80 years later: celebration of Nancy's liberation connects past and present

On Sept. 15, 2024, 15 Maj. Gen. Kriesel, USEUCOM's director of exercises and assessments, had the pleasure of accepting Mayor of Nancy Mathieu Klein's invitation to join the 80th anniversary of Nancy's liberation by Allied and French resistance forces during WWII. During festivities that included French and U.S. color guards and events to commemorate the heroism and sacrifice of those service members who fought for freedom 80 years ago, Kriesel met with one of the last living French Forces of the Interior (FFI) resistance fighters from Nancy. In 1944 nearly 2,000 FFI rose up and organized themselves to participate in the battles of liberation and facilitate Allied advances.