In April Cheek-Messier’s top floor office of the National D-Day Memorial’s headquarters overlooking Bedford’s East Main Street, plenty of World War II photos and memorabilia adorn the walls. Some images especially dear are of veterans Cheek-Messier met over the years who fought, sacrificed and are like family. As uplifting and heartfelt as they are, a stinging bittersweet reality is clear when she glances at them.
People gather at the National D-Day Memorial for a Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 26, 2024. Paige Dingler, The News & Advance “They’re leaving us. It’s hard,” Cheek-Messier, the National D-Day Memorial Foundation’s president, said in a recent interview.
“It was always so wonderful to have them with us.” As the memorial prepares for its large-scale commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Normandy invasion June 6 , Cheek-Messier recalls so many World War II veterans who have come through Bedford’s sacred memorial for close to 23 years. People are also reading.
.. “You get very attached to them and you get to know their stories,” Cheek-Messier said.
“To know that most of them aren’t with us anymore is very, very hard, but at the same time it just makes our jobs more important.” The mission is to make sure they are never forgotten, she said. “These are their stories, and we are responsible now.
” ‘Strong as we’ve ever been’ Bob Slaughter was 19 years old when he took part in one of the largest invasions in history on Ju.