Bob Slaughter's Order of the Day: An Endangered Artifact

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.

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 116^th Regiment of the 29^th 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.

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

Deciding Who Comes Home at the End of the War

On May 8, 1945 Nazi Germany surrendered to the United States and other Allies marking the end of the war in Europe. This surrender, known as VE Day marked the end of World War II for millions of soldiers and civilians. For the American soldiers in Europe that had fought across the continent from the beaches of Normandy this was the end of 335 days of combat and the start of occupation. In order to fairly decide which units and soldiers were sent to the Pacific theater and which would be sent home the Army developed a points system. This system, officially designated the Advance Service Rating Score, quickly became a hot topic with the troops.

Point System for Discharges at End of WWII

The Army’s reasoning behind this system was two-fold. Instead of shipping units whole from Europe the Army understood that it’s soldiers wanted to go home and soon. Draftees and National Guardsmen that had been in for the duration since 1941 often had the highest scores and were rotated home quickly. For example: Sgt. Bob Slaughter of D Company, 116^th Infantry Regiment who stormed ashore on Omaha Beach had accumulated a score of 135 points by May of 1945, almost double the minimum of 85. His high score came from 52 months of active service, 33 of it overseas, 2 Bronze Stars, 2 Purple Hearts, the American Theater Ribbon and 5 Battle Stars on the European Theater Ribbon.

When Bob returned home to Roanoke, Virginia he worked for the Roanoke Times newspaper until his retirement in 1987. In the 1980s he began to organize reunions of his World War II unit. At the same time, he began a campaign for a memorial dedicated to the memories of the D-Day fallen. This culminated in the dedication of the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia on June 6, 2001.

Bob Slaughter's Medals

In order to keep units at full strength with combat veterans returning home, recently inducted soldiers would be sent overseas to join the Army of Occupation in Europe. One of these replacements was my grandfather, Pvt. William B. Ford Jr., who spent a year in Bremerhaven, Germany with the Army of Occupation. The surrender of Japan on August 14, 1945 allowed the drawdown of forces to continue with the points limit revised to 80 and soon to 50 by the end of 1945. As the points needed to be discharged dropped, so did the number of men in uniform. By January 1, 1946 almost fifty percent of the 8.3 million men in the Army had returned to civilian life in the states. These veterans contributed to the rapid growth of post-war America and the eventual Baby Boom of the 1950s. After grueling months on the front lines these soldiers finally returned home to their sweethearts, a warm bed and Mom’s apple pie.

As the Greatest Generation quickly passes away, it is ever more important to celebrate and remember the legacies of World War II. In 2010, Congress unanimously voted in favor of a national “Spirit of ’45 Day,” typically held on V-J Day (August 14), to preserve and honor the legacy of the men and women of the World War II generation so that their example of national unity, shared sacrifice, can do attitude, and service to their community and country continues to inspire future generations of Americans.

Spirit of '45 Alive Concert 2015

On Saturday, August 13, 2016 at 7PM, the National D-Day Memorial will host its annual Spirit of ’45 Alive concert—an outdoor concert featuring The Let’s Dance Band with a tribute to the WWII generation. Tickets are sold at the door. In honor of Rosie the Riveter, wear a red bandana or scarf and receive $2 off admission. For ticket pricing and more information, visit www.dday.org or call 800-351-DDAY. A special thanks to Weldex and Bank of the James for sponsoring this event!

-Will

Sources:

Slaughter, John R. Omaha Beach And Beyond: The Long March of Sergeant Bob Slaughter.

                St. Paul, MN: Zenith Press, 2007.

Kennet, Lee. G.I.: The American Soldier in World War II. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons,

                1987.

Wartime Sweethearts: Wally Williams and Betty Morrill

Hello Friends!

Everyone loves a good love story. Even more so when the couple faces challenging circumstances that their enduring love overcomes. I’m a sucker for a good WWII wartime love story. Seeing how young love endured distance and the other challenges that come along with war is—no matter the outcome—endearing. Spoiler alert—I am going to be sharing a story today that did not end with a happy homecoming in 1945, so make sure you have some Kleenex nearby if these stories tend to trigger your tear ducts like they do for me.

