Pat Andress of St. Ignace, a Korean War veteran, displays a certificate he received from France to commemorate the 55th anniversary of D-Day, in which his cousin, the late Charles "Gee" Cadreau, took part. On the right is a collection of medals awarded to Mr. Cadreau, including the Purple Heart (bottom row, left), the Silver Star (bottom row, middle), and the Bronze Star (bottom row, right). Surrounded by death, smoke, and on foreign soil, Charles "Gee" Cadreau found himself standing dazed and injured, but alive, having held off a German flanking attack.

It was June 13, 1944, only a week after the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France, a month before his 28th birthday. An element of the 2nd Infantry Division, Sgt. Cadreau was assigned to Company K, 38th Infantry Regiment, which was pushing south into France from Normandy.

He was a long distance from his home on Mackinac Island.

Sgt. Cadreau had enlisted in the Army at age 26 in 1942, and was stationed at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, for basic training as a rifleman. After two years and nine months in the Army, he was promoted to squad leader, supervising and directing up to five enlisted men. He was one of the 196,000 American Indians or Alaskan Natives fighting in the war.

Sergeant Charles Cadreau (right), of Company K, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, receives the Silver Star July 20, 1944. On June 13, Sgt. Cadreau held off a German flanking movement with a machine gun, firing through a motar and smoke barrage until he ran out of ammunition, enabling his company to withdraw and later regain its position. The officer awarding the medal probably is Maj. Gen. Walter M. Robertson, the divsion commander. (Photograph courtesy of Pat Andress) His division had landed at Omaha Beach June 7, the day after D-Day, and as it pushed southward, Sergeant Cadreau and a dozen men were met with heavy mortar and artillery fire, and a subsequent counter-attack around the squad's left flank.

As the company pulled back, he positioned a machine gun and fired into the enemy through a mortar and smoke barrage. He withdrew only after his ammunition had run out, having successfully held the German line back, enabling his company to regain its position.

His hands tingling and bleeding from a wound in his neck, Sergeant Cadreau was discovered by other company soldiers, standing stunned and in shock, he later told his cousin, Pat Andress of St. Ignace.

For his valor, Sergeant Cadreau was awarded the Silver Star. He also earned the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, four overseas service bars, one service stripe, and a European- African-Middle Eastern Theater ribbon.

He was honorably discharged October 12, 1945, and returned home to Mackinac Island, where he resumed his job as dray driver.

Mr. Cadreau was born July 17, 1916, to Grace and John Cadreau, Jr. His mother was a house wife with eight children. His father was a gardener, and his grandfather was a fur trader for the American Fur Company owned by John Jacob Astor.

He was the youngest of four brothers, each serving in the military, and he attended Thomas W. Ferry grade school on Mackinac Island through the eighth grade.

He died October 2, 1978, at the age of 62 and was buried in Ste. Anne's Catholic Cemetery on the Island. His daughter, Mary Sider, still lives in St. Ignace.

Known as Gee to family and friends, his service medals and other military documents have been kept by Mr. Andress, who believes his story is a fitting tribute for Veterans Day November 11.

"Gee" would not talk much about his experiences of war, Mr. Andress said.

"He was a proud American soldier, but he didn't like to talk too much about it. He would also participate in events like parades during Memorial Day, though. I remember he would always lead the parades."

When Mr. Cadreau died, he left behind a daughter, one brother, Philip, four sisters, and one granddaughter.