National D-Day Memorial on brink of financial ruin

AP ^ | 06/02/2009 | SUE LINDSEY

[Restore America]

By SUE LINDSEY, Associated Press Writer Sue Lindsey, Associated Press Writer – 39 mins ago BEDFORD, Va. – On the eve of the 65th anniversary of D-Day, the foundation that runs the National D-Day Memorial is on the brink of financial ruin. Donations are down in the poor economy. The primary base of support — World War II veterans — is dying off. And the privately funded memorial is struggling to draw visitors because it's hundreds of miles from a major city. Facing the prospect of cutting staff and hours, the memorial's president believes its only hope for long-term survival is to be taken over by the National Park Service or by a college or university. So far, he's found no takers.

[SunkenCiv]

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	Gods Graves Glyphs	Unusual ping to a WWII topic, but I hope you agree it's for good reason. On the eve of the 65th anniversary of D-Day, the foundation that runs the National D-Day Memorial is on the brink of financial ruin. Donations are down in the poor economy. The primary base of support -- World War II veterans -- is dying off. And the privately funded memorial is struggling to draw visitors because it's hundreds of miles from a major city. Facing the prospect of cutting staff and hours, the memorial's president believes its only hope for long-term survival is to be taken over by the National Park Service or by a college or university. So far, he's found no takers. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
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[americanophile]

You know, I’m all for honoring our D-Day veterans, but how about we honor all those who fought and died in the Pacific theater? It’s always, Europe, Normandy, etc., why never New Guinea or the Solomons? Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Tinian, Truk or Rabaul? Why never the Philippines, Saipan or Okinawa? There is magnificent heroism in the Pacific...but presidents don’t go to these places only every Normandy! It’s time we honored our Pacific veterans with the same dedication.

[rdl6989]

Bttt.

[colorado tanker]

The D-Day celebrations usually mean the anniversary of the Battle of Midway is ignored, the decisive battle in the Pacific IMHO.

[Restore America]

I would be nice if movies like Flags of our Fathers got the press and ground swell that saving private ryan did

[colorado tanker]

I wasn't aware this memorial existed. Googled and it turns out Congress authorized this in the 90's and it opened fairly recently. It's in Bedford, Virginia, the small town that suffered such a high percentage of casualties on D-Day because many of its soldiers were in the Stonewall Brigade that came ashore on the most intense part of Omaha Beach.

It's a nice touch to honor Bedford's sacrifice, but I imagine the location limits the number of visitors.

[Restore America]

my family watches Midway every holiday or at least that is the joke and we attempt to. Sometimes the sounds of propeller engines after turkey puts me to sleep.

[colorado tanker]

Midway is a terrific movie IMHO, some of it shot at the same time as Tora Tora Tora, another goodie. I zap out the cheesy human interest story they inserted, though. :-))

[Restore America]

Actually look up the National Pacific War Musuem in Fredericksburg Texas, which was the hometown to Admiral Nimitz. I’ve been there twice and could go a dozen more times.

[americanophile]

Fredericksburg Texas? That’s my point. It’s like the Patton Museum in Chiriaco Summit, CA...where?!

[Pelham]

“It’s like the Patton Museum in Chiriaco Summit, CA...where?”

Chiriaco Summit is in the Colorado-Mojave Desert where Patton organized and trained his tank corps. You can still see tracks on the desert floor from their maneuvers.

[americanophile]

Yes, I’ve been there.

[PeteB570]

No nice beach for a President to arrange rocks on.

[twigs]

My father was in the Bedford company that lost so many members. However, he was discharged from the army before D-Day because of flat feet of all things. I inherited his problematic feet, but I’ve always viewed them as the reason why I’m here. Who knows why things happen?

[DesScorp]

We’ve got a WWII memorial. We’ve got a National Museum of WWII. Do we need to honor every single battle that was fought? It’s not like we don’t honor our WWII veterans. Come on. Enough is enough. We’re getting memorials for everything now.

[colorado tanker]

Who knows why things happen?

What an interesting story.

I have an aunt-in-law who lost a brother in the submarine service in WWII. I did some research for her on his boat and how it was lost. I have often pondered him. She had a marriage, children, grandchildren, and is still enjoying a long life. But what did he lose in his life that never happened??? In a way that's the question Saving Private Ryan tried to answer.