At Pleasant View Retirement home in Concord, Robert Barnard, 93, is a long way from Omaha Beach in Normandy. But he will never forget the day he was among the soldiers who stormed it. "That was a terrible, terrible day," said Barnard. More than 75 years later, the French government remembers, too. On Thursday, members of the French consulate awarded the World War II Navy veteran with the Legion of Honor for his bravery on D-Day, when he survived intense enemy fire, suffering shrapnel wounds on his face and spine. "I think that it is an incredible opportunity to show that in France we have not forgotten the sacrifice of so many U.S. soldiers. It is a very important tradition that we keep alive," said Arnaud Mentre, Consulate General of France in Boston. "It's really overwhelming to be able to say, 'This is one of our citizens who stood so true to America during the war, during the toughest of times," said Gov. Chris Sununu. It's an annual tradition for the French government to honor an American who survived D-Day. It means the world for Barnard and his family. "It's a big thrill. I thought it was going to be something rather small -- just family and a few friends in the building, but boy it really blossomed," said Barnard."It's an honor to see him get this in front of everyone, his friends and family and the esteemed people that came and showed up for this," said Barnard's grandson, Robert Irish. "Just an amazing person to grow up around and helped shape me as a person, I think."After Barnard recovered from the injuries he sustained on D-Day, he went on to serve in the Pacific.