On June 5 or 6, 1944, hours before embarking on the
greatest invasion of WWII, American soldiers, sailors and airmen received a
special message from their commander, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower. The printed “pep
talk” informed the men that they were “about to embark upon the great crusade,”
defined the coming fight as one of freedom versus tyranny, and encouraged the
men that “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” Known as the Order of
the Day, the D-Day message was one of the most important military documents in
US history.
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| Bob Slaughter, D-Day Veteran Founder of National D-Day Memorial |
Few of the men that day, facing the biggest fight of
their lives, thought to save their copies of the Order of the Day. But one man
who did was the founder of the National D-Day Memorial:
John Robert “Bob” Slaughter of Roanoke.
Bob was a survivor of D-Day, a sergeant in the 116th
Regiment of the 29th Division at Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. Like
his fellow soldiers, he received a copy of the Order of the Day as he awaited
the order to begin the invasion of Normandy. But unlike most of the men, he
realized the historic nature of the document and of the day. He circulated
through his company and had his buddies sign their names to his copy; then
folded it into a plastic bag and tucked it into his wallet. He carried his
Order of the Day through the rest of his time in service, and afterwards
described it as his “most treasured souvenir of the war.”
It was, for many years, his own personal memorial to the
men of D-Day. Of the 75 soldiers who signed Bob’s Order that night, eleven
would be dead within hours.
Bob went on to become perhaps the best known D-Day
veteran in the nation, but he never forgot the men who never made it off those
beaches. Often he would speak to school groups, club meetings, or civic
organizations, and show his Order of the Day as he told his poignant story.
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| Slaughter's copy of the Order of the Day |
Bob died in 2012. Earlier this year, his family donated his
framed copy of the Order of the Day, along with the rest of his papers, to the
Memorial he did so much to build.
The tattered scrap
of paper is now one of the most significant items in our collection, a tangible
reminder of the costs of that crucial day in history. It was actually there on
Omaha Beach, and against all odds survived. Very few original copies of Ike’s
Order survive, and even fewer with the signatures of D-Day participants. That’s
why the staff and volunteers who have had the chance to see and hold Bob’s
Order (it’s too fragile to be on public display, so only limited access is
permitted) find it a chilling experience. All have been awed; some have been moved
to tears, as they realize that for so many heroes it was the last time they ever
wrote their name.
The Order is, sadly, in very fragile shape. Printed on
inferior wartime paper, it literally endured months of battlefield conditions.
Creased, torn, faded and unfortunately repaired with tape, this highly
significant artifact stands greatly in need of conservation. Yet the rarity and
historical significance of Bob’s Order of the Day make it imperative to preserve
this endangered artifact. It’s a testament to one of the most important battles
of the 20th Century and to the men who fought it.
That is why the National D-Day Memorial has nominated Bob’s
Order of the Day for the Top Ten Endangered Artifact program of the Virginia
Association of Museums. And to raise awareness of the need to preserve such
treasures, our supporters are invited to vote online through the month of
August in the popular poll!
Anyone and everyone can cast their votes at www.vatop10artifacts.org.
Supporters are encouraged to vote as often as they like—there is no limit of
one vote per person or one vote per day. We’ve timed it—you can vote about five
times in one minute!
Those wishing to make a lasting impact can also donate to
the conservation of any of the twenty nominated artifacts, including the Order.
We have participated in the Top 10 Endangered Artifacts
Poll for many years, but this time we are hoping folks will support our
nomination in record numbers. It’s an important part of our history and a great
way to honor the men who won the war for us. So get started voting—vote early,
vote often!
-John
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