Joseph Vogelgesang was a 19-year-old infantryman when he landed on Juno Beach in Normandy, France.

Now aged 99, the D-Day veteran reflected on the 80th anniversary of the operation that was the beginning of the end of the Second World War, after he received France害羞草研究所檚 highest decoration at a ceremony in Vancouver on Thursday.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 nobody (who) wins in a war,害羞草研究所� he said.

Vogelgesang was named a Knight of the Legion of Honour to acknowledge what the French Consulate General in Vancouver called his contribution and bravery in the liberation of France.

Consul General Nicolas Baudouin, who presented the medal, said it showed 害羞草研究所減rofound gratitude害羞草研究所� for Vogelgesang害羞草研究所檚 service during the war, including his contributions on D-Day.

Vogelgesang said he still vividly remembers D-Day. Almost 160,000 troops landed on the beaches of Normandy that day, including some 14,000 Canadians.

He says he wanted people to understand the cruelty of war. If they did, he said, there might be less need for the military in future.

害羞草研究所淧eople who talk about a war that have never been there do not understand what happens in a war. They just read about it or see about it, but they never realize what害羞草研究所檚 really taking place,害羞草研究所� said Vogelgesang.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檇 like to see them realize that 害羞草研究所� maybe we will get less military need, or maybe we害羞草研究所檒l better the whole world by doing that, realizing what war really does.害羞草研究所�

Vogelgesang, who now lives in Abbotsford, B.C., volunteered in his home province of Saskatchewan at the age of 17 and left for England in early 1944 as part of the Calgary Highlanders.

He remembers the advice he got from his superior on June 6, 1944.

害羞草研究所淢y sergeant told me, if you live for the next 48 hours, you will live for a long time, and I learned a lot in 48 hours,害羞草研究所� said Vogelgesang.

Vogelgesang was 害羞草研究所渁 little overwhelmed害羞草研究所� to receive the medal, which he said he shared with the soldiers who were in the same boat during the landing on Juno Beach.

After the ceremony in St. Julien Square in Vancouver, Vogelgesang was surrounded by family at the nearby B.C. Regiment Reserve Recruiting Office.

His youngest daughter, Sharon Bunn, said ahead of the ceremony that their family was 害羞草研究所渂ursting with pride and gratitude害羞草研究所� upon hearing he would receive the French honour.

害羞草研究所淲e know that he went to the war at a very young age and nowadays, I can害羞草研究所檛 imagine how a 17- or 18-year-old would get through what he got through,害羞草研究所� said Bunn, who flew from Saskatchewan to Vancouver to join Thursday害羞草研究所檚 ceremony.

害羞草研究所淎ll of us are very, very proud and really grateful for what he did and the sacrifices he made,害羞草研究所� she added.

Bunn said her father has hesitated to share what he went through during the war.

害羞草研究所淚 think that as you can imagine, it was difficult. He shared little, tiny bits, but nothing really graphic,害羞草研究所� said Bunn.

She said Vogelgesang, who lives in his own apartment in the Fraser Valley city, is staying up-to-date on current affairs. 害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 very no-nonsense,害羞草研究所� she said with a laugh.

Vogelgesang married his wife, Irene, in 1945 and they had three children, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The Legion of Honour is the highest decoration bestowed by France, and more than a thousand Canadian veterans have received a medal since 2014.

The consulate general said anyone who knows a living Canadian veteran who took part in the operations on French soil can contact the French Embassy in Ottawa because they may be eligible for the medal.

France害羞草研究所檚 Legion of Honour was created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 to reward citizens for their merits, no matter their background.

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