National D-Day Memorial

The National D-Day Memorial turned 1 today on Tumblr!

Learn more about The National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia at www.dday.org.

"I had the great privilege of traveling to the D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia on June 6th, 2014 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of D-Day! What an amazing celebration! My Dad, William E. Howell, was not involved in D-Day, but proudly served his country in the Navy Seabees during World War II. It was certainly a very meaningful day for both of us! I was so blessed to be around all these heroes and hear their stories on the bus en route to the memorial! And once there, all the men were treated with such respect & honor! My Dad is 93 & I wheeled him in a wheelchair. Most of the day, Dad had lines of people waiting to talk to him, get his autograph, shake his hand or have their picture taken with him! It was a glorious & very touching day for both of us! The memorial is beautiful & such a treasure for the Bedford community! I want to come back & bring Dad for the tour, since it was so crowded the day we were there!" God Bless America! Melinda Smith Do you have a story to share about a veteran or your experience while visiting The National D-Day Memorial? Send us a message with a photo. We will feature the stories regularly on our social media sites. By entering you can win free passes to visit The National D-Day Memorial as our special guest! Thank you! Please share this post and help support our veterans by spreading the word about the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA. The National D-Day Memorial is the number one tourist attraction in Virginia according to TripAdvisor.com. Since its dedication, over a million people have visited the Memorial, and over 100,000 school children from many different states have participated in the Foundation’s annual cycle of educational programming. Show your patriotism and learn more about World War II and the D-Day invasion at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia. Open every day from 10AM - 5PM, rain or shine. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for students, under 6 are free. Guided tours are $2 per person and come highly recommended since so much of the Memorial is symbolic. Learn more at www.dday.org.

This young boy, along with thousands of other young boys, at the age of 17 had just graduated from High School and immediately volunteered to serve his country in the U.S. Navy at the height of WWII. 70 years ago on June 6, 1944, he was headed to what he was told was a training mission. Visiting the Memorial was a very moving experience for him like it is for all D-Day and WWII vets. He was so happy to see that this Memorial was a reality. I remember him saying that day that the world should always remember and be informed about what took place on that most important day in world history. - Amy Hunter Please share and help support our veterans by spreading the word about the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA. The National D-Day Memorial is the number one tourist attraction in Virginia according to TripAdvisor.com. Since its dedication, over a million people have visited the Memorial, and over 100,000 school children from many different states have participated in the Foundation’s annual cycle of educational programming. Show your patriotism and learn more about World War II and the D-Day invasion at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia. Open every day from 10AM - 5PM, rain or shine. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for students, under 6 are free. Guided tours are $2 per person and come highly recommended since so much of the Memorial is symbolic. Learn more at www.dday.org.

Troops and crewmen aboard a Coast Guard manned LCVP as it approaches a Normandy beach on "D-Day", 6 June 1944. (U.S. Coast Guard Collection in the U.S. National Archives) In honor of the Coast Guard’s 224th Birthday, all active duty or veteran Coast Guard members receive free admission to the Memorial today. During the Normandy invasion of 6 June 1944, a 60-cutter flotilla of wooden WPB 83-foot Coast Guard cutters, nicknamed the "Matchbox Fleet", cruised off all five landing beaches as combat search-and-rescue boats, saving 400 Allied airmen and sailors. Division O-1, including the Coast Guard-manned USS Samuel Chase (APA-26), landed the U.S. Army's 1st Infantry Division on Omaha Beach. Off Utah Beach, the Coast Guard manned the command ship USS Bayfield (APA-33). Several Coast Guard-manned landing craft were lost during D-Day to enemy fire and heavy seas. In addition, a cutter was beached during the storms off the Normandy coast which destroyed the U.S.-operated Mulberry harbor.

