This was posted many years ago and I have searched to no avail. I am going to try and repost from memory in hopes that someone will remember or be able to find the original. As stated, this was many years ago so the details will undoubtedly be flawed, but the story itself is exactly as I remember it:

TA Poster:

I was recently traveling in the Normandy region of France when something amazing happened to me. I had stopped in at a local bar in the small town of ____ and was having a beer when I noticed an older gentleman a few seats away staring at me. At first, I thought nothing of it, but as it continued, I had to ask if we knew each other. Mind you, I knew no one in France.

He said "No" but with a tear in his eye, and now rolling down his cheek, he asked if he could tell me a story. Of course I said yes and here is what he said:

"When I was a young boy, our small town, like all of France, was occupied by Nazi soldiers. All of the younger men were gone to fight and so there were only women, us kids, and elderly men. This was a brutal time and the Nazis took whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted and everyone lived in constant fear of being killed, even us kids.

Finally the Americans liberated France and the Nazis puled out and the U.S. Army moved in. They announced that their officers would be moving in with the various families in our village. While we were very glad to have the Nazis gone, we were unsure what to think after our recent experiences.

A young American officer moved in with my Mother, Grandfather and I and it was unforgettable. He was a true gentleman, respectful of our home, and most of all he was very kind to me. Even though he was only there for a few weeks, he was the greatest hero I had ever known and I idolized him for that.

This ring you are wearing (my Aggie ring) is the same ring he wore. I had never seen it before and I have never seen it since until you walked in and sat at the bar today.

Thank you for bringing back a wonderful memory from a terrible time."