On Veterans Day we were lucky enough to host a ceremony honoring five WWII veterans, including one of our own, Robert Haffner of George Washington Post 88, an all-masonic veteran post. Bob was in the 82nd Airborne Division as a engineer in WWII, and has been an active American Legion member for many years. The five were each awarded the French Legion of Honor medal for their heroic efforts in WWII for liberating France from German occupation. This is the highest honor bestowed by the French government, and was founded on May 19, 1802, by First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte. Following WWII, in an effort to prevent undermining the prestige of the Legion of Honor, Gen. de Gaulle undertook a major reform of the system of national decorations in 1962. For the Legion of Honor, he enacted a code, the synthesis of previous legislation, and set a maximum number of living members (125,000).