Commentary; Posted: 6/5/02

D-Day memorial deserves support

Outside Bedford, VA, is a monument honoring all those who died and participated in Operation Overlord on June 6, 1944 ñ D-Day. Bedford earned the distinction of hosting this inspiring Memorial, because this community of 3200 lost 19 of its sons on D-Day . . . 15 of them in 15 minutes on Omaha Beach. Four more died later in the Normandy Campaign, which was the beginning of the end of World War II in Europe.

The Memorial was dedicated on June 6, 2001 honoring the valor, fidelity and sacrifice of the Allied Forces on D-Day. It also is an educational center, both preserving the lessons and legacy of D-Day.

The entrance is through a triumphal arch inscribed with the name Overlord, which was the code word for the landing.

It has an English Garden designed like the U.S. Army Europe patch troops wore that day. The garden depicts where the troops and planes and ships assembled for the invasion under the command of General Dwight Eisenhower.

Visitors walk along a terrace representing the entrance to the beach. They see one of the landing craft and then become involved in the battle with statues of men, some wounded, some dying, some scaling a cliff, while all around shots hit the water and strafe the landing craft.

The Army, Navy, the Coast Guard, Marines and the Air Force are all honored

At the top of the cliff is a downside rifle with bayonet in the French soil, a helmet rests on it and a dog tag hangs from it. . . depicting the body of a U. S. soldier waiting to be buried.

Flags of all participating invasion countries flap of the breeze in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Because of unexpected expenses, including a million dollars to provide security for President George W. Bush for the dedication, the Memorial needs money to continue operation.

The National D-Day Memorial Foundation is a nonprofit educational foundation operating under the provisions of Section 501 © 3 of the Internal Revenue code and is warranted by the U. S. Congress.

Veterans groups in particular should consider donating funds to this memorial.

As we look back on Memorial Day Week which is in honor of those who died to preserve freedoms in this nation, donating funds to this D-Day Memorial is particularly appropriate.

The address is P.O. Box 77, Bedford, Virginia, 24523; phone (800) 351-3329 or (540) 586-3329; fax (540) 586-7200; e-mail: dday@dday.org; web site: www.dday.org. ó DON HEINZMAN

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