Senior Virginia and Maryland National Guard leaders and Soldiers from the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team pay tribute to the valor, fidelity and sacrifice of D-Day participants at the observance of the 70th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy June 6, 2014, and the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Va. Brig. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, and Brig. Gen. Blake C. Ortner, the Virginia National Guard Land Component Commander, read historical vignettes during the ceremony, and Brig. Gen. Timothy E. Gowen, Deputy 29th Infantry Division Commanding - Maryl
Senior Virginia and Maryland National Guard leaders and Soldiers from the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team pay tribute to the valor, fidelity and sacrifice of D-Day participants at the observance of the 70th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy June 6, 2014, and the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Va. Brig. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, and Brig. Gen. Blake C. Ortner, the Virginia National Guard Land Component Commander, read historical vignettes during the ceremony, and Brig. Gen. Timothy E. Gowen, Deputy 29th Infantry Division Commanding - Maryland, joined members of the 29th Infantry Division Association in placing a memorial wreath for the division. Soldiers from the 116th IBCT escorted D-Day and World War II veterans throughout the ceremony. The Clifton Forge-based 29th Division Band provided ceremonial music for the event. Like 11 other Virginia communities, Bedford provided Soldiers to serve in Company A, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division when the 116th was activated on Feb. 3, 1941. During the assault on Omaha Beach, 19 of the “Bedford Boys” of Company A died. Bedford’s population in 1944 was about 3,200, and proportionally the Bedford community suffered the nation’s most severe D-Day losses. Recognizing that Bedford represented both large and small communities whose citizen-Soldiers served on D-Day, Congress warranted the establishment of the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, and this year’s event marked the 13th anniversary of the historic site’s dedication. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Terra C. Gatti, Virginia Guard Public Affairs) Ceremony pays tribute to D-Day veterans on 70th anniversary 140606-A-SM601-823
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Photo credit: © PJF Military Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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Keywords: -day, 70th, armed, bedford, conflict, forces, military, states, united, war, wwii
