American WWII vet to be honored in France

The French national veterans office has announced plans to erect a plaque honoring an American WWII flier who crash-landed outside Vicheres.

Retired 2nd Lt. Bob Couture was shot down June 7, 1944 -- the day after D-Day -- while hunting for and strafing German army convoys.

Couture, now 81, of Wentzville, Mo., will return to the site June 7 for a ceremony commemorating the crash site in his name, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Wednesday.

"I'm humbled, to say the least," Couture said.

He said he looks forward to seeing Vicheres residents who bandaged his wounds and hid him and other downed fighters during the days following the crash.

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