Bedford in Bedford County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

In Homage

— National D-Day Memorial —

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

1. In Homage Marker

Inscription.

In Homage. . , “Bedford Boys” from Company A, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Division killed in action on D-Day, 6 June 1944. , Leslie C. Abbott, Jr. . Wallace R. Carter . John D. Clifton . Frank P. Draper . Tayler N. Fellers . Nick N. Gillaspie . Bedford T. Hoback . Raymond S. Hoback . Clifton G. Lee . Earl L. Parker . Jack G. Powers . John F. Reynolds . Weldon A. Rosazza . John B. Schenk . Ray O. Steven’s . Gordon H. White . John L. Wilkes . Elmere P. White . Grant Yopp . Benjamin R. Hubbard (Company F), Other "Bedford Boys" from Company A who landed on D-Day included: (Denotes they were wounded in action on 6 June). , Elisha Ray Nance . Robert L. Goode . Robert B. Marsico . Glenwood E. Overstreet . Anthony M. Thurman . Frank William Bush . James L. Lancaster . James W. Watson , , “Bedford Boys” on board a landing craft that sank on the way to the beaches. These men from Company A would land days later. , Roy O. Stevens (Wounded In Action) . Robert D. Edwards .;Charles W. Fixer (KIA 11 July 1944) . Henry Clyde Powers . Harold E. Wilkes , , Other Company A men who landed shortly after D-Day. , Cedric C. Broughman . George E. Crouch . James H. Crouch . Carl E. Danner . Jack W. Mitchell . Earl R. Newcomb , , “Bedford Boys” killed in action in the Normandy Campaign shortly after D-Day (through August of 1944). , Oscar C. Lindsay . Oscar L. Holland . George C. Wickham . Houston G. Anthony . Edward W. Martin . John W. Dean . Thomas E. Cofer . Clyde H. Anderson . William G. Mariels . Joseph E. Parker, Jr. , , Other "Bedford Boys" who served with Company A or who were involved in the Normandy Campaign. , Boyd E. Wilson . William Overstreet . Kenneth Dooley . Andrew J. Coleman . William A. Yowell . Allen M. Huddleston . Joseph S. Danner . Pride Wingfield , , Highlighting the story of Bedford's loss is a powerful reminder of sacrifice, particularly those on the homefront. Families said goodbye to loved ones not knowing if they would return, and often those who did were never the same. Many family members were never the same either. When Mrs. John Hoback of Bedford, a woman of grit and character, lost both of her sons on D-Day, she carried on, but she did so with a large piece of herself missing. Many years later when she was on the brink of death and lay in her bed (tired and incoherent after a series of strokes), she asked over and over again, "Where are my boys?" When death closed her eyes for the last time, she finally found them. , , In honor of Blue Star families who sacrificed for freedom and in tribute to Gold Star families who have loved and lost. We will remember them.

“Bedford Boys” from Company A, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Division killed in action on D-Day, 6 June 1944.
Leslie C. Abbott, Jr. • Wallace R. Carter • John D. Clifton • Frank P. Draper • Tayler N. Fellers • Nick N. Gillaspie • Bedford T. Hoback • Raymond S. Hoback • Clifton G. Lee • Earl L. Parker • Jack G. Powers • John F. Reynolds • Weldon A. Rosazza • John B. Schenk • Ray O. Steven’s • Gordon H. White • John L. Wilkes • Elmere P. White • Grant Yopp • Benjamin R. Hubbard (Company F)

Other "Bedford Boys" from Company A who landed on D-Day included: (*Denotes they were wounded in action on 6 June).
Elisha Ray Nance * • Robert L. Goode * • Robert B. Marsico * • Glenwood E. Overstreet * • Anthony M. Thurman * • Frank William Bush • James L. Lancaster • James W. Watson

“Bedford Boys” on board a landing craft that sank on the way to the beaches. These men from Company A would land days later.
Roy O. Stevens (Wounded In Action) • Robert D. Edwards •;Charles W. Fixer (KIA 11 July 1944) • Henry Clyde Powers • Harold E. Wilkes

Other Company A men who landed shortly after D-Day.
Cedric C. Broughman • George

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E. Crouch • James H. Crouch • Carl E. Danner • Jack W. Mitchell • Earl R. Newcomb

“Bedford Boys” killed in action in the Normandy Campaign shortly after D-Day (through August of 1944).
Oscar C. Lindsay • Oscar L. Holland • George C. Wickham • Houston G. Anthony • Edward W. Martin • John W. Dean • Thomas E. Cofer • Clyde H. Anderson • William G. Mariels • Joseph E. Parker, Jr.

Other "Bedford Boys" who served with Company A or who were involved in the Normandy Campaign.
Boyd E. Wilson • William Overstreet • Kenneth Dooley • Andrew J. Coleman • William A. Yowell • Allen M. Huddleston • Joseph S. Danner • Pride Wingfield

Highlighting the story of Bedford's loss is a powerful reminder of sacrifice, particularly those on the homefront. Families said goodbye to loved ones not knowing if they would return, and often those who did were never the same. Many family members were never the same either. When Mrs. John Hoback of Bedford, a woman of grit and character, lost both of her sons on D-Day, she carried on, but she did so with a large piece of herself missing. Many years later when she was on the brink of death and lay in

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

2. In Homage Marker

her bed (tired and incoherent after a series of strokes), she asked over and over again, "Where are my boys?" When death closed her eyes for the last time, she finally found them.

In honor of Blue Star families who sacrificed for freedom and in tribute to Gold Star families who have loved and lost. We will remember them.

Erected by National D-Day Memorial.

Topics. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World II.

Location. 37° 19.844′ N, 79° 32.19′ W. Memorial is in Bedford, Virginia, in Bedford County. It can be reached from Overlord Circle 0.4 miles west of Burks Hill Road, on the right when traveling south. The marker is located on the grounds of the National D-Day Memorial. Touch for map. Memorial is at or near this postal address: 3 Overlord Circle, Bedford VA 24523, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this memorial is in Southwest Virginia.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Operation Overlord image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

3. Operation Overlord

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Bedford Boys (here, next to this marker); Ordre National de la Légion d'honneur (French National Order of the Legion of Honor) (here, next to this marker); Blue Star Family Memorial Garden (here, next to this marker); 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division (within shouting distance of this marker); 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division (within shouting distance of this marker); 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division (within shouting distance of this marker); 115th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division (within shouting distance of this marker); 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bedford.

Also see . . .
1. Omaha Beach and the Bedford Boys. (Submitted on September 8, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)
2. National D-Day Memorial.

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Encyclopedia Virginia website entry (Submitted on September 8, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 20, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 8, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 331 times since then and 80 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 8, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.