| Original caption: “At a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe, June 14, 1945, General Charles de Gaulle decorated General Dwight Eisenhower with the Companion of Liberation. Parisians lined the streets of the capital giving the General a thunderous welcome.” In a ceremony at the Arc De Triomphe Paris the afternoon of Bastille Day, United States Army General Dwight D. “Ike” Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was presented with the French Cross of Liberation by Chairman of the Provisional Government of the French Republic General Charles De Gaulle (November 22, 1890 – November 9, 1970). General Eisenhower then continued his official tour of the French capital, with a visit to the Cathedral of Saint-Louis-des-Invalides where he was greeted by the President of the Paris City Council. Later the General dined with De Gaulle at the Hotel De Ville. Eisenhower placed a wreath on the tomb of the unknown in an elaborate ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe, was named a Compagnon de la Libération, and on behalf of the American people received a sword that had belonged to Napoléon. After a state dinner and another speech, de Gaulle presented him with a platinum cigarette case embossed with 5 sapphire stars and engraved in de Gaulle’s own handwriting. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0789.jpg |
| Image Size | 217.58 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 1030 x 1296 |
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| Photographer Title | |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | June 14, 1945 |
| Location | |
| City | Paris |
| State or Province | Île-de-France |
| Country | France |
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| Record Number | |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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