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France honors local WWII hero

By Pat Murphy/Contributing Writer

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James K. Kunkle of Solvang meets President Obama in France; first lady Michelle Obama can be seen in the background. / White House Photo Office/Contributed

Jim Kunkle of Solvang is a decorated hero of World War II, and his exploits brought him a big surprise more than 60 years later.

He was invited to return to France to take part in the formal 65th anniversary ceremony of the D-Day invasion, in which he had taken part.

Not only did he receive The Legion of Honor medal, the highest military award France can bestow, but he and his wife Ruth also met President Barack Obama, French Prime Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper and along the way had a lengthy visit with Prince Charles of England.

And yet, he said, one of the biggest surprises was the reaction of the French people in giving him and other American veterans a hero’s welcome more than half a century after the war ended.

“Every place we went, even in Paris, people were just so appreciative,” Kunkle said. “One woman told them that the French people would never forget what Americans did for them and that they also teach their children. It was very moving. Even young ladies would come up and thank me and ask if they could kiss me!

“The official ceremony was in the courtyard of Les Invalides,” Kunkle said, which includes the tomb of Napoleon and a hospital and retirement home for French soldiers.

“The colorful ceremony was accompanied by military bands, parades and many uniformed dignitaries, as well as France’s Prime Minister Sarkozy.

“I was presented with the medal of The Legion of Honor by a French general, who kissed me on both cheeks. It was presented with great formality.”

The beautiful medal is topped with a red ribbon holding two green wreaths and a white star.

He also received other awards, including one presented by some of the U.S. Army Rangers who climbed the 100-foot cliffs at Pointe du Hoc near Omaha Beach on D-Day.

His invitation to the ceremonies apparently began with a Jan. 1 article in The Santa Ynez Valley News, which was read by Col. David Richardson of Vandenberg Air Force Base and sent to Col. Robert Johnson in Los Angeles, who has close connections with the French Embassy there.

After receiving full information on Kunkle’s heroic actions in helping to free France after it had fallen to German forces, Johnson took immediate action.

Those efforts resulted in the invitation to attend the June 6 D-Day anniversary ceremonies.

During World War II, Kunkle flew 36 missions with the Army Air Corps and was shot down near Stolberg, Germany, after downing five German fighter planes in a fierce dogfight.

The Kunkles rave about how well they were treated during their unforgettable and at times very emotional experience.

They had official escorts at LAX, where they boarded Air France and the pilot came out and talked with them. Upon arrival at de Gaulle airport, they were met by a special attach/ and escorted with sirens blaring though heavy Paris traffic to the Ambassador Hotel, where Charles Lindberg stayed after his historic solo flight across the Atlantic.

The next day everyone was transported to Caen on the northwest French coast, and the Kunkles were invited to ride on the official White House bus to the D-Day ceremony at the American Cemetery in Normandy.

They were surprised and thrilled at the sight of thousands of French people lining the roadways waving American flags and throwing kisses.

A number of other World War II veterans also were present to receive awards, but Kunkle was selected to be one of four who were invited to meet with the leaders of France, Canada, England and America. He was also invited to escort the wife of Prime Minister Gordon Brown to the ceremonial platform.

First Lady Michelle Obama asked for a special photograph with the Kunkles and the president.

“I was surprised to find something in my palm after he shook my hand,” Kunkle said. “It was a presidential coin. Perhaps it was an after-thought. Everything else that was presented was done with great ceremony.”

One of the highlights was his visit with England’s Prince Charles.

“He seemed truly interested in hearing my story,” Kunkle said. “He knew about our airstrip A-1, which was just two miles down from Omaha Beach at Pointe du Hoc. It was the first fighter strip for the U.S. Army Air Corps and where I flew P-38s. Being there certainly brought it all vividly back.

“I told him about how we later moved our operations to a strip by St. Lo and then A-45 by Alencon. We talked at length about flying and Normandy.

“The British had a terrible time trying to retake Caen after D-Day. The beautiful city was virtually destroyed but has been rebuilt nicely. St. Lo was also mostly destroyed in the fights.

“I also told the prince that I was going to try to find the French farm house which was next to our air strip, and he was very interested to know if I could find it. Maybe I’ll let him know how it turned out.

“On the trip home it had started to rain, but the French people and even children were still standing by the roads waving American flags,” Kunkle continued.

A few days later, the Kunkles returned to Normandy to do a private remembrance. First they went to Pegasus Bridge near Caen.

“This is the bridge where the British dropped paratroopers, on the night before D-Day. They took the bridge and held it to keep the German armored division from coming down the highway to oppose the landings at Omaha Beach. Pegasus was the insignia of the British unit that accomplished this.”

At the American cemetery, Kunkle looked for the graves of his fallen comrades. He found the grave of fellow pilot Bill Paulowsky and spent a few moments remembering that he had last spoken to him as Paulowsky was climbing into his P-38 for his final mission.

At Pointe du Hoc, two American soldiers, Bryan K. Anderson from Florida and Thomas Scott Burnham from Michigan, spoke with the Kunkles and had their picture taken with him.

To help in the search for the old farmhouse that was near their air strip and the village of St. Pierre du Mont, Kunkle had an old aerial photo with him. They not only found the Coisnard farm but could tell exactly where Kunkle’s P-38 was parked.

The French family had an American guest, Brooke C. Major, who was happy to translate all the exciting conversation. Kunkle showed some of his old photos to the French family.

Soon the word got out that an American hero was there and people began arriving. More women wanted to kiss Kunkle and they all wanted to hear of his adventures.

Someone took a framed vintage aerial photograph of the airstrip off the wall of a neighbor’s house and presented it to him.

“When I looked at it I could actually see my plane, as we all had our assigned parking places,” said Kunkle. “Then Brooke took us upstairs where the German soldiers stayed when they took over the house. They had left that room just as it was, and there is German writing on the wall as well as a bullet hole. We were also shown a bullet hole in a door where Paul Coisnard’s 21-year-old brother was killed by the Germans because he was collaborating with the French and Americans.”

When it was time to leave, the Kunkles presented a set of vintage photos to the family and were invited to come back soon and stay with them.

ONLINE:

To see a video interview with Jim Kunkle, go to www.syvnews.com.