Visiting the D-Day National Monument in Bedford, Virginia

Bedford, Virginia. An idyllic little town nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of central Virginia. You’re excused for having not heard of it before, as most people haven’t. But in the early hours of June 6th, 1944, this small town of around 3,200 paid a higher price per capita than any other American town. 19 soldiers are lost in the first few minutes of the assault. 3 more would die during the Normandy campaign. In all, 22 men, forever remembered as the Bedford Boys, laid down their lives. Men who were husbands and fathers, sons and brothers, former schoolmates, and coworkers.

Roanoke native and D-Day veteran, J. Robert “Bob” Slaughter conceived the memorial. Although he envisioned a more modest one. But the final memorial required 8,000 cubic yards of concrete and more than 900 tons of granite. 30 miles of electrical cable, and 6,000 tons of stone to support the 300-ton “Overlord” arch. Bob and his foundation eyed locations near Roanoke, but negotiations stalled. City managers proved reluctant. In 1994, the community of Bedford offered the foundation 20 acres in view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In 1997, Congress made the location official and they broke ground on Veterans Day. While it has “National” in its name, the memorial receives no federal funding. A non-governmental, non-profit, educational foundation owns and operates it.

At the memorial entrance is a large granite arch. Etched atop is the operations military code name; Overlord. Additionally, the top has alternating white and black stripes. This pays homage to the identification stripes painted on Allied aircraft. The arch’s height is 44 feet, 6 inches tall, intended to recall the date of the invasion…June 6, 1944. Beyond the arch rests a “cliff” summited by four Rangers, just as they did at Pointe du Hoc on D-Day. Looking down from the railing is the curved reflecting pool. This calls to mind the English Channel. In the pool are various bronze sculptures. The sculptures depict soldiers coming ashore from the Higgins boats. One holds his rifle above his head while another shows a soldier dead on the beach. Large metal “hedgehogs” are similar to those encountered on the beaches that morning. Bursts of water are reminiscent of the bullet strikes in the water. The waterfalls on either side of the “cliff” do an amazing job of blocking outside noise. This brings you into the solemnity of this scene. Bob Slaughter speaks of the aesthetic intentions of this: “We wanted realism.” Recorded along the walls of the plaza are the names of American and Allied troops killed on June 6. American casualties stand at 3,581 with 2,403 killed. Beyond the plaza is an English garden representing the planning stage. It is constructed in the shape of the uniform patch for the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Expeditionary Force. In a small portico at the back of the garden stands a bronze statue of General Eisenhower. The ceiling depicts a tile mosaic of the staging area for the Navy ships before crossing the channel. Branching out from this are bronze busts of the other Generals and Commanders responsible for the planning of the operation. The memorial stands in powerful deference to the 73,000 American and 83,115 Allied soldiers who participated in Operation Overlord.

The memorial was dedicated on June 6, 2001, by President Bush with many veterans in attendance. “Fifty-seven years ago, America and the nations of Europe formed a bond that has never been broken. And all of us incurred a debt that can never be repaid. Today, as America dedicates our D-Day Memorial, we pray that our country will always be worthy of the courage that delivered us from evil and saved the free world.”

Read more about the Bedford Boys here and plan the rest of your visit to Bedford and central Virginia here.