She was 14 when a U.S. pilot was shot down in close proximity to her house. Now she’s keeping his memory alive.
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Reporting from SAINT-ELLIER-LES-BOIS, France
It’s virtually 80-many years on, but Marie Bastien reported the memory of the American fighter airplane becoming shot down in close proximity to her village in northern France remains as vivid as ever.
“I still see it, as if it was yesterday,” Bastien, 94, explained to NBC News in French previous month just before widespread celebrations throughout France on June 6 for the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
Bastien was just 14 when 1st Lt. Paul Chaufty’s fighter was shot out of the sky, but since then she has labored hard to hold his memory alive with her daughter Mireille and her wider community of close friends and relatives.
Her tough perform paid off, and she recently stood along with some of Chaufty’s American family while a plaque honoring his memory was unveiled in the village.
