Glenn Youngkin, Jason Miyares and Winsome Sears issued the following joint statement, on this 77th anniversary of the allied landings at Normandy:

“The blood spilled on the beaches of Normandy 77 years ago today was only part of the price of repelling the forces of fascism, saving millions from the clutches of dictatorship, and ending the Holocaust. But the thousands of lives lost that day each represent a future sacrificed and a family irreparably wounded. That is why all these years later, with only a small number of our World War II veterans still present to witness our gratitude, we honor the immeasurable sacrifice made in 1944 by our fellow Americans.

“As Virginians, our reflections turn to the small town nestled between Roanoke and Lynchburg where the wages of war exacted an especially heavy toll. Of the soldiers from Bedford, 19 perished on those awful shores and several more were killed in the days that followed. While heroes from all corners of our Commonwealth served and died in World War II, no community had more men taken from it on D-Day. Together, we mourn every loss, admire their extraordinary courage, and express our eternal thanks.”

On the 40th D-Day anniversary, in 1984, President Ronald Reagan delivered his now-famous words, hailing “the boys of Pointe du Hoc,” many of whom were seated right in front of him. “These are the men who took the cliffs,” Reagan said. “These are the champions who helped free a continent. These are the heroes who helped end a war.”

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