A World War II veteran has just married his wife near the Normandy landing beaches. He is 100 years old, she is 96 years old

By JOHN LEICESTER

CARENTAN-LES-MARAIS, France (AP) — Together, the collective age of the bride and groom was almost 200 years old. But World War II veteran Harold Terens and his sweetheart Jeanne Swerlin proved that love is eternal by tying the knot on Saturday inland from the D-Day beaches in Normandy, France.

Their respective ages – he is 100, she is only 96 – made their nuptials a celebration of almost two centuries.

Terens called it “the happiest day of my life.”

On her way to the nuptials, the bubbly bride-to-be said: “It's not just for young people, my love, you know? We have butterflies. And we also have a little action.

The location was the elegant stone town hall of Carentan, a key initial D-Day objective that was the scene of fierce fighting after the June 6, 1944 Allied landings that helped rid Europe of the tyranny of 'Adolf Hitler.

Like other towns and villages on the Normandy coast where nearly 160,000 Allied soldiers landed under fire on five code-named beaches, it is an effervescent center of remembrance and celebration of the 80th anniversary of the deeds and sacrifices young men and women that day, adorned with flags and banners and veterans feted like rockstars.

While the swing of Glenn Miller and other period tunes echoed through the streets, well-wishers were already lining up a good hour before the wedding, behind the barriers in front of the town hall.

After both saying “yes” to vows read by a deputy mayor, the couple waved to the adoring crowd outside, flutes of champagne in hand.

The crowd shouted “the bride!” ” – the bride! — to Jeanne, who wore a long, flowing, bright pink dress. Hiccup looked dapper in a light blue suit.

And they are expected to attend a very special wedding evening: they have been invited to the state dinner at the Elysée on Saturday evening with President Emmanuel Macron and US President Joe Biden, the mayor said.

The marriage was symbolic and not legally binding. Mayor Jean-Pierre Lhonor's office said he was not authorized to marry foreigners who did not reside in Carentan and that the couple, both Americans, had not requested legally binding vows. However, they could still complete these formalities in Florida if they wished.

Honor likes to say that Normandy is practically the 51st state of the United States, given its respect and gratitude to veterans and the sacrifices of the tens of thousands of Allied troops who never returned from the Battle of Normandy.

Dressed in a 1940s dress that belonged to her mother, Louise, and a red beret, Jane Ollier, 73, was among the early bird spectators waiting to catch a glimpse of the happy couple.

“It’s so touching to get married at this age,” she said. “If it can bring them happiness in the last years of their life, that’s fantastic.”

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