Wally's short-snorters from his first, and only,
transatlantic crossing.

As it’s been said before on this blog, artifacts are so much more than objects. They often have stories attached to them whether or not they are written. At first glance, these signed dollar bills just look like some sort of memento from the war. It turns out that they are short-snorters—they were used to document a service member’s first Atlantic crossing. They belonged to a Wally Williams and he gave them to his girlfriend, Betty Morrill.

Wally and Betty’s romance started in Chicago during the Great Depression when Wally delivered groceries for Betty’s mother. In 1940, he was washing the windows at Betty’s house when he noticed how beautiful she was in her maid of honor dress for her sister’s wedding. He decided to ask her to his senior prom where they stayed out all night and had breakfast together that next morning.

Wally and Betty after his graduation in 1941.

After he graduated in 1941, they began to date since he no longer busy being an all-state wrestler. Betty and Wally loved to jitterbug, in addition to going to the movies, taking long walks and swimming. At first, Wally was given a deferment from enlistment because he was the sole supporter of his family at the time working at a railroad loading boxcars. However, in December 1942, Wally was drafted into the war. He trained as a soldier at Camp Walters in Texas and was given orders to deploy to England.

Betty traveled with his family to New Jersey to send him off. They arrived on a Saturday and Wally was given a pass for that night and they all went to a local bar and made plans for the next day. However, Sunday morning he called and notified them that he was confined to base since they were shipping out that evening. The family was allowed on base for a few hours that day. It was there that she sent him off with kisses, tears, and promises of tomorrow without realizing that this was a final good-bye.

This photograph was taken of Wally in England
February 24, 1944 while training for D-Day.

Wally was sent to England to prepare for the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France. While he was in England preparing for the invasion, they wrote each other letters regularly. It was during this time that he sent her the short-snorters signed by members of the 29^th Division for safe keeping.

Wally’s outfit was one of the first units to land on the beaches on June 6, 1944. Many of those soldiers were killed on that day. However, Wally was one of the lucky few to continue on into France. On July 5, 1944, he wrote a letter that referred to her as “Snooks”—it was his nickname for her—and then went on to talk about how lonely he felt, but that she was his inspiration to keep going. He finished out the letter by saying that he loved her. Unfortunately, this would be the last letter that Wally would write to his beloved Betty. 

Wally was killed shortly after he wrote that letter. In August 1944, he was listed as missing in action but then shortly after the first telegram his brother notified Betty that he had been killed in action. She cried for a week. She later said this about her grief:

“So much is told of mothers and wives of GIs who were lost in WWII, but so little is mentioned of the sweethearts that were left behind. We too suffered, but without a gold star to hang in our window, just one to hang in our hearts, to remain there forever, symbolic of a life that might have been.”

Although Betty moved on with her life by marrying and becoming a mother, she never forgot about Wally. In 1995, People magazine, in honor of the 50^th anniversary of D-Day, published photographs of the 29^th Division veterans and Betty recognized some of the names as those who signed the short-snorters Wally sent her. She was able to preserve Wally’s memory by reconnecting with these veterans. She even found out from one of his buddies that Wally regretted not marrying her.

National D-Day Memorial Dedication on June 6, 2001

As a part of honoring Wally, Betty traveled to the National D-Day Memorial’s dedication on June 6, 2001. She joined almost 20,000 other guests and President George W. Bush in tribute to the soldiers of the D-Day invasion and the realization of D-Day veteran Bob Slaughter’s dream. It was through this connection that we now have these short-snorters at the Memorial today.

Wally and Betty’s love story is just one out of thousands of others. While we have shared quite a few on this blog, there are still lots of stories that are left untold. One of my personal favorite aspects of learning about World War II is learning about the lives of the people involved in the invasion. It is when we connect with history on a personal level that it becomes real to us and compels us to share with others. So, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I want to share more about an event that takes us back to the 1940’s.

Each year around Valentine’s Day, the National D-Day Memorial hosts a fundraiser called the “GI Jive.” It’s an opportunity to put on your dancing shoes to jump, jive, and jitterbug—just like Wally and Betty—at a 1940s dance like no other. It’s the perfect night of food, fun, and fancy footwork, and makes a great Valentine’s gift. We’ll have big band sounds from The Swingbeans featuring Karen Nichols and Scott Walter, a silent auction, a live auction, photo booth, and fabulous dinner catered by Charley’s—everything you need for a night of elegance and all benefiting the National D-Day Memorial.

