Frenchie: The Story of the French-Speaking Cajuns of World War II

As soon as American forces landed on the beaches of Normandy in June 1944, military commanders called for “Frenchies” to serve as interpreters with the local population. These young Cajun soldiers from Louisiana, like their Acadian ancestors, had grown up speaking French as their first language. In fact, Cajuns represented the largest group of French-speaking Americans in the military, and their linguistic abilities proved invaluable to operations around the world.

Ironically, this same generation experienced discrimination in a state-sanctioned English-only school system that sought to “Americanize” them. Often punished for speaking French at school, many young Cajuns grew up ashamed of their language and culture. Yet, during the Second World War, when these same Cajuns arrived in the francophone territories of North Africa and Europe, where their bilingual abilities became a vital resource, Frenchies bridged the language gap. What emerged from this unique wartime experience was a long-lost pride in Cajun heritage, creating a profound impact on their sense of identity.