The National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA)
Kate and I enjoyed a lengthy Southern road trip this past spring that encompassed a few historical spots, including the beautiful National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia.
On June 6, 1944, more than 165,000 troops and 6,000 vessels crossed the English Channel as part of the Allied landings at Normandy, France to liberate Europe from Nazi occupation. Code-named “Operation Overlord,” the invasion force was made up primarily of U.S, British, and Canadian troops, and to this day remains the largest amphibious landing in history. More than 4,400 men, including more than 2,500 Americans, were killed on what would become known as The Longest Day.
The National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA, is a very special place. The Memorial is located there because Bedford lost more sons than any other community in the United States (per capita) — 19 “Bedford Boys” were lost in the first wave on D-Day (four more would be killed in the overall Normandy campaign). The Memorial captures the D-Day story, and the Town of Bedford honors its heroes in special ways – among them, flagpole banners and marked locations in the Bedford cemeteries. It is a special place, and worth a visit. Please take a moment to honor the Bedford Boys and all who were lost on June 6, 1944 (and on every day) in the fight for freedom.
“You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you.” From Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower’s “Order of the Day,” June 6, 1944
