John Basilone Parade Committee

Before there was D-Day, there were people like Michel Mockers.

Michel was born 12/17/22 in Nantes, France. Classical studies and faith. He was 18 when France fell to Germany in 1940. That is when he joined the French Resistance. A underground movement focused on sabotaging German operations to gather intelligence, protect civilians, and support the Allied forces. Being caught meant he was subject to torture, arrest, deportation to concentration camps, and ex*****on. Sometimes it involved hand to hand combat guerrilla type fighting. Michel led 2,000 Resistance Fighters as a French Lieutenant. He also held rank as British Under Lieutenant. He was awarded the British Citation, the French Citation with War Cross (Croix de Guerre) and many wartime commendations. In 2023, he was now living in Franklin Twp, Somerset County NJ. It was here at age 100 he was formally vested as a Knight of the Legion of Honor (Chevalier de La Legion d’Honneur). Michel is quoted as describing himself as “I am an artist. All I want is peace. Therefore, I serve my country.” His works of art encompass the world in both private collections and churches.