VOTE for Bedford Boy John Schenk's Bible nominated by the National D-Day Memorial as Virginia's Top Endangered Artifact! Visit www.vatop10artifacts.org click "Yes" under National D-Day Memorial then scroll to the bottom and click "Done" Please share with your friends and family to help the National D-Day Memorial Foundation preserve this piece of history! John Schenk's Bible was gifted to John by his step-mother, Rose Lewis Schenk, prior to the D-Day invasion. Assigned to the 29th Division, 116th Regiment, Company A, Ssgt. John Schenk landed in the first wave of the assault on Omaha Beach at 0630 with 34 young soldiers from Bedford, Virginia. In his pocket, he carried this Bible—a physical connection to his family an ocean away—when he became part of the largest amphibious invasion in history along the Normandy coastline on June 6, 1944. The Foundation is delighted to be selected for this preservation initiative conducted by the Virginia Association of Museums. Schenk’s Bible is currently housed in a climate-controlled environment to help protect from further deterioration. “We are concerned with the conservation of this piece and ensuring that it is preserved to tell the story of the Bedford Boys and D-Day for future generations,” Lowrance said. The Virginia Top 10 Endangered Artifact competition highlights unique artifacts throughout Virginia and the Washington, D.C. area. The program addresses the national recommendations of the Heritage Health Index Report to raise public funding and awareness of the importance of collections care. #vatop10

Bible Belonging to Bedford Boy Nominated by the Virginia Association of Museums as a Top 10 Endangered Artifact John Schenk's Bible was gifted to John by his mother, Rose Lewis Schenk, prior to the D-Day invasion. Assigned to the 29th Division, 116th Regiment, Company A, Ssgt. John Schenk landed in the first wave of the assault on Omaha Beach at 0630 with 34 young soldiers from Bedford, Virginia. In his pocket, he carried this Bible—a physical connection to his family an ocean away—when he became part of the largest amphibious invasion in history along the Normandy coastline on June 6, 1944. The Foundation is delighted to be selected for this preservation initiative conducted by the Virginia Association of Museums. Schenk’s Bible is currently housed in a climate-controlled environment to help protect from further deterioration. “We are concerned with the conservation of this piece and ensuring that it is preserved to tell the story of the Bedford Boys and D-Day for future generations,” Lowrance said. The Virginia Top 10 Endangered Artifact competition highlights unique artifacts throughout Virginia and the Washington, D.C. area. The program addresses the national recommendations of the Heritage Health Index Report to raise public funding and awareness of the importance of collections care. Voting for artifacts will begin on August 4 at www.vatop10artifacts.org. #vatop10

A Medic pertaining to the 3d Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry, checks non-walking wounded being trucked away to the beaches for evacuation to England. (US National Archives)

A S/Sgt reads the orders of the day to a group of medical personnel of the 78th Armored Medical Battalion (8th Armd Div). Note the fairly large Geneva Convention symbols painted on the helmets, 3 white circles with Red Cross, all markings look identical. (Didier Andres Collection, WWII US Medical Research Centre)

In this photo: Hospital tents sprawled five miles from the front lines on Utah Beach during World War II, early June 1944 (WWII U.S. Medical Research Centre)

Dwight D. Eisenhower

My dad pointing to his brother Cline in photo. My uncle, Shufford Cline Rowe, 82nd Airborne, jump master, far right with Gen. Eisenhower receiving the orders June 5th, 1944. Cline survived D-Day, was color guard in VE Day parade, was honor guard for Eisenhower, and career army. He has never been identified in this famous picture and that is a shame. My dad is also WWII veteran and will be 91 this year. Just wanted to share and thank you so much for this Memorial to our heroes! - Marilyn Rowe

Great experience and was very proud to be there with my 95 year old grandpa for the 70th anniversary. Marion C. Gray Combat Medic, 29th Division, 116th Infantry Regiment Company A, Omaha Beach Dog Green. - Christy Elliott

P-47 pilot Lt. Stonnell writes “Worked on my belly-tank footlocker to carry my belongings to France. We are practicing invasion tactics, patrolling, dive-bombing near troops, smoke missions. Never saw so many planes. All kinds and plenty of them.” Stonnell’s commanders have made it clear that his unit will support the invasion of France, and training now focuses on this effort.  www.dday.org