This year we will be hosting the GI Jive at the historic Trivium Estate in Forest, VA on Saturday, February 13, 2016 from 6:00PM to 10:30PM. Attire is black tie or period clothing. Cost: $80/person or $150/couple. Tickets are limited! Call (540) 586-3329 to purchase your tickets or to sponsor a veteran today.

Until Next Time,

Maggie

Sources

Brokaw, Tom. An Album of Memories: Personal Histories from the Greatest Generation. New York: Random House, 2001.

Whiteside, John. “Memories of her First True Love Bring Woman to the D-Day Memorial.” The Herald-News (Joliet, IL). N.d.

D-Day Through the Decades: 1994 Commemoration

Good morning everyone,

Well here we are, one month away from the big day.  Hold on, let me try that again I don’t think I got the full range of emotion in there.   WE ARE ONE MONTH AWAY FROM D-DAY!  Even though it is a little hectic around the site, everything is starting to fall into place as we move through the final stages of planning for the 70^th Anniversary. 

For all of you planning on coming to the anniversary ceremony, be sure to stay up to date on parking and other essential information by visiting the 70^th Event webpage at http://www.dday.org/70th-anniversary-events.  Gates will open to the public around 8:30AM, please make sure to arrive at the satellite parking lots early enough to get the shuttle bus to the site.  We do not want anyone to miss this very special ceremony!

50th Anniversary Color Guard

With one month left, we have made it to the 50^th Anniversary of D-Day – June 6, 1994.  This is a date which is dear to us here at the Memorial and one that is important for where we are today.  Again, I am going to turn to our founder, the late Sgt John Robert “Bob” Slaughter for the words to describe the events taking place in Normandy when he walked along the sands of Omaha Beach with President Bill Clinton.

By 1993, we still had no memorial, and figured the idea was DOA – dead on arrival.  Then, again, a miracle happened.  June 6, 1994, was the fiftieth anniversary of D-Day.  Public acknowledgement still was weak, but with a half-century now gone by, the Department of Defense had decided on a “last” great commemoration for D-Day veterans.  Many veterans and officials would be gathering in Normandy for the anniversary.  I, for one, wanted to be there.  The 29^th Division Association assembled 150 veterans and their families – ten busloads – to make the trip to France.

The most important event of the trip for me, and for the future of the D-Day Memorial, turned out to be a forty-five minute stroll that I took with President Clinton on Omaha Beach.  I had received a phone call from the White House, informing me that I had been selected to represent the 29^th Division as one of three escorts for the president at Omaha Beach….

At 9 a.m., June 6, the big day, the White House driver met us at the hotel, precisely on time.  The preliminary ceremony was not until 2:30 p.m., so why did we need such an early start?  We soon found out.  The driver’s instructions were to proceed through Bayeus.  Our military vehicle immediately ran into gridlock traffic, and encountered many checkpoints….The master of ceremonies was Walter Cronkite, who began by describing to the hushed throng how he flew over the fleet in an American bomber early on D-Day.  Following remarks were made by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army General John M. Shalikashveli and Captain Joe Dawson, who then introduced President Clinton.

The president’s message was a stirring tribute to all D-Day veterans. “On these beaches the forces of freedom turned the tide to the twentieth century,” he said.  “Let us not forget when they were young, these men saved the world!”  After the speeches, the president’s handlers whisked Dawson, Ehlers, and me to the path leading to the steep steps down Omaha Beach.  Clinton began to exit, shaking hands with the front row veterans and those bold enough to reach over the front row for a touch and a handshake.  First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton was the first to reach the three escorts.  She shook hands and thanked each of us for serving our country.  She said to me, “Thank you so much for what you did.”  I replied, “Thank you, Mrs. Clinton, for coming."

Slaughter (on far left) walking along Omaha Beach with President Clinton

Brent Blakely reminded me that I was to walk on the president’s right, Dawson on the left, and Ehlers to the left of Dawson.  When the path narrowed at the steps, I was to step back and let Ehlers move to the president’s right.  While walking, we were to talk about our respective roles on D-Day….

