National D-Day Memorial
by Don Struke
Title
National D-Day Memorial
Artist
Don Struke
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
On D-Day, June 6, 1944, approximately 30 young men from the small southern Virginia town of Bedford landed in Normandy. By the end of the day, 19 were dead and four more were killed later in the campaign. This tragic loss was the highest proportionally of any American community, which is why Congress authorized establishing the National D-Day Memorial there.
From the site's Web page: "The National D-Day Memorial honors the Allied forces that participated in the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944 during World War II. With its stylized English Garden, haunting invasion tableau, and striking Victory Plaza, the Memorial stands as a powerful permanent tribute to the valor, fidelity, and sacrifice of D-Day participants. Surrounded by the beautiful majestic Blue Ridge mountains, this makes for a solemn and respectful tribute for our fallen heroes."
Visiting the Memorial can be an inspiring experience, and one bonus is it's situated among some of Virginia's most attractive scenery. I had a friend, Frank Reese Mays, a WW II B-17 ball turret gunner who was involved in the Memorial's early efforts. (His book about the air war over Europe, "And No Purple Heart" is available there and on Amazon.) It's my understanding that through him, Steven Spielberg became interested in the Memorial after making the film "Saving Private Ryan" and contributed to its construction.
These are a few of my photos from two visits there. NOTE: The Fine Art watermark appearing in preview windows is not on any print.
Uploaded
April 14th, 2012
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