Sergeant Artur felt "great pride" to storm ashore on Omaha Beach Tuesday alongside American troops in an exercise ahead of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, as his French marine infantry practise with the latest technology for modern conflicts.
"It's quite symbolic, as marines we're the successors of the 177 men of the first marine commando battalion," added Artur, who gave only his first name under French military rules for speaking to the media.
