Montville WWII Veteran Receives France's Highest Honor

It's never too late to thank a hero. The nation of France looked into its past and recently gave one of its highest honors to a Montville World War II veteran for the part he played more than 70 years ago in liberating that country during was honored recently by the French government for his part in liberating the country during the second great war, the Daily Record reported.

Former U.S. Army paratrooper Joe Quade, 90, is now a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor of France. The 37-year Montville resident was given his medal by François Delattre, the French Ambassador to the U.S., the article said. The Legion of Honor is the highest decoration given in France. The Chevalier is the lowest of the legion's five degrees and signifies "knight."

At home, Quade earned three bronze stars plus paratrooper and glider trooper wings for his service. After his discharge, he received a bachelor’s degree at Rutgers University and a master's at Cornell University, and retired after a 35-year career with Prudential Insurance. He remained active as a substitute teacher in Montville and running a travel company for veterans that he founded. Quade now handles public relations for Montville’s VFW Post 5481.