It was a beautiful fall day when we went to visit the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia. It was the day before Veteran's Day and we could see that a lot of preparations were going on around us as they had special events planned for the holiday.
We were divided into two groups: one for an outside tour and one for a lesson on D-Day inside the classroom tent.
We were divided into two groups: one for an outside tour and one for a lesson on D-Day inside the classroom tent.
Students were taught about the equipment used on the beaches of Normandy. They were able to see all of the supplies each man had to carry on his own. They were also taught the significance of the Bedford Boys, why the memorial is in Virginia and heard the names of all of the local boys who didn't return to their families after that battle.
The tour outside was beautiful. We were surrounded by busts and statues of the important leaders of that day, a mosaic map with time stamps as to the top secret mission, and a solemn beach scene complete with the sound of waves in the background. Children learned that the cement on the beach at the memorial contains actual sand from the beaches of Normandy, France.
It was a great trip that helped our kids learn even more about WWII and the part that Virginia played on D-Day.