Southern Humboldt’s Oldest Living Veteran Returns to Normandy, Reunites with Orphan He Saved During WWII
WWII veteran George K. Mullins, 100, reunites with Raymond Rivoal—an orphan he helped care for during the Battle for Carentan—on the 81st anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, France. Photo courtesy of Fox Hole via Facebook.
Southern Humboldt’s oldest living veteran, George K. Mullins, 100, of Garberville, has returned to Europe in honor of the 81st anniversary of D-Day.
Mullins landed on Utah Beach during the Normandy invasion on June 6, 1944, and this week, he spent the day at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, where he watched U.S. Air Force C-130s fly in formation to commemorate the historic day.
But one of the most emotional moments of his visit came from a deeply personal reunion—shared on his social media page. Mullins reconnected with a Frenchman who was orphaned as a child during the war and was cared for by his American troop.
“I had an emotional reunion with Raymond Rivoal, who was orphaned at 8 years old by the Battle for Carentan and taken in by our unit as our mascot. We nicknamed him ‘Baby Camp.’ He remembers us as his protectors. We looked after him until we had to move on,” Mullins wrote.
Rivoal, now 89, had recognized a photo of Mullins as a 19-year-old GI in an exhibit for the 80th Anniversary of D-Day. A French newspaper, Ouest-France, published an article titled “D-Day Orphan Hopes To See GI Again Who Helped Him.“ With help from the Best Defense Foundation, that hope became reality.
“At 89, Raymond remembered me as the GI who took him underwing—and I, at 100, remember him as our young mascot,” Mullins wrote. “Tears were shed, but they were tears of joy.”
To learn more about Mullins experience you can order a copy of his compelling and honest memoir titled Foxhole, which recounts his experiences during World War II—capturing both the horrors of battle and the bonds of brotherhood formed in wartime.
On behalf of all of us at KMUD News—thank you for your service, George.
You can hear our previous interviews with the local hero at the links below:
