Family Day Fun!

 Hello All,

Authentic Navy recruitment tent on display, Family Day 2014.

I trust you all have been enjoying your summer thus far, despite the heat and stormy weather. Also, I hope everyone was able to enjoy the fireworks display in Bedford over July 4th, it was a spectacular sight!! 

If you are looking for a fun, educational and exciting weekend activity, look no further than the National D-Day Memorial. We will be hosting our annual Family Day Event, generously sponsored by the Woodmen of the World of Virginia, on Saturday, July 18, 10AM-5PM. Families will be able to meet over a dozen World War II veterans from the 8th Air Force, the 29th Infantry Division, Merchant Marines, Navy, Coast Guard, Marines, and other military units. These brave veterans will be situated in the education tent until 1PM to meet with you and share their wartime experiences.

D-Day Veteran signing a veterans poster, Family Day 2014.

One such veteran is D-Day paratrooper Norwood Thomas. Thomas joined the U.S. Army in March 1942 and was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division where his first combat mission was to parachute into Normandy, just 4 miles inland of Utah Beach, on 6 June 1944. Not only did he survive the Invasion of Normandy, but he also rode a Waco CG-4A troop transport glider into Holland as part of Operation Market Garden and fought in Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. Meeting a man such as Norwood Thomas is humbling and unique experience nowadays. It is vitally important for us to honor and remember our veterans while they are still with us so that their legacies will be passed on to future generations. Don't miss out on your opportunity to meet a true American hero.

Not only will Norwood Thomas be sharing his heroic narrative, but also B-17 gunners, radio operators, Higgins boat drivers, and men who served in the Navy in both the Pacific and European theaters. "We encourage people to visit our WWII veterans at this event," stated April Cheek-Messier, President of the National D-Day Memorial Foundation. "We are losing them at an alarming rate of 492 a day according to Veterans Administration statistics. Over 16 million served during WWII and just over 800,000 are still with us today. Now is the time to say thank you and hear their stories. They are a national treasure," she added. To guarantee your visit with these remarkable men, be sure to make your way to the education tent before 1PM.

Dedicated D-Day volunteers having some fun at the 2014 Family Day Event.

Family Day is a uniquely interactive event for visitors of all ages to experience life during World War II. Since this year is the 70th Anniversary of the end of WWII, the main focus of the event will spotlight the twelve Allied nations involved in D-Day. Guests will be able to explore artifacts, converse with living historians, view military vehicles and equipment, partake in craft making, and more. Twenty-five activity stations will be throughout the site including stations on WWII propaganda, medics, WWII aircraft, Victory Gardens, V-mail, the home-front, and so much more! Local authors Franz Beisser (Time and Place: The Making of an Immigrant and Red Solstice) and Zoe Myers (We Two: A Story of War and Love) will be on site with their books available for purchase. Guided tours of the Memorial will take place throughout the day and depart from the deck of the Gift Store.

Recently donated authentic WWII Command Jeep.

New this year: the Memorial has partnered with the Red Cross to "Pack the Command Car" with non-perishable food and supplies for our U.S. troops serving overseas. Just like during WWII, our servicemen and women need our support in any form we can provide. If possible, please bring one or more of the following items; TRAVEL SIZE personal hygiene products such as shampoo, soap, shaving cream, deodorant, body wash, foot lotion, non-aerosol insect repellent, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, lip balm, and sunscreen. Other items include Individual Size food supplies such as hard candies, cookies, rice krispie treats, snack cakes, granola bars, power-bars, nuts, chips, pretzels, trail mix, crackers, Cheez-Its, and cheese spreads. DVDs (movies) and international phone cards are also appreciated. The Red Cross will ensure all shipping and handling of donated items overseas is taken care of and will also host a station for guests to write "V" mail to military personnel currently serving.

A big thanks goes out to our generous sponsor, Woodmen of the World of Virginia. Woodmen of the World lodges from all over the state will be volunteering during the event. Thanks to their kind donation, students 18 and under will be admitted free to the event. Adults are $10 per person; veterans are $8; active military service members are free as part of the Blue Star Museum program. All proceeds benefit education initiatives of the Memorial. Please visit www.dday.org or call (540) 586-3329 for more information about the event.

Take care and hope to see you all on Saturday!

Elizabeth

Remember Veterans Day

Hello All,

Veterans Day is a week away and the Memorial is busy getting ready for the annual ceremony held at the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day, of the eleventh month. You won’t want to miss out this year! Not only are we honoring our veterans, we are also dedicating the new Blue Star and Gold Star bricks.

As you may remember from last years Veterans Day post and ceremony, Veterans Day is extremely important to our country and it’s legacy. It is a day to remember our Veteran’s, past and present, living or deceased. It is a time to reflect on their sacrifices made for us and honor their bravery.

Raising the flag on Iwo Jima, 1945.

