Ray Nance, last surviving member of the ‘Bedford Boys,‘ dies at 94

[underpants]

Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch

The storied journey of the "Bedford Boys" came to an end with the death of the group's last surviving member, Ray Nance, on Sunday.

Nance, 94, was among the 35 young men from Bedford who stormed Omaha Beach in Normandy on June 6, 1944.

Of those 35 Bedford Boys to land on the Nazi-held beaches at the start of the D-Day invasion, 19 died in the first wave, and two died a short time later.

Nance was a lieutenant with Company A, 116th Infantry, 29th Division, which was at its core a Virginia National Guard unit from the town of Bedford. He became the oldest surviving member when Roy O. Stevens died on New Year's Day 2007.

Read more: http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/BEDF21_20090420-222806/261082/

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Nance said in a 2007 interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch that his failing memory no longer replayed the images while he slept.

Until a few years ago, he said, he would wake up thinking about the events and asking himself what he might have done differently to save some of his men.

[pleah]

1. K&R

:patriot:

[No Elephants]

2. War: Even the survivors get a lifetime of torture. Rest well, at last, Mr. Nance. You've

certainly earned it.

Recommended.

[VaYallaDawg]

3. RIP Mr. Nance

Recommended. The Bedford "Boys" were true heroes - today it seems almost derisive to refer to them as boys - they were giant men in every sense of the word.

If you haven't visited the WWII memorial in Bedford, please put it on your list of must-see places. It will definitely stir some emotions you didn't know you had.

[underpants]

8. I've never been

we pass Bedford all the time on the way to Roanoke. We need to go.

My folks went and my step-father (wasn't in WWII but was a Marine) said it was "stirring" which is quite a statement from a guy who just simply doesn't show emotion. My mom said it made her cry.

[boomerbust]

4. Good stuff- RIP Ray

My sister in law's father was a tail gunner - B17? who just had a book published about his life. They are dieing at a rate of thousands per day.

[underpants]

7. Yeah

they ran out of buglers to play taps a few years ago and started sending a recruiter with a boombox to funerals

I think some musicians in certain areas stepped up to go do the appropriate honors. I haven't heard much about it since then.

Yeah about a 1,000 a day.

[Pholus]

5. The world is a lesser place because of it....

Those of us that didn't see the horror are probably doomed to repeat it. It's so strange to think about the small town where I grew up where the WWII generation ran things. It was a great place, everyone was pretty content with the exception of the usual squabbling and petty intrigues that were bound to occur. I have to wonder if it was because that generation just wanted life to be good after paying so much so young.

It changed as they started to retire though. It almost seemed like Pottersville moved in with a younger generation in charge. Large companies bought out the kids who inherited the farms, the local stores closed down because of centralization and my generation migrated to the city. It's actually a bit depressing to go back these days -- doesn't feel like "home" anymore. Especially since my Dad (a WW II vet) passed a few years back.

Life moves on. We owe a lot to those people.

[Crabby Appleton]

6. R.I.P. Lt. Nance

[Vidar]

9. RIP Ray,

[RedCloud]

10. Lt. Nance, I salute you!

:patriot:

[friendly_iconoclast]

11. Godspeed, Ray

I think people are only now realizing what the WWII generation have done because there were so very many of
them we sort of took them for granted...