The National D-Day Memorial, Bedford, VA
“On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline, to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France…The cost in lives on D-Day was high. More than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded, but their sacrifice allowed more than 100,000 Soldiers to begin the slow, hard slog across Europe, to defeat Adolf Hitler’s crack troops” (Army.mil). 
Today, on June 6, 2014, we remember the D-Day and all of the lives that were lost and the heroes that were created at the invasion of Normandy. On this 70th anniversary of Operation Overlord, many individuals flocked to the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia, but today is certainly not the only chance you have to visit. “Dedicated on June 6th, 2001 by President George W. Bush, the National D-Day Memorial was constructed in honor of those who died that day, fighting in one of the most significant battles in our nation’s history” (DDay.org).
The solemn atmosphere of this memorial takes its visitors through an “archival journey” through World War II by means of sculptures, sound effects, oral history, and the stories of the Bedford Boys. It is a sobering yet fascinating picture of history and one that is well worth the visit.
Although this memorial is a couple hours away from our member inns, we invite you to stay at our historic properties to further your exploration through history: www.bbhsv.org.
(Photos by Tara Stoll)