Fallen Soldiers of the 121st Infantry Regiment Honored and Remembered in France

By Maj. William Carraway
Historian, Georgia Army National Guard

Private 1st Class William Grey of Company C, 121st Infantry Regiment was honored during a ceremony at the Brittany American Cemetery in Montjoie St. Martin, France September 29, 2019. Grey was killed in action September 17, 1944 near Brest, France at the age of 23. Joining representatives of French patriotic associations in honoring Grey are Capt. Dan Nichols of the Georgia Army National Guard; David Bedford, Superintendent of the Brittany American Cemetery and Jean Francois Pellouais. Photo by Nathalie Robillard.

In August 1944, the 121^st Infantry Regiment of the Georgia National Guard swept into Brittany, France. By September, the 121st, as part of the 8th Infantry Division, had captured the fortified port city of Brest France and eliminated German resistance on the Crozon Peninsula. Seventy-five years later, during a ceremony at the Brittany American Cemetery in Montjoie St. Martin, French citizens and veterans remembered the fallen Soldiers of the 121st and other American Soldiers who fell during the Normandy and Brittany campaigns.

“We have a duty to remember,” said Jean Francois Pellouais, master of ceremonies who has arranged tributes to the fallen since 2011. “I take part and organize these tributes to promote the duty of memory so that these young men do not return to the shadow of history.”

Citizens and representatives of eleven veteran and civic associations gathered in the Chapel of the Brittany American Cemetery on a rainy Sunday morning for the commemoration ceremony. Inside the chapel, flanked by color bearers of French patriotic associations, were the images of fallen service members. Among those honored were Pfc. Elbert B. Griffin, Pvt. John T. Taggart, and Pfc. William P. Grey of the 121st Infantry Regiment who fell in Brittany.

The Georgia Army National Guard Soldiers of the 121st Infantry honored during the ceremony were, (left to right) Pfc. William P. Grey, Pfc. Elbert B. Griffin and Pvt. John T. Taggart, and Pfc. William P. Grey. Photo by Nathalie Robillard.

Pellouais opened the ceremony with introductory comments before reading a poem that had been provided for the occasion by Yuri Beckers of Holland. The poem, titled "We Must Remember," was written in tribute to the 9th Infantry Division Soldiers and all those who reside at the Brittany American Cemetery.

Five-year-old Violette and Capt. Dan Nichols of the Georgia Army National
 Guard prepare to place a rose in honor of fallen American service members
during a ceremony at the Brittany American Cemetery in Montjoie St. Martin,
France September 29, 2019. Photo by Nathalie Robillard.

Among those participating in the wreath laying ceremony was Capt. Dan Nichols of the Georgia Army National Guard. Nichols was attending school in the United Kingdom when he learned of the commemoration.

“To be a part of the ceremony was an honor, said Nichols. “This is my second time witnessing the gratitude of the French people for the American sacrifice in World War II, and it is genuine.”

A solemn procession of citizens came forward following the wreath-laying to place roses in remembrance of the nearly 5,000 fallen and missing American Soldiers who are memorialized in the 28-acre Brittany American Cemetery. Among those was 5-year old Violette who joined Nichols in the laying of a rose. Following a moment of silence, the somber notes of Taps filled the chapel as the French associations’ colors dipped in salute.

The chapel at the Brittany American Cemetery in Montjoie St. Martin, France
where fallen American service members of World War II were honored by French
 citizens during a ceremony September 29, 2019. Photo by Nathalie Robillard.

The ceremony continued on the cemetery grounds as the French citizens placed roses on the graves of fallen service members. In addition to rendering honors to the fallen Soldiers of the 121st Infantry, ceremony observed the placement of a rose and minute of silence at the graves of MC1 Richard Neil Johnson, Pvt. Charles P. Rock, Pfc. Roland Vanderkerkove and Pvt. Harvey E. Hyllested. The final visit was to the grave of an unknown American Soldier, where honors were rendered on behalf of all of the fallen.

The ceremony concluded with words of thanks from Mr. Jean-Francois Pellouais to Mr. David W. Bedford, superintendent of the Brittany American Cemetery in which Pellouais offered final words of gratitude and “a last gesture of Franco-American friendship towards these young soldiers who are resting for the eternity for one word: ‘Freedom.’"

Nichols summed up his experience at the memorial with an expression of gratitude to those who had arranged the ceremony and invited him to attend.

Images of the American Service members, who fell during World War II, that were
honored by French citizens at the Brittany American Cemetery in Montjoie
St. Martin, France during a ceremony Sept 29, 2019. Photo by Nathalie Robillard. 

“There are no requirements, or quid pro quo for the French veterans and citizens who perform these memorials,” observed Nichols. “They ask for nothing, and quite often no Americans are present. Yet they do them anyway. Their children and grandchildren do them. It is out a sense of honor that they remember the sacrifice of our Soldiers, and it was an honor for me to share this moment with them.”

Pellouais had a special message for the members of the Georgia National Guard.

“I wish to say that the French, young or old, humble and respectful, are bearers of your story,” said Pellouais. “We evoke the sacrifice of the soldiers of the National Guard of Georgia whose blood has mingled, like thousands of other GI's, with the soil of our land to give liberty to our parents, to France but especially to the whole world. Long live the Franco-American friendship that has united our two countries since Lafayette.”