Unfortunately, many people have forgotten the importance of this day, even the fact that it is Veterans Day. It used to be a time of parades and public gatherings, and a brief break from work at 11 am to reflect. Now it is a time for people to take advantage of sales and a day off from work. We have forgotten how important our Veterans are to our safety. Without them, who would protect our nation? Who would be willing to travel to unfamiliar places to defend us from what we could not do ourselves? Who would be brave enough to do their duty despite the terrifying or horrible conditions they are subjected to? Our soldiers and veterans are those courageous individuals.

“The willingness of America’s veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude.” – Jeff Miller

Some ways you, and your community, can honor your veterans is to participate in your local Veterans Day observances. Whether that is through a local war memorial or church organization, you could even organize a small gathering of your own. If you have children or grandchildren, teach them the importance of our Veterans and make sure they understand the magnitude of their sacrifices. Volunteering to help Veterans is also a wonderful way to show your support and care for our heroes. If you are joining the D-Day Memorial this coming Veterans Day, then bring a Veteran you may know, or bring your family. Once you are here, you can find out all the ways you can get involved in the Memorial.

Veterans Day Parade, New York City, 2011

Veterans will always be part of our society and culture. To treat them with anything other than respect would be criminal.

“The veterans of our military services have put their lives on the line to protect the freedoms that we enjoy. They have dedicated their lives to their country and deserve to be recognized for their commitment.” – Judd Gregg 

I hope you will join us on Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 11 am.

Take care,

Elizabeth

Memorial Event: Veterans Day

How did Veterans Day Observances begin?  When the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, World War I, or "The Great War," officially came to an end.  However, fighting had actually ceased seven months prior when an armistice between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.  For this reason, November 11, 1918 is regarded as the end of the "war to end all wars."

A year after the armistice, in November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations."

Originally Armistice Day observances were celebrated with parades and public meetings.  Business would not begin until 11am.  Congress officially recognized the end of "The Great War" when it passed a resolution on June 4, 1926 marking November 11, 1918 as the official end of the war.  An Act, approved May 13, 1938, made this day a legal holiday each year.  November 11 would be "a day dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'."

World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, and airmen in our nation's history; and after American forces had fought in Korea, Congress, at the urging of veteran service organizations, amended the Act establishing Armistice Day.  On June 1, 1954, the word "Armistice" was replaced with "Veterans."  November 11 was now established as the day to honor American veterans of all wars. 

So, join us at 11am on November 11, 2013 to honor all who have served in the US Armed Forces.  The program will include guest speakers, music, and recognition of all veterans.  Free admission will be offered from 10am to Noon. 

We hope to see you there.

Until next time,

Felicia 

70th Anniversary of D-Day: Operation THANK YOU

We at the National D-Day Memorial are busy preparing for the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day landings.  I know that we are nine months (and one day) shy of the event, but this is going to be huge, and right now I want to take a moment to invite all educators and students to participate in a very special program.

OPERATION "THANK YOU"

65th Anniversary winner: California Resident George Tilton-Low, aged 7

June 6, 2014 marks the 70^th Anniversary of D-Day, the largest land, air, and sea operation in history and a day that changed the course of history. Of the 150,000 Allied servicemen and women who participated in the invasion, only a handful still remain. The younger D-Day veterans will turn 92 years of age this year; by the 75^th anniversary in 2019, they will be all but gone. The opportunity to thank these men and women for their service while they still walk among us, while they can experience our thanks and appreciate it, will soon be lost. The time to act is NOW.

Operation “THANK YOU” is one way educators can get their students involved in the observance of the D-Day anniversary. The purpose of Operation THANK YOU is to have students offer messages of thanks to our WWII and D-Day veterans in highly visual formats. Educators are invited to have their students spell out “THANK YOU” as creatively as possible and submit a photograph of their results. The key is creativity – use the student body to spell out “THANK YOU” in giant letters on the football field, or spell it out with a collage of images from WWII. Get creative and say thanks!

A panel of judges will select the most creative “THANK YOU” image, which will then be used on the cover of the commemorative program for the 70^th Anniversary of D-Day at the National D-Day Memorial in June 2014. Superior entries will be featured in local media to help promote the 70^th Anniversary of D-Day at the National D-Day Memorial next year.

RULES:

Entries must be received by January 10, 2014 to be considered. Send your submission to:

National D-Day Memorial Foundation

Attn: Operation THANK YOU

PO Box 77

Bedford, VA 24523

or submit via email at dday@dday.org. Be sure to include your name, school, mailing address, phone number, and email address. Students in grades K-12 in public and private schools are eligible to participate. Submissions must be in the form of color photographs or digital images – no original artwork or videos will be accepted. Students may submit work individually or in groups, but no more than one entry per person will be accepted. All submissions become property of the National D-Day Memorial Foundation. The Foundation is not responsible for lost or damaged submissions. For more information, contact the Education Department of the National D-Day Memorial Foundation at (540) 586-3329 or visit our website at www.dday.org.

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I look forward to seeing entries from across the county!   

~Felicia