National D-Day Memorial honors “Bedford Boys” and commemorates 80th D-Day anniversary

BEDFORD, Va. (WDBJ) - June 6, 2024 marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Soldiers known as the “Bedford Boys” from the town of Bedford, Virginia served in Company A of the 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Division.

On June 6, 1944, they stormed the shores of Normandy, France in the D-Day invasion at 6:36 a.m., along with allied troops. By the time the day was through, 19 young men from Bedford died on Omaha Beach. Another Bedford native from Company F was killed that day, bringing Bedford’s D-Day fatalities to 20, the nation’s highest per capita D-Day loss.

Ten years later, June 6, 1954, a ceremony was organized by a writer for the Bedford Bulletin, Kenneth Crouch, dedicating a memorial stone to those men. It brought 5,000 people to the steps of the Bedford County Courthouse that day.

During the 50th Anniversary of D-Day, former WDBJ7 Anchor Keith Humphry and photographer Scott Ayres traveled to Normandy with D-Day veterans including Roanoke’s Bob Slaughter, who spearheaded the push for the National D-Day Memorial, in Bedford which opened June 6, 2001.

“The day we were on Omaha Beach with all of the troops from Virginia was like nothing I have ever experienced. I said in a live shot from the cemetery, ‘Suddenly, all of these men seemed 19 again,” said Humphry.

“The National D-Day Memorial” in Bedford is planning a big commemoration weekend for the 80th Anniversary of D-Day:

Thursday, June 6 @11am: Commemoration Ceremony. It will include an honor parade, roll call, guest speakers and more. Surviving D-Day and World War II veterans will be there, along with representatives from each of the Allied nations.

Thursday, June 6 @6:15pm: Bedford Boys Tribute Center & Ceremony Courthouse Bell Ringing. This annual public remembrance of the “Bedford Boys” will take place on the West Lawn of the Bedford County Courthouse (123 E Main St, Bedford), where, 70 years ago to the day, the community gathered to mark the 10th anniversary of D-Day with the unveiling of a memorial stone.

Friday, June 7-Sunday, June 9th 10am-5pm: Tour the National D-Day Memorial. General admission ticket required. Admission is free for World War II veterans. Ticket includes guided tour. Ticket sales end at 4:30PM.

Friday, June 7-Saturday, June 8 @7:30pm: When We Went In: The D-Day Experience In Light and Sound. The Memorial will be transformed into a stunning multi-media sensory display, created exclusively for the National D-Day Memorial by the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT) at Virginia Tech. As night falls, immerse yourself while D-Day unfolds all around you in a spectacular display of light, imagery, and sound.

Sunday, June 9 @11am: Soldiers and Sailors at Worship: A Field Chapel Service. Set in 1944, this authentic worship service reveals how soldiers made time for their faith in the most trying of times, and the role of chaplains in guiding and strengthening the spirits of the men and women in their care.