West Seattle pilot to receive French president's medal for WWII service   
SEATTLE, July 20, 2011--During a Friday, July 22 ceremony next to the Museum's B-17, long-time Seattle resident Henry "Sandy" McMurray, 90, will be awarded one of France's highest honors - the Legion of Honor. McMurray was a U.S. Air Force's B-17 bomber pilot during World War II, and a Boeing Aircraft pilot for 30 years after the war. The 10 a.m. ceremony with a representative from the French Consulate will publicly recognize him as a "Chevalier" of the Legion of Honor, which was decreed upon him by President Nicolas Sarkozy on Jan. 6, 2011.

 

The citation for the award states, "This award testifies to the President of the French Republic's high esteem for your merits and accomplishments. In particular, it is a sign of France's true and unforgettable gratitude and appreciation for your personal, precious contribution to the United Stales' decisive role in the liberation of our country during World War II. The Legion of Honor was created by Napoleon in 1802 to acknowledge services rendered to France by persons of great merit. The French people will never forget your courage and your devotion to the great cause of freedom."

 

McMurray says that however grateful he is for this honor, he is accepting it on behalf of all of the American bomber air- and ground crews who served during World War II. Following the ceremony he will donate the medal to The Museum of Flight.

 

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The non-profit Museum of Flight is one of the largest independent air and space museums in the world. The Museum's collection includes more than 150 historically significant air- and spacecraft, as well as the William E. Boeing Red Barn® -- the original manufacturing facility of the Boeing Co. The Airpark includes outdoor displays with the first jet Air Force One, a Concorde airliner, and the first Boeing 747 jumbo jet. The Museum aeronautical library and archival holdings are the largest on the West Coast. The Education Office offers weekend family programs, programs for students and educators, and overnight camps for children. McCormick & Schmick's Wings Café is on site.

The Museum of Flight is located at 9404 E. Marginal Way S., Seattle, Exit 158 off Interstate 5 on Boeing Field half-way between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac Airport. The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $16 for adults, $14 for seniors 65 and older, $13 for active military, $9 for youth 5 to 17, and free for children under 5. Group rates are available. Admission on the first Thursday of the month is free from 5 to 9 p.m. courtesy of Wells Fargo. For general Museum information, please call 206-764-5720 or visit
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