AN ELDERLY AMERICAN GENTLEMAN

Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane.

At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in

his carry-on bag.

"You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer

asked, sarcastically.

Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously.

"Then you should know enough to have your passport ready."

The American said, 'The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it."

"Impossible. Americans always have to show your passports on

arrival in France!"

The American gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he

quietly explained,

''Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to

help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchmen to

show a passport to."