I can only hope that the fiftieth anniversary of D-Day meant half as much to the President Bill Clinton as it did to Walter Ehlers, Joe Dawson, all the other D-Day veterans, and me.  That unforgettable stroll down the beach with two bona fide World War II heroes and the most powerful leader on earth changed me forever, and will always remain a highlight of my life.  The walk brought back chilling memories of 1944 that will never go away.  All the attention focused on the anniversary also gave me hope that others might finally be willing to remember as well.

President Clinton addressing the crowd on June 6, 1994

And remember we will.  In November 1994, it was officially announced that Bedford, Virginia would be the  home to the National D-Day Memorial - a place to remember the fallen and educate future generations about what happened along the Normandy coast on that longest day.  I leave you with these final words from President Clinton’s D-Day address to the US Army Rangers gathered at Pointe du Hoc on the morning of June 6, 1994.  These words ring as true today in the hearts of every staff person and volunteer at the Memorial as they did 20 years ago as we work every day to tell others about the valor, fidelity, and sacrifice made by all of these soldiers, sailors, and airmen almost 70 years ago:  We are the children of your sacrifice. We are the sons and daughters you saved from tyranny's reach. We grew up behind the shield of the strong alliances you forged in blood upon these beaches, on the shores of the Pacific, and in the skies above. We flourished in the nation you came home to build. The most difficult days of your lives bought us 50 years of freedom. You did your job; now we must do ours. Let us begin by teaching our young people about the villainy that started this war and the valor that ended it. Let us carry on the work you began here.

Until next time, 

Felicia  

Book Review: Omaha Beach & Beyond

Hello everyone!  Does anyone else have one of those stacks in their house of all the books they want to read?  Well, Omaha Beach & Beyond has been on that stack since I started at the Memorial in June of 2012.  Over the last week while traveling and sitting in five different airports, I finally had a little bit of time to read Bob Slaughter’s, the founder of the National D-Day Memorial, memoir of his experiences in the war.  Once I started reading, I was hooked and did not want to stop.  Given that he was born on this day in 1925, I thought it would be fitting to bring you a short review of this book. 

Slaughter takes us on his journey from growing up in Roanoke, VA to his decision to join the military, his training, and finally the battlefields of Europe. He is descriptive, allowing the reader to follow his movements through the war and showing a depth that can only come from reading the memoirs of a veteran.  Slaughter's training in D Company of the Virginia National Guard began before his sixteenth birthday.  He had to ask permission of his parents to sign the waiver allowing him to join underage.  On February 3, 1941, his sixteenth birthday, Slaughter and the other men of the Virginia National Guard were inducted into federal service for his one year of training.  Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Slaughter found himself in the service for the duration of the war, and at just nineteen years old, he would be leading the way on the first wave to hit Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944.

In his accounts of the Normandy landings and movement into the hedgerows, Slaughter wrote:

“Before the invasion, the 29^th Division numbered about fourteen thousand, and replacements poured in as men were killed or wounded.  By the time we took Saint-Lo six weeks later, it was said that the 29^th was really three divisions: one in the field, another in the hospital, and yet a third in the cemetery.  We endured those unbelievable hardships so we could participate in D-Day, which we knew would be huge, deadly, and unforgettable.  Yet we couldn’t fathom the terrible odds of surviving just one day fighting in the hedgerows of Normandy.”

Throughout the book you get a sense of what our soldiers were facing as they fought their way across battle-torn Europe.  You can feel the emotion throughout the book: fear about what he was facing, but most importantly pride in what he and his fellow servicemen accomplished.  This book is an excellent read for anyone who is interested in a more personal history and account of what our servicemen accomplished seventy years ago. 

