For Immediate Release: June 2, 2022
Bedford County, Town of Bedford participate in Freedom Rings Global
Bedford, VA—On Monday, June 6, at 6:44pm, the Bedford County Courthouse clock tower bell in the Town of Bedford will chime 20 times to honor those who died during the D-Day invasion in Normandy, France. Churches in the Bedford area are also planning to join in by ringing their bells.
This effort is part of Freedom Rings Global, an event to commemorate the anniversary of D-Day by ringing bells in localities across the world. Freedom Rings Global began in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic halted many in-person D-Day anniversary events.
Bedford experienced one of the largest per capita losses on D-Day. Ringing the bell 20 times represents the local men who died that day; nineteen were from Company A and one was from Company F.
Prior to the ringing of the bells, the Bedford Boys Tribute Center is hosting a wreath-laying event in front of the Bedford County Courthouse at 6:15pm.
Bedford County and the Town of Bedford partnered together create this video about Bedford’s losses on D-Day and Freedom Rings Global. It includes interviews with leaders of the town, county, National D-Day Memorial Foundation and Bedford Boys Tribute Center.