At first glance, Bedford, Virginia, seems like an unorthodox choice for a World War II memorial.
Yet, the disproportionate sacrifices of this Southwest Virginia hamlet make it a poignant site for the National D-Day Memorial.
It was here, amidst the splendor of the Blue Ridge Mountains, that 34 Virginia National Guard soldiers comprising Company A, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division trained before war consumed the world.
German fire decimated Company A on D-Day, killing 19 of its men before the end of the first day of Operation Overlord. Four more “Bedford Boys” perished in the fighting in Normandy. The losses, proportionately the highest of any American city or town, made it a logical site to honor the triumph and tragedy of the citizen soldiers who took the war to Hitler’s doorstep.
Bedford is preparing for another massive celebration to ensure future generations never forget their sacrifice, even as the last remnants of the Greatest Generation fade into history.
Family and friends of surviving veterans are humbly requested to register for what may be one last hurrah, as the Lynchburg News and Advance reports:
The memorial in a news release said it invites D-Day and World War II veterans as VIP guests for the 80th anniversary commemoration events June 5-9 in Bedford and Lynchburg. Those veterans are asked to complete the veteran registration form online at dday.org/80th.
“Registering a veteran allows Memorial staff to better plan to acknowledge our heroes fully and properly during the commemoration events, including invitations to a private luncheon in their honor, exclusive parking and seating, and special event tickets,” a news release from the memorial states.
D-Day and World War II veterans will be the guests of honor at a private luncheon on June 5 in Lynchburg and at the official public commemoration ceremony on June 6 at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford. Those veterans “and their plus ones” will receive free tickets to the Friday and Saturday evening presentations of “When We Went In: The D-Day Experience in Light and Sound,” created exclusively for the National D-Day Memorial by the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology at Virginia Tech, and the musical performances preceding both showings at the memorial, according to the release.
The memorial also is seeking online photo submissions for “Portraits of Heroes,” an outdoor exhibit of Normandy campaign veterans on display at the memorial during the four-day anniversary commemoration. The online photo submission deadline is May 5 at dday.org/80th.
Of the 16 million Americans who served in the Second World War, only about 119,000 are still alive today.