than 1,000 Canadian veterans.