D-Day Memorial: A place for history, remembering and offering thanks

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1 D-Day Memorial: A place for history, remembering and offering thanks Driving through the gates and up the winding road that stretches nearly a mile to The Na8onal DD ay M e m o r i a l, fl a g s appear to the right. First, there s a large Stars and Stripes blowing in the wind on this breezy, spring acernoon. A liele further up the hill, others wave from poles arranged in an arc. The flags represent the United Kingdom, Canada, Belgium, Netherlands, April Cheek-Messier (above), president of The Na;onal D-Day Australia, Poland, Greece, Memorial Founda;on, stands in Gray Plaza. The floor of the plaza is France, Czechoslovakia, Norway, New Zealand and divided into five sec;ons, a reference to the five landing beaches: the United States, allies in Utah, Gold, Juno, Omaha and Sword. World War II. The flags catch April CheekMessier s eye as she comes to the memorial, located off of U.S. 460 in Bedford County in the western end of Southside Electric Coopera8ve s service area. The president of The Na8onal D-Day Memorial Founda8on says the Allied flags remind her of the well-planned, enormous and successful invasion of France on June 6, They also remind her of the high cost paid by the Allied na8ons the almost 10,000 casual8es, including 4,413 dead that day, now 72 years ago. Their lives were not in vain, Cheek- Messier says. To this day, we are enjoying our freedom because of what was gained that day.

2 The D-Day invasion of the Normandy beaches known as Utah, Gold, Juno, Omaha and Sword led to the end of Nazi tyranny in Europe, although Germany didn t surrender un8l May The Allied move into occupied France, called Overlord, involved over 5,000 ships, 11,000 planes and more than 150,000 military personnel. It con8nues to be the largest-ever air, land and sea invasion. Within view of the Blue Ridge Mountains, The Na8onal D-Day Memorial was dedicated June 6, 2001, by President George W. Bush. The hilltop memorial includes the Overlord Arch, which stands 44½ feet tall and features alterna8ng black-and-white stripes that were seen on Allied aircrac. A plaza represents the crossing of the English Channel and the landing in France. Statues show one soldier in the water, while others push toward and climb the high beach cliffs. One soldier lays dead on the beach. German hedgehogs create obstacles for the Allied landing cracs. Water randomly shoots up, represen8ng enemy bullets aimed at the invading force. The names of the 4,413 Allied service members killed on D-Day, including 2,499 Americans, are memorialized on bronze plaques. Across the manicured grounds, numerous bronze plaques pay tribute to individuals, military divisions and all of the Allied service members killed on June 6, Other plaques provide facts about D-Day. The memorial includes busts of Allied leaders and a full-figure statue of Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme commander of D-Day. Among the sculptures is Homage, which pays tribute to the communi8es that had their residents serve in World War II, some of whom didn t come home. Notable to the memorial s loca8on in Bedford is that the community had the highest per-capita D-Day losses in the United States. The county lost 20 men on D-Day. One veteran in par8cular who was at Omaha Beach and made it home was John Robert (Bob) Slaughter, who ini8ated the effort to have the memorial in Bedford. Slaughter, who was from nearby Roanoke, passed away in May A bust at the memorial honors him. Cheek-Messier notes, however, that the memorial is not just for her home community of Bedford.

3 It s the na8onal memorial. It s an interna8onal memorial. The memorial represents all who par8cipated in the Normandy invasion in She adds that communi8es across America and around the world had their residents par8cipate in the invasion. She says they all sacrificed. No one was lec untouched from the war, she says. Siing at a table on the gic shop deck, Cheek-Messier says for veterans who visit, the memorial is a place of solitude, reflec8on and healing. And, she adds, inspira8on. She recalls mee8ng a soldier who was on his way to his fourth deployment in Afghanistan. She says he told her he came to the memorial each 8me to connect to those who had served before him and to be inspired. While about a pivotal point in World War II, Cheek-Messier says The Na8onal D-Day Memorial aims to recognize all veterans who have served America. She says the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall has visited, and the memorial has highlighted achievements of various service members, including promo8ons and re8rements. I think it s really a place people can come to say thank you to those who have served and con8nue to serve, she notes. A large crowd gathers for one of The Na;onal D-Day Memorial s many events. On June 6, the memorial will recognize the 72nd anniversary of the Normandy invasion.

4 As the years pass, America is losing more and more of its World War II veterans, making it important to preserve their legacy, Cheek-Messier says. She wants to be able to pass on their stories, and collect and display their ar8facts. She notes the average age of a World War II veteran is 93. Cheek-Messier, who has master s degrees in history and English, says when she started as the educa8on coordinator at the memorial 16 years ago, World War II veterans were available for every program. Now, it s a treasure when students visi8ng the memorial get to hear from someone who was at D-Day or in World War II. Students from across Virginia and surrounding states visit the memorial. We try to pass it on to the kids, keep the memory alive, says Bill Jackson, one of the memorial s volunteer tour guides. Jackson served in the United States Air Force, although not in World War II. Adds Roger Lewis, another tour guide, I think the kids need to know that freedom isn t free. Lewis also served in the Air Force, but not in World War II. About 55,000 people visit the memorial each year. A guided tour is included in the 8cket price, which is $10 for the general public. The Homage sculpture recognizes communi;es that sent residents to serve in World War II. Coming up on June 6, 2016, will be the 72nd anniversary of the D-Day invasion. The memorial will host a special ceremony at 11 a. m. featu ri n g remarks by representa8ves from several foreign embassies, generals and a D-Day veteran. For the first 8me ever at any place, the names of all of the 2,499 Americans who died on D-Day will be read in alphabe8cal order. That will start at 12:30 p.m. and take about five hours. Cheek-Messier says the memorial next hopes to collect photos of all of the 4,413 Allied service members who died on D-Day. An educa8on center with space to display the memorial s more than 10,000 ar8facts, amphitheater and space for the community are included in future plans. The Na8onal D-Day Memorial gets no state or federal funding, depending only on private dona8ons, fundraising events and admission fees. It is not part of the Na8onal Park Service.

5 The memorial is open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., except for Monday closings in December through February, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year s Day. For more informa+on about the memorial, call DDAY or visit the website Navigation: Back to Newsle^er