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[caption id="attachment_33872" align="alignleft" width="214"] Robert M. Edsel #1 NYT bestselling author[/caption] Join us for our Distinguished Speakers Series lecture with Robert M. Edsel—the #1 New York Times bestselling author of four non-fiction books including Rescuing da Vinci, Saving Italy, and The Monuments Men, which served as the basis for Academy Award recipient George Clooney’s 2014 film—sharing his highly anticipated, newly released book, Remember Us: American Sacrifice, Dutch Freedom, and a Forever Promise Forged in World War II. About Remember Us Remember Us begins in the pre-dawn hours of Hitler’s invasion of Western Europe on May 10, 1940, when his forces rolled into the small province of Limburg in...

April 9th, 2025

[caption id="attachment_33608" align="alignright" width="241"] Stephen Rusiecki[/caption] Arguably no day since Pearl Harbor was as newsworthy as June 6, 1944—D-Day. Long anticipated by the American public, how the news of the invasion was covered by a cooperative news media shaped, says historian Stephen M. Rusiecki, how we still view the event 80 years later. Rusiecki will sign copies of his book, Invasion On: D-Day, the Press, and the Making of an American Narrative, following this in-person lecture. https://youtube.com/live/xAxXJLGkCC4?feature=share...

October 14th, 2024

[caption id="attachment_30688" align="alignright" width="200"] Mari K. Eder[/caption] Major General Mari K. Eder will share stories of ordinary women who did extraordinary things during World War II as pilots, spies, scientists, and ground-breaking innovators. Their absorbing stories are told in her book The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line: Untold Stories of the Women Who Changed the Course of World War II. April Cheek-Messier, National D-Day Memorial Foundation President & CEO, will join Eder for this Women's History Month event. A book signing will follow this in-person lecture. Purchase book in our online store. https://youtube.com/live/9LW00ww2SA8?feature=share...

October 14th, 2024

[caption id="attachment_33612" align="alignright" width="244"] Gina M. DiNicolo[/caption] The first African American armored unit to see combat in WWII, the 761st Tank Battalion made history and contributed mightily to victory in WWII. Praised by no less than George Patton, the 761st is also known for its most famous soldier: future star and baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson. Gina DiNicolo, author of The Black Panthers: A Story of Race, War, and Courage, will separate fact from legend in this fascinating virtual talk. While this is a virtual event, guests are invited to watch live in the Memorial's Fleda A. Ring Education Quonset Hut. https://youtube.com/live/pcA7bfCHDNE?feature=share...

October 14th, 2024

As part of our mission to educate, inform, and pay tribute, the National D-Day Memorial is pleased to debut the Distinguished Speaker Series in 2024. This occasional series presents fascinating evening lectures by leading experts on the Second World War, discussing untold aspects of history in challenging ways. The Distinguished Speakers Series appeals to the diehard WWII buff and the novice alike, always illuminating the greatest conflict in human history, which continues to shape our present in profound ways. Join us for the inaugural Distinguished Speaker Series lecture with Frank A. Blazich Jr., PhD—Curator of Military History, Division of Military and Society,...

August 15th, 2024

Benjamin Brands, historian for the American Battle Monuments Commission, will give a presentation on the ABMC’s design and construction of the fourteen overseas World War II cemeteries, with a special focus on the use of art, architecture, and horticulture to create sacred sites of remembrance and honor. In addition to the cemeteries’ creation, he will discuss the evolving ways ABMC has kept alive the memory of heroes for 100 years as we approach the 80th anniversary of D-Day. In addition to his work with the ABMC, Brands is a PhD candidate at George Mason University. He previously served as an infantry...

August 3rd, 2023

In the spring and summer of 1944, the U.S. Coast Guard was stretched to its limits, supporting multiple aspects of D-Day operations. Little remembered today, the Coast Guard manned U.S. Navy transport ships, provided rescue services for the entire Normandy area, and operated different types of landing craft for U.S. forces. Coast Guard forces even accepted the surrender of a key fort guarding the deep-water French port of Cherbourg. Learn more in this fascinating discussion with Dick At Lee, a veteran of the USCG. Commander Dick At Lee, USCG (Retired) spent 27 years in the U.S. Coast Guard, rising through 11...

August 3rd, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ykz9f695dQA With more than 13,000 records in its collection database, the National D-Day Memorial has one of the best archives of WWII artifacts, photos, and documents in the United States. Explore the Memorial's collection, how it developed, the plans for these treasures, and get a first look at recently donated items. April Cheek-Messier, President, and John Long, Director of Education, will lead this special show and tell session.  ...

June 29th, 2023