Alfred Urban On November 11th, 2009, the French Government appointed Mr. Alfred Urban of Garden City as a chevalier at the French Legion of Honor.

Mr. Urban was one of eleven American combat veterans so honored on that date at the French consulate on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

This “prestigious Distinction” to quote the accompanying citation, is given only to servicemen of other nations who can demonstrate that they fought on French soil and who were decorated as a result of such actions.

Mr. Urban was awarded three combat stars during his tour of duty in the European Theater during WW-II. Two of them were for combat on French soil, the Ardennes (Battler of the Bulge) and the battle for Northern France (Alsace-Lorraine). He holds the Combat Infantry Badge and the Bronze Star. The French are particularly sensitive to the Northern Fence operations since it was there that Mr. Urban’s Infantry Division wa combined with 1st French Army and together they drove the last remaining German troops from French territory. It was in connection with that military operation that Mr. Urban was awarded the Bronze Star.