Page 29 - sja aug 26,2015
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UP FRONT A3
Tuesday 25 August 2015
Americans, Briton who thwarted attack get France’s top honor
SYLVIE CORBET chest. British businessman From left, French President Francois Hollande, U.S. National Guardsman from Roseburg, Ore., Alek
Associated Press Chris Norman, who jumped Skarlatos, U.S. Ambassador to France Jane D. Hartley, U.S. Airman Spencer Stone and Anthony
PARIS (AP) — The presi- into the fray, also received Sadler, a senior at Sacramento State University in California, pose for photographers as they leave
dent of France pinned his the medal. the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, after Hollande awarded the three men with the French Legion
country’s highest award, The Americans looked of Honor on Monday, Aug. 24, 2015.
the Legion d’Honneur, earnest and slightly over-
on three Americans and whelmed — and a little (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
a Briton on Monday, say- under-dressed — for the
ing they “gave a lesson in unanticipated event in ers of Stone and Skarlatos Charles Michel and U.S. ny, along with the head of
courage” by subduing a the ornate Elysee Palace.
heavily armed attacker on Their short-sleeved polo looked on. Ambassador Jane Hartley French national railway au-
a high-speed train carrying shirts and khakis contrasted
500 passengers to Paris. with the gilded and vel- Belgian Prime Minister also attended the ceremo- thority SNCF.q
President Francois Hollande vet-curtained ceremonial
said that while two of the hall as Hollande read out
Americans who tackled their names one by one —
the gunman were soldiers, and kissed them on each
“on Friday you were simply cheek, in French style.
passengers. It was an unusual cere-
You behaved as soldiers mony for the French presi-
but also as responsible dent’s office too, as dozens
men.” of photographers loudly
Hollande then pinned the shouted out the Ameri-
medals on U.S. Airman cans’ names as they ap-
Spencer Stone, National proached Hollande stand-
Guardsman Alek Skarlatos, ing on the steps of the pal-
and their longtime friend ace— unlike the quieter,
Anthony Sadler. more-subdued welcome
All took part in subduing for visiting heads of state.
the gunman as he moved The four men listened to a
through the Amsterdam- translation of Hollande’s
to-Paris train with an assault speech through earpieces,
rifle strapped to his bare and the visibly proud moth-
