D-Day 80th Anniversary Concert Hosted by the Trust at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial
THE 80th Anniversary OF D-DAY | EVENING COMMEMORATIVE Concert Hosted by the Trust at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial
On June 6, 2024, the Trust for the National Mall hosted a commemorative concert at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial marking the 80th anniversary of the World War II D-Day operation. Audience members, families and groups picnicking on the lawn joined us for remarks from a Purple Heart veteran and a performance by a quintet from the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” during the golden hours of sunset.
Guests were welcomed to the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial by Volunteers-in-Parks, who guided visitors through tours of the memorial, sharing more about the symbolism behind various design elements. In one section of the memorial, General Eisenhower can be seen addressing the paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division – the first men to land on the Normandy Coast on D-Day.
Trust President and CEO Catherine Townsend delivered welcome remarks and introduced First Lieutenant Andrew Kinard, United States Marine Corps, retired. Lt. Kinard, who joined us thanks to our partners at the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, shared stirring remarks that reminded the audience of President Eisenhower’s impact and leadership on D-Day and the meaning and legacy of service to our nation.
The U.S. Army Band began its moving concert, which included John Williams’ “March of Resistance” and Samuel Ward’s “America the Beautiful”. Their captivating performance engaged the crowd, ranging from young kids learning about D-Day for the first time to those knowledgeable about the details of that fateful day in world history.
The Trust raises funds to support and expand educational and volunteer programming at the memorial and to grow the Dwight D. Eisenhower preservation fund. We work to activate and elevate sites across the National Mall to help the public connect more deeply to our nation’s history and the meaning behind this iconic American commemorative space. The Trust is working in partnership with the National Park Service to expand our award-winning volunteer program at the Eisenhower Memorial and at sites across the National Mall. The Trust for the National Mall is grateful to all who support and follow our work to restore, preserve and enrich America’s Front Yard for generations to come.
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Photos by Trust for the National Mall
