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French Foreign Legion Awards Colorado Veterans Highest Honor

WINDSOR, Colo. (CBS4) - The French Foreign Legion honored five veterans from Colorado with the Legion of Honor for their service in liberating France during World War II.

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(credit: CBS)

Private First Class Joe Hoberman landed in Normandy in 1944. On his first day of battle, his headquarters was wiped out. On the second day, he lost his best friend.

"I accept this honor on behalf of the buddies that are still in France and Germany, and for the many, many more that just didn't live long enough to receive this honor," Hoberman said on Wednesday during the ceremony in Windsor.

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(credit: CBS)

He survived and made it home in 1946.

Private First Class Richard Mann, Sergeant LeMoyne Anderson, Sergeant Samuel Lesser, and Captain Oliver Bashor were also awarded.

The Legion of Honor is France's highest honor awarded to French civilians or foreign nationals.

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