ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, November 9, 1996 TAG: 9611110028
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOANNE POINDEXTER
Help for the National D-Day Memorial planned in Bedford County keeps coming.
Not only has Congress designated Bedford as the site of the national memorial, but a noted D-Day historian and author also has agreed to help raise funds.
Stephen Ambrose, author of "D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II," said he is going to help raise the $8million needed for the museum.
Ambrose said that as honorary chairman for the memorial foundation's advisory board, he will be making appearances on behalf of the museum.
Former President Dwight Eisenhower picked Ambrose as his official biographer. Ambrose, now a professor at the University of Wisconsin, also was instrumental in establishing the Eisenhower Center in New Orleans and served as its director.
Richard Burrow, executive director of the National D-Day Memorial Foundation, said Ambrose "brings a wealth of expertise and knowledge to our campaign."
Burrow also praised U.S. Sen. John Warner, R-Va., for guiding the 1997 Defense Authorization Bill through Congress. The bill, signed into law Sept.23, officially designates the Bedford memorial as the national one. Bedford lost more men per capita than any other U.S. community on D-Day.
The museum, expected to open in June 1999, will be built at Virginia 122 and U.S. 460 Bypass in Bedford.
LENGTH: Short : 37 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Ambroseby CNB