I will leave you with one last passage, Slaughter’s account of revisiting Omaha beach forty-five years after the invasion:

Slaughter's copy of Eisenhower's "Order of the Day" signed by men he was surrounded by prior to the invasion

"Memories of that fateful day long ago overwhelmed me.  Tears welled up and began to run down my face.  I knew most of the forty brave men of my D Company who died that day on the sand and in the water…I could only wonder, shaking my head, how in the world had we ever managed to cross that long, slightly graded expanse of beach, moving upward into the teeth of a determined enemy?...It was much different on this gray and breezy afternoon forty-five years later.  I tried to recall the low tide, 200 yards lower, and the nearly five thousand ships of all kinds and descriptions out in the English Channel, forming the largest armada in history.  I also recalled other images: a burning landing ship, tank (LST) with its ramp down, an amphibious tank on fire, men and equipment floating in the water and nobody moving on the beach.  And then there were the ugly antilanding obstacles, made of timber posts with mines tied to them, that hindered our landings during the flooding tide.  The obstacles themselves were bad enough, but the early waves were forced to land at extreme low tide to avoid the potent twenty-pound teller mines tied at their apex.  This meant the battalion was forced to run across a much deeper stretch of flat sand, advancing 400-450 yard under withering fire.  Forty-Five years had done nothing to erase the vividness of these memories.”

Sgt. Bob Slaughter

Help us honor and remember the valor, fidelity, and sacrifice of all those brave servicemen who fought to gain ground on D-Day and began the push to Berlin to end the war.  Join us on June 6, 2014 for a special commemoration of the 70^th Anniversary of the historic landings.  To find out more about events going on surrounding the commemoration, visit our website at http://www.dday.org/70th-anniversary-events.  We hope to see you here in June!

Until next time,

Felicia

Remembering Our Founder: A Tribute to John Robert Slaughter

John Robert Slaughter Portrait Bust Campaign

The National D-Day Memorial Foundation’s campaign to honor
the legacy of the founding chairman, John Robert Slaughter.

The National D-Day Memorial Foundation has launched a campaign to honor our dear friend and founder John Robert Slaughter.  Bob Slaughter brought the same energy, tenacity, and drive to the creation of the D-Day Memorial that he displayed so many years ago on Omaha Beach, and throughout the war.  

Mr. Slaughter entered the service in 1940 at the tender age of 15 (after convincing his parents that he wanted to join the National Guard and earn extra money for household expenses).  By the age of 19, he found himself engaged in the largest amphibious assault in history on the beaches of Normandy, France.   Bob served with Company D, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Division.  Company D was a heavy weapons company that supported rifle companies in combat.  Slaughter was wounded twice while in France and was discharged in July 1945 at which point he returned to his home in Roanoke, Virginia.  He married in 1947, and he and his wife Margaret had two children.  Over the years, however, memories of what took place on that stretch of sand in Normandy continued to haunt him.  

In 1987, Bob Slaughter declared “We have no gathering place, no meeting hall, no memorial, where our country can collect its memories and the lessons we learned from D-Day.”  Shortly thereafter, Slaughter, along with several other supporters, formed a committee to raise money and search for an appropriate location for a small memorial.  

Slaughter, far left, with President Clinton in Normandy

After visiting Normandy on several occasions, the vision for a memorial took shape and in 1989, Slaughter’s small committee introduced a seventeen-member board of directors.  The committee faced a series of challenges and a discouraged board was near disbandment when a resurgence of interest in D-Day, due to the 50th anniversary in 1994, led to increased publicity and new momentum.  

Shortly thereafter, Bedford City officials donated eleven acres of land to the D-Day Foundation for the site of the proposed memorial and an additional seventy-seven acres was purchased by the Foundation to protect the site from further development.  

Mr. Slaughter served as the Foundation’s Chairman from 1994-2001.  Congress also adopted legislation designating the site a national memorial in 1994.  The Foundation hired its first employee in 1996 and the Memorial was officially dedicated by President George W. Bush on 6 June 2001.  

Plaque outside the Youth Learning Center at the Memorial

In 2007, Bob authored Omaha Beach and Beyond, an auto-biography, chronicling his wartime experience and the creation of the Memorial.  In 2008, The John Robert Slaughter Youth Learning Center (an authentic military hands-on history tent) was dedicated at the Memorial.  That area has always been and continues to be the hub of the Foundation’s education initiatives.

