France paid tribute to war veterans, mainly from its former colonies, who landed on its south coast 60 years ago to help free the country from Nazi occupation in World War Two. President Jacques Chirac told leaders from 16 African states which took part in the landings on Aug. 15, 1944, and U.S. and British representatives, that France would always remember the sacrifices their nations made to liberate the country. "The sons of your nations have linked their names with France's military legend, they have forever mixed their blood with ours," Chirac told the leaders aboard the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle off France's Mediterranean coast on Sunday evening. At the weekend ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of World War Two Allied landings in the Provence region, almost 70 veterans received the French Legion of Honour -- a medal created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 to reward military achievements or other forms of extraordinary service to the State. The Provence operation followed the Allied D-Day landings in Normandy, northern France, on June 6, 1944. Paris was liberated on Aug. 25 that year and Germany capitulated in 1945. --More 2208 Local Time 1908 GMT
