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Betty Bigle: My husband studied law and he loved journalism. While studying, he went to the New York Herald to work there when he was not at the University. He went there in the evenings, very late. He first served as a bellboy at the New York Herald, rue de Berri. Then they showed him how a newspaper was created. That fascinated him. Then he had to do his military service and World War II started, so he did not go home as he was drafted. He was 18. He was in the war, got wounded and left for the south of France, close to Montauban. There he stayed for a while, worked in several places to be able to survive. He was still named Akimoff at the time. Then he joined the Resistance. He was in charge of the newspaper Vaincre and they asked him what nickname he wanted to take. Very quickly he said, “I wear glasses, so I need to be called ‘Le Bigleux’ or ‘Bigle’ ” “Le Bigle de service.” [“The shortsighted”] In the Resistance he was with Mgr. Théas in Moissac. They bombed trains and quite a few other things.

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