Video Presentation Explores the Liberation of a French Village in World War II
Discover the remarkable story of the moment when American troops went against orders to liberate a small French village from Nazi occupation during World War II. Karen Downing Ripley will present You Were There, Karen Beth, a video presentation she created from her podcast that tells the story of her unexpected visit to Plélo, a small village in the Brittany region of France. The story is deeply personal for Ripley because her father, Delbert Franklin Downing, was among the American soldiers who helped liberate the village from Nazi forces.
As the daughter of an American liberator, Ripley was moved and surprised by the outpouring of gratitude shown by the people of Brittany in remembrance of the American soldiers who freed their community. She created her podcast to honor those who fought for the region’s freedom, and to share with fellow Americans the remarkable ways the villagers of Plélo continue to show gratitude 80 years later. The podcast is dedicated to Patton's Third Army, the 15th Cavalry Reconnaissance Group Troop B, the Allies, the French Resistance, and the citizens who fought for Brittany’s liberation from Nazi occupation.
Ripley describes the project as a love letter to the people of Brittany to show her appreciation for the ways they still remember and honor the American soldiers who risked everything to save Plélo and help secure democracy for all. During the presentation, she shares the remarkable story of arriving in Plélo just days before the village’s annual liberation celebration. The synergy and providence of her unplanned arrival just days before the celebration was all the more unbelievable as she had traveled there to deliver her father’s military documents—records that detailed the events of the village’s liberation – unaware of the celebrations.
The presentation is hosted jointly by the Lakehills Community Center and the Frontier Times Museum Speaker Series. Barbara Engel, President of the Lakehills Community Center, said, “You Were There, Karen Beth is an intimate storytelling podcast where host Karen Downing Ripley takes listeners on deeply personal journeys through pivotal moments in history and her own life.” Rebecca Norton, Executive Director of the Frontier Times Museum, added, “Each episode weaves together personal memoir with historical significance, creating compelling narratives that connect the past with the present.”
The presentation will take place Thursday, March 19, at 5:00 p.m. It is free and open to the public and will be held at the Lakehills Community Center, located at 11225 Park Road 37 in Lakehills, Texas. For more information, visit the Lakehills Community Center website at https://lakehillscommunitycenter.org or the Frontier Times Museum website at www.frontiertimesmuseum.org.