06/01/2026
As we approach this country’s 250th birthday, we can reflect on the numerous events that have made our nation what it is today. We commemorate these kinds of events by separating certain days and places in remembrance. For example, in December 2023, Bedford was recognized as Virginia’s only World War II Heritage City, a distinction that honors the extraordinary sacrifices of this small community. During the war, men from Bedford served in every branch of the military and fought in many of its most significant battles. On D-Day, soldiers from the 116th Regiment, 29th Division — remembered as the Bedford Boys — stormed Omaha Beach, where the town suffered one of the highest per capita losses of any community in the United States. Twenty men from Bedford were killed on that day, and a total of 110 lost their lives over the 20course of the war.
Today, Bedford is one of just thirty-eight World War II Heritage Cities in the nation and continues to preserve its history through sites such as Centertown Plaza, Liberty Station, and the County Courthouse. It is also home to the National D-Day Memorial, one of the most striking and meaningful memorials on the East Coast, ensuring that the legacy of sacrifice and service endures for generations to come.