Bob Slaughter was a very special man and one who was respected and admired.  In his book in 2007, Bob noted “Now that I am in my eighties, I am well aware that the long march that began so many years ago is about to come to a halt.  I am proud to say my generation helped save the world from tyranny, prevent the extinction of an entire group of people, and preserve the democratic freedoms of our wonderful American way of life.  I wouldn’t change a thing, except to wish that my dear army buddies could be here to see and touch the magnificent National D-Day Memorial that was built for us all.”

Slaughter with President Bush at the Memorial Dedication

While Bob is deeply missed, his legacy is preserved in perpetuity at the National D-Day Memorial.  We look forward to raising funds for the bust and accompanying plaque that will tell his story.

 

How You Can Help?  
Spread the Word!  
Make a donation or encourage others to donate.  

Click here to make a donation to support the portrait bust of John Robert Slaughter.

Click here to download a brochure to mail in your contribution.

Lastly, I would like to say thank you to everyone who came out yesterday to honor our nation's veterans.  It was a beautiful day and a wonderful ceremony as we came together to honor the servicemen and women who defend and protect our country.

Until next time, 

Felicia

The Loss of a Friend: John Robert "Bob" Slaughter

John Robert "Bob" Slaughter

The National D-Day Memorial Foundation is deeply saddened by the death of our dear friend and founder John Robert Slaughter who passed away yesterday, May 29, 2012.  Bob brought the same energy, tenacity, and drive to the creation of the D-Day Memorial that he displayed 68 years ago on Omaha Beach, and throughout the war. 

Bob Slaughter entered the service in 1940 at the tender age of 15 (after convincing his parents that he wanted to join the National Guard and earn extra money for household expenses).  By the age of 19, he found himself engaged in the largest amphibious assault in history on the beaches of Normandy, France.   Bob served with Company D, 116^th Infantry Regiment, 29^th Division.  Company D was a heavy weapons company that supported rifle companies in combat.  Slaughter was wounded twice while in France and was discharged in July 1945 at which point he returned to his home in Roanoke, Virginia.  He married in 1947, and he and his wife Margaret had two children.  Over the years, however, memories of what took place on that stretch of sand in Normandy continued to haunt him. 

In 1987, Bob Slaughter declared “We have no gathering place, no meeting hall, no memorial, where our country can collect its memories and the lessons we learned from D-Day.”  Shortly thereafter, Slaughter, along with several other supporters, formed a committee to raise money and search for an appropriate location for a small memorial. 

After visiting Normandy on several occasions, the vision for a memorial took shape and in 1989, Slaughter’s small committee introduced a seventeen-member board of directors.  The committee faced a series of challenges and a discouraged board was near disbandment when a resurgence of interest in D-Day, due to the 50^th anniversary in 1994, led to increased publicity and new momentum. 

Shortly thereafter, Bedford City officials donated eleven acres of land to the D-Day Foundation for the site of the proposed memorial and an additional seventy-seven acres was purchased by the Foundation to protect the site from further development. 

Mr. Slaughter served as the Foundation’s Chairman from 1994-2001.  Congress also adopted legislation designating the site a national memorial in 1994.  The Foundation hired its first employee in 1996 and the Memorial was officially dedicated by President George W. Bush on 6 June 2001. 

Plaque marking the Bob Slaughter Youth Learning Center

In 2007, Bob authored Omaha Beach and Beyond, an auto-biography, chronicling his wartime experience and the creation of the Memorial.  In 2008, the John Robert Slaughter Youth Learning Center was dedicated at the Memorial.  That area has always been and continues to be the hub of the Foundation’s education initiatives.  Last year the Foundation celebrated Bob’s achievements by welcoming him as Director Emeritus.

Bob Slaughter was a very special man and one who was respected and admired.  In his book in 2007, Bob noted “Now that I am in my eighties, I am well aware that the long march that began so many years ago is about to come to a halt.  I am proud to say my generation helped save the world from tyranny, prevent the extinction of an entire group of people, and preserve the democratic freedoms of our wonderful American way of life.  I wouldn’t change a thing, except to wish that my dear army buddies could be here to see and touch the magnificent National D-Day Memorial that was built for us all.”

While Bob will be deeply missed, his legacy is preserved in perpetuity at the National D-Day Memorial.  The Foundation Board, volunteers and staff extend their deep and heartfelt condolences to Bob’s family and his many, many friends.