23 July 1944 - Which Side Was Navy Supporting?

On 23 July 1944, a group of French civilians played a match against members of the American Army's 9th Air Force in the town of Saint-Pierre-Église, located in Lower Normandy. Held to celebrate the liberation of the town from the Nazis, the match was played before an audience of 1,000 soldiers and civilians.

Two of the US airmen, Corporal Kurt Wien and PFC Herbert Sorter, had played for Stanford University. Sorter scored late in the first half, but the French side claimed a 4-1 victory.

The match also served as an opportunity to raise funds for refugees from the nearby city of Caen, with the American servicemen contributing 1,643 francs.