Charles Sawdey (88) fought on the Normandy beaches on D-Day as a member of the 5th Engineer Special Brigade.
In the final days of World War 2, he was one of the first US soldiers to enter Berlin.
Robert Salerno (84) served in the 30th Infantry Regiment and took part in campaigns in Eastern France, Austria and Germany until he was incapacitated by machine gun fire in 1945.
This Wednesday, both were presented with a Legion of Honour Medal, the highest French award for valour, by Philippe Lalliot, the consul general of France.
"We will never forget you, and all American veterans, for what you achieved 65 years ago" Mr Lalliot said as he pinned on the medals.
Mayor Robert Duffy of Rochester, New York was amongst the speakers at the event which took place in Rochester's City Hall.
Both men were extremely pleased to receive the award.
"This is an honor to receive, and I'll be proud to wear it", said Salerno.
"I'm very, very honored. It means so much to me, but mainly, for my family," added Sawdey.
France has honoured a number of US WW2 veterans since 2004, including POW Bill McCarthy. The medals, each with personal stories attached to them, will no doubt be treasured and preserved for generations.
If you have an interest in American WW2 memorabilia, Paul Fraser Collectibles currently has two sought-after items: a letter written by General Patton, and a signed picture of the crew of the Bockscar.
For more information on these items, please contact Adrian Roose at adrianroose@paulfrasercollectibles.com or telephone +44 (0) 117 933 9503
