Text of 1945 Press Release:

6th ARMY GROUP, GERMANY. --Major Raymond E. Bennett of Bangor, Me., 6th Army Group chief press censor, recently received a dual recognition from the United States and French armies for service in France and Germany.

General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, First French Army commander, cited Maj. Benett for "great professional value and a devotion to the important service of censorship" and presented him with the Croix de Guerre in degree of Army Corps.

Major General David G. Barr, chief of staff in General Jacob L. Devers' 6th Army Group headquarters, awarded the Maine officer the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement in connection with military operations.

The French citation, describing censorship and press liaison missions with the First French Army, said, "Having landed with the forces of the French Army, he followed them from the coast of Southern France to Lake Constance (Germany) and never hesitated to accompany war correspondents in their most dangerous missions. During the Colmar battle, he went several times to places of fierce fighting, showing a high moral value and great courage.."

The citation which accompanied the American award read, in part:
"Major Bennett performed duties of senior press censor at American and French press camps, respectively, after having organized censorship of information for publication from various sources which included all public relations section releases, articles from car correspondents who often numbered up to 50, and all official information for publication submitted by 6th Army Group headquarters, Seventh Army and First French Army headquarters.

Particularly notable is the fact that Maj. Bennett contributed greatly to a better understanding by the American public of the 6th Army Group's part in the war, by his consistently correct decisions involving facts of the highest classifications. This action reflects great credit upon himself, his organization, and the United States Army."

Maj. Bennett has performed censorship duties for 30 months. He was assigned to the British Ministry of Information in London for one year, and Allied Force Headquarters in Algiers, Naples and Rome. He entered active service from the reserve corps as a second lieutenant in August, 1941.

His wife, Mrs. Thelma I. Bennett, lives at 23 Childs St. (s/b Charles St.), Bangor, and his father, Horace D. Bennett, on Market St., Bangor. As a civilian he was assistant manager of the M & P Theaters in Bangor under Cornelius J. Russell. He attended Bangor and Brewer high schools and the Maine School of Commerce in Bangor.

Passed for publication by Field Press Censor 273

Raymond Bennett (1915)