"Once upon a time, 46 years ago not far from where you sit eating pastry, there were 8 long days of attack and counter attack between the German Army and forces of the US Seventh Army. I am Lieutenant-colonel, Jacques-Gilles Lafitte, former Forces of the French Interior, at that time attached to US General Butler's Task Force, and with are my friends: Claude, at that time a lieutenant in the FFI, and Gerard, then a Captaine in the FFI.
Nico and Jack stood up. "Nico St Denis, married to Anne-Merry Lafitte."
"Jack O'Brien" That morning, Jack wasn't wearing his team shirt, which was probably just as well.
"Anne-Merry Lafitte, the skater? A distant relative from the La Rochelle Lafitte branch, or so my family claims. You are a lucky man."
"I will tell her that when I return to California. Meanwhile, we search for an American soldier declared Missing in Action during the Battle of the Bulge. The Ardennes offensive was three months after the Battle of Montelimar took place here, but Pierre, who sends his regards, suggested that on our way North we talk with you. There is evidence that in the German infested territory a little south of Bastogne, by your people, Captain Ted Treharne was rescued seriously wounded. It is possible that he might have been transported on a safe route to somewhere where the German Army was no longer present.
"We did not succeed in trapping the entire German 19th Army here", Lafitte responded, "but we seriously delayed General Weise's flight North up the Rhone, and before they fled we gave much more than they took. From this part of France, the invaders were gone."
"Thanks to us and our fellow soldiers in the US Army, many Nazi scum died or were captured here," Gerard observed.
"There is evidence that US Army Captain Ted Treharne had long term memory loss", Nico replied, "and in California, he has a son whom he does not know exists. In case you have ever seen him, Here is his photo".