U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sarah Villegas via DVIDS
On June 6, 1944 Bedford, Virginia lost 20 of the 32 sons it sent to the invasion of Normandy, a devastating blow to the tiny community of just over 3,200 souls. Over time, grief gave rise to solemn pride and deep commitment to ensuring the story of D-Day and its costs and consequences were not lost on future generations. That commitment, along with the distinction of sustaining the highest per capita D-Day losses, placed the monument to D-Day here rather than elsewhere in the country. Dedicated in 2001 with some 24,000 in attendance, the Memorial has since hosted hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the globe.
