European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 6, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse The telegrams game the news hashed around the world within minutes of the Allied Landing in Normandy. But the personal Impact of a Day came nearly a month later to hundreds of towns and cities throughout America. The hardest hit town in the United states was Bedford va., where nearly two dozen Young men were killed in a few Quot minutes on Omaha Beach. Staff writer Cindy. Killion visited Bedford earlier this year. By Cindy Killion Washington Bureau Bedford a. A the first Telegram came Early july 16,1944. A the Secretary of War desires to express his deep regrets it began. Today no one remembers who was listed in that message. It could have been Elmer Wright Jack Powers Earl Parker or John Reynolds. They just know that the teletype spewed the same message Over and Over again. And memories conflict on How Many telegrams came that Day some say nine some 16, others 19. But All agree on the final count. By the end of the week the citizens of Bedford va., faced this reality 23 men from their Community were dead on Omaha Beach. Twenty three from a town with a population of 2,000. Twenty three men under the age of 30, a virtual generation for this farming Community tucked in the shadows of the Southern Virginia Blue Ridge mountains. Disbelief and Shock is How Mary Dean remembers it. A i was Home from College that summer working at the rations Board a she said. A was a whole the town was stunned numb really. I think people just comprehend that it had really ? a the town had been tense for weeks following the Normandy invasion. The citizens knew that their a Bedford boys were National guardsmen assigned to co a 116th inf regt a a unit that radio reports said was in the thick of the fighting. But no one dreamed that co a had been the first to assault Omaha Beach or that most of its soldiers had been mowed Down before they even reached the Sands. Telegraph operator Elizabeth Teass was the first to realize the full Impact. She said remembering is still an emotional journey and is one that shed rather not retrace. A i think the first Telegram was a Surprise a she recalled. A but As they kept coming the feelings turned to Shock and then an overwhelming the entire Community was affected she said. A it was a different time then a different lifestyle. We were All connected she explained that the social nerve Center for the Community was greens drug store a Corner building that housed a pharmacy Grill soda Fountain and the Western Union Telegraph office. This is where townsfolk congregated to Swap stories and Chat about the weather. This is where most first heard the news. She said four a very kind conscientious people fanned the county to deliver the telegrams. The four were the sheriff drugstore delivery clerk the a amps a a a a a. A amps Cindy Killion downtown Bedford va., was quiet this Spring. Only taxi Driver and the funeral Home director. A they stayed with the families to offer whatever help they could a Teass said. In All 46 men from Bedford county had shipped out with the 116th, so a we just did no to know who was going to be Lucille Hoback Boggess who had two Brothers killed in the invasion said a the whole town cried together. We All knew each other and a lot of us were related. So if it Wasny to someone in the family it was a a Boggess said later when the Shock wore off people started asking a Why a a there was some anger and a lot of questions a she said. A we wanted to know Why the army would Send a unit into a Battle like that knowing that most of the men were from the same area and yet knowing the casualty she said after the War she talked to a few men who were originally assigned to co a. A but when they found out that company a would be in the first wave they got transferred out of the unit a and that probably saved their Ray Nance one of the few co a survivors last saw his twin brother Roy As each climbed into their respective Landing Craft on june 6. A before we shipped out he told me he did no to think he would make it and he Nance said several months later he was wounded and eventually was sent Home. A i was walking up the Road to our House and mom came out the front door a he recalled a she came Down the Steps to meet it was a bittersweet reunion. A i was Home a he said a but Roy would never be coming up that Road. I could see the pain of it in her eyes.�?�. And he said the town welcomed him Home but something had changed. A we knew the gang be together anymore a Nance said. After Omaha picnics ended Edford a. A the Hoback family picnics stopped after the telegrams came july 16, 1944. Lucille Hoback Boggess was 15 that summer but can still see the sheriff knocking on their door holding the two messages that would Tell John and Macey Robertson Hoback that their oldest child Bedford was dead and another son Raymond was missing on Omaha Beach. A mom did no to want to do anything fun after that a Boggess their younger sister said. A she was just never the same.�?�. Boggess said the family lived across the Road from their country Church. A the telegrams came on a sunday morning. I done to think services were held that Day a All the congregation just came Over to the House. It really affected Bedford t. Hoback who was 30, is remembered As the image of a native Virginia son. Handsome Quick to smile outgoing a people naturally flocked to him. His younger brother Raymond s. Hoback 24, was the opposite quiet studious slow to anger a but he was one to rely on. A we were a close family a Boggess said. A we lived outside of town and there were seven children in All a so we were always picnics were a big thing she said. A when Bedford and Raymond were Able to come Home on weekend passes during their. Training a Boggess said a there was always some kind of family get together. Roy Stevens who survived the a Day invasion Bedford Hoback Raymond Hoback said it was a Carefree time More like a big adventure than training for War. But Bogges said Hermit Herkner it was War. A i could Sec the concern in her face a she remembered a especially when the unit shipped out for England but she never talked about it to us it just Wasny to her Way a and Boggess said her Mother never talked about her kept it All inside a she said. Perhaps it was because Raymond had a Choice not to be in the invasion. A the had been in and out of the Hospital with nosebleeds the whole time they were in England a Boggess said. A the was offered a discharge but said he leave his a few weeks after the telegrams arrived a package came from France. In it was Raymond a Bible. A Soldier Cpl. . Crayton found it after it washed up on the Beach. That a Alf that was found of Raymond Hoback or his possessions. Some men saw Raymond lying wounded in the water but never after that. Cindy Killion june 6, 1994 a stars and stripes commemorative edition 3
