Video portrays French gratitude

Film producer and director Richard Lanni has created for The American Legion a "newsreel" mini-documentary featuring last weekend's D-Day anniversary observances in Normandy, France. American Legion National Commander Clarence Hill and American Legion Auxiliary National President Rita Navarreté were among the dignitaries to visit the region and take part in ceremonies at Ste. Mere-Eglise, the first town liberated by the Allies on D-Day, June 6, 1944.

Lanni - who works for Dublin-based WW2 Reflections - has produced a series of World War II documentary films, including "The Americans on D-Day," which premiered at American Legion Post 43, Hollywood, Calif., last year. Earlier this year, he released "The Americans on Hell's Highway," which documents the planning and execution of Operation Market Garden in Holland, a pivotal battle in the march to victory in Europe during World War II.