Plaques Help Reduce Debt

"The National D-Day Memorial Foundation has reduced its debt from $3.6 million in June to $3.2 million, partly through memorial plaques that have brought in $5,000 each.  Eighty-four plaques are now up in the Bedford memorial's central plaza.  Forty-four of the 87 plaques are for Americans, and 43 for other Allies."

-- Victor Reklaitis, The Lynchburg News and Advance, October 22, 2003

National D-Day Memorial to Dedicate Memorial Wall

"On Memorial Day, Monday, May 26, at 11 a.m., the National D-Day Memorial will dedicate the first stage of the Memorial Wall, the only wall in the world listing the names of all Allied D-Day fatalities.  The public, particularly D-Day and WWII veterans and their families, are invited to attend.  

"When completed, the Memorial Wall will be composed of some 230 bronze plaques, each bearing the name of 20 servicemen, surrounding the Middle Plaza and Invasion Tableau in the heart of the memorial complex.  The plaques are being donated by individuals, families, businesses, and organizations at a cost of $5,000 each; donors' names will be displayed at the plaza entrances.  Approximaely 60 plaques have been donated thus far and will be dedicated at this spring's ceremony.

"The Wall Dedication is the cap-stone of the site's weekend-long Memorial Day commemoration.  The observances begin with an evening outdoor concert by the Jefferson Choral Society on Saurday, May 24.  The 100 member choir will present a program of patriotic and period songs beneath the fully-illuminated Memorial, which will remain open to the public until 10 p.m. for night-time viewing.  Sunday's activities include walking and riding tours of the memorial, and an opportunity for students visiting the site to earn a D-Day memorial souvenir by participating in the Virginia Association of Museum's Time
Travelers Program.  The weekend culminates with Monday's dedication of the Memorial  Wall. A representative from the Library of Congress will also be on hand that day to share information about the Veterans History Project, a new initiative by the American Folklife Center aimed at gathering veterans' histories from across the nation.....

"There is no fee to attend the Memorial Wall Dedication; however, reserved seats for the program are avaialable in the first front rows of the plaza for $5 per person.  Seating reservations must be made by contacting the foundaton offices at 1-800-351-DDAY.

"Limited reserved seating is available.  Visitors who do not wish to purchase a seat in advance may bring their own chairs or stand during the ceremony.  To learn more about the National D-Day Memorial and Wall Dedication, visit www.dday.org, or call 1-800-351-3329."

-- The Bedford Bulletin, May 7, 2003

D-Day Foundation Files...Plan for Reorganization

"Foundation attorney Richard Maxwell filed the disclosure statement and plan for reorganization on Tuesday. A trustee for the U.S. Western District Bankruptcy Court in Lycnbhrug is expected to conditionally approve the plan, and there will be a formal confirmation hearing on May 22 at 11 a.m. ...

"Maxwell wrote in the disclosure statement that the foundation expects to pay its attorneys somewhere close to $55,000 for their services.

"Under the terms of the plan, the foundation will pay the last dollar of its debt within five years.  D-Day foundation president William McIntosh has said that he hopes to raise the money in as little as a year and a half.

"McIntosh expects to raise $700,000 from an ongoing project to hang bronze plaques with the names of American and Allied soldiers who fought and died on D-Day, and an additioanl $5 million through captial campaigns.  The bronze plaques cost $5,000 each to underwrite and will be dedicated on Memorial Day weekend.

"Court documents indicate that the memorial's annual operating expenses average around $1.6 million, and that the foundation is able to pay that amount with money it recives from site visitation, gift shop revenue, annual giving, grant programs and direct mail solicitation...."

-- Caroline Wallinger of The Lynchburg News and Advance, April 16, 2003

Like the Vietnam Memorial Wall

“Carole Tuckwiller, director of research and archives, said she has confirmed more than 3,700 names and expects to have a total of about 4,400. The names will be inscribed on bronze plaques that will line the circular walls of the central plaza just beyond the pool at the memorial.

“The project will not only pay for itself but also is an incentive to raise extra money that wil be used to help pay down the foundation’s debt. If all the plaques are sponsored by donors, the total raised would be $1.16 million.

“Half of the plaques will be placed on the west wall and list the American
soldiers, the other half will be on the east wall and list the names of soldiers from the other 11 Allied countries.

“Don Slusher, a memorial visitor, is looking forward to seeing the names.
‘I think it will be like another Vietnam Wall,’ he said.”

-- Marcia Apperson, The News and Advance, May 2, 2002
 
 

“A contribution of $5,000 will underwrite the purchase, inscription, and mounting of one of 232 bronze plaques on the interior walls of the Memorial’s central plaza...The Foundation will dedicate the ...plaques during a public Memorial Day program in May 2003. The names of the United States’ losses will appear on the west wall of the central plaza, the Allies’ losses on the east. In the spirit of Dwight Eisenhower’s one-team command philosophy for the Allied Expeditionary Force, no other distinctions will be made. Information stations will be located at either end of the two walls to give visitors an alphabetical list of D-Day losses by name, nationality, unit, and plaque number. Beyond the walls outside the central plaza, two symmetrically placed bronze tablets will list the donors of the individual plaques and , if requested, the name of any person, unit, or force in whose honor the donations were made. The desire of donors wishing to remain anonymous will be honored as well.

“The plaques themselves do not cost $5,000. The difference between their actual cost and the total collected ... will be applied toward work on the Memorial that has already been completed....”

-- Excerpt from a letter from NDMF president, Dr. William A. McIntosh, Spring 2002
 

"The Memorial continues to raise money through its underwriting program for the bronze plaques, which cost $5,000 to underwrite.  Beyond (Clif) Coleman's donation (of $10,000), McIntosh said the money recently raised by the Marine Corps League has paid for two plaques so far and that Moose Lodges across the state have contributed $40,000 for 8 plaques.  The foundation has ordered a total of 50 plaques so far and will dedicate them this Memorial Day."

-- Caroline Wallinger of The Lynchburg News and Advance, March 7, 2003