KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
After a lifetime of reverence for the U.S. soldiers who helped save her family from the Holocaust, French-born Ingrid Moncuit is on a coast-to-coast journey to honor America’s forgotten heroes — but a canceled ride has left her and her dog stranded in Santa Clarita.
Moncuit’s interest in the United States truly began over four decades ago, the day after her father’s death. As 7-year-old Moncuit rummaged through her father’s belongings, she found a small American flag in one of his pockets.
Her mother explained that Moncuit’s father, Daniel Pilcer, had carried that flag all his life in honor of the American soldiers who had liberated France from Nazi German occupation during World War II.
Born Aug. 18, 1932, Pilcer had been one of more than four thousand Jewish children who were hidden in central and southern France to keep them safe while their parents were imprisoned or murdered in Nazi concentration camps. As far as Moncuit knows, her grandparents died in one of these camps, though she has not been able to determine which one.
It was this connection and discovery of her stolen family that sparked Moncuit’s interest in American history.
Jade Aubuchon | KHTS News
“I have this passion about the history of this country, because I wouldn’t be here without the American soldiers. They saved my father’s life, and they fought for us, for our freedom. And I was, I am, and I will always be, grateful to them and to the United States of America,” Moncuit said.
As Moncuit grew older, her interest in America remained, and at the age of 20, she was finally able to afford her first trip to the United States.
“From the first step I took at the airport, I felt something that I can describe… I knew it was the country where I will live someday, I will do something great someday, and I will die in this country,” Moncuit said.
That “something great,” Moncuit decided, would be to write a book chronicling the lives and accomplishments of forgotten U.S. military heroes, “On the Path of Courage and Bravery,” as part of her larger historical initiative, “Hi$tory Matters.”
“It’s really something in my heart and very deeply about the story that since my childhood, I wanted to do. And I’m 50 years old now, and I have time, and I have the money to do it, Moncuit said.
Jade Aubuchon | KHTS News
Moncuit began her journey on May 14 in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, setting out with her nine-month-old puppy, Charlie, on a personal and historical mission. Her goal is to travel across all 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia, highlighting 190 stories of American heroes – some well-known, others forgotten – alongside significant moments in U.S. history.
Along the way, she intends to stop at veteran memorials in cities and towns across the country, using each stop to reflect on the meaning of service and sacrifice.
As she travels, Ingrid hopes to interview veterans, their families, and everyday Americans who are willing to share personal stories tied to courage, loss, and patriotism.
“The first reactions of people who heard me were that it was crazy, ‘you’re really crazy. It’s dangerous. You’re going to be raped, you’re going to be killed, it’s too dangerous,” Moncuit said. “I keep faith in American people. And if you don’t take risks in life, you can’t do anything.”
As part of her “Hi$tory Matters” project, Moncuit documents her journey on her Facebook and Instagram pages, ontheroadwthpuppycharlie, where she invites others to follow along or even join her on the road.
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She travels light: a backpack, a Bible with a photo of her son inside, an American flag, and Charlie, a gentle companion who rarely stirs in the car. While aware of the legal and safety challenges of hitchhiking, she prioritizes Charlie’s well-being and arranges rides through trusted friends and new acquaintances.
This journey is not just a road trip – it’s a mission of remembrance, connection, and storytelling rooted in both her personal love for America and her future hopes of becoming a permanent resident, as well as a broader tribute to those who have shaped its legacy.
“Immigrants, when you choose a country, it’s not just a question of papers or just to work there, it’s a question of happiness, Moncuit said. “This is something in the deep of your heart, and you have to know at least a little bit about the history of the country you chose. This is something you know in your heart and in your mind.”
Jade Aubuchon | KHTS News
She also plans to visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., where her father’s name appears on the wall of survivors. The small American flag he once carried now belongs to her son, Theo.
“(The) United States of America is a great country. I would speak German in France, you know, without American soldiers in World War I and World War II. And France, of course, was a big part of the independence of the United States, with Lafayette and Rochambeau,” Moncuit said. “ I love so deeply, this country, I would like American people to just be proud to be American. It’s a chance, it’s a privilege, to live here and to live under this flag.”
Ingrid’s mission is both a tribute and a call to remembrance. Through her writing and travels, she hopes to remind Americans of the cost of freedom and the enduring spirit of those who defend it.
Jade Aubuchon | KHTS News
Moncuit invites people not just to contribute their stories, but to join her journey—sometimes quite literally, by offering rides as she makes her way from place to place. Right now, she’s hoping for help getting from Santa Clarita to Northern California after a last-minute cancellation left her stranded.
To follow Ingrid Moncuit and Charlie’s travels — or to join her for a leg of the journey — visit @ontheroadwithpuppycharlie on Instagram.
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