The 29th Division Museum honors D-Day anniversary

VERONA, Va. (WHSV) - The 29th Division Museum in Verona, also known as the Stonewall Brigade Museum, honored the 78th anniversary of D-Day this weekend.

Antique vehicles and reenactors were set up outside of the museum to take visitors on a journey back in time.

The 116th infantry division, which is what the museum honors, was one of the “spearhead units” on Omaha Beach on D-Day.

It’s the museum’s mission to keep the stories of World War II alive for the younger generations to learn about.

“The youngest World War II veterans are in their 90s now. They’re not going to be around much longer and you know their stories need to be told. The history of this country and the sacrifices people made to keep this country where it is, those stories need to be told,” Mike Gilkerson, volunteer at the 29th Division Museum said.

D-Day was a product of World War II, but the museum offered artifacts and reenactors from the Civil War, World War II, and the Vietnam War for visitors to understand different time periods in honor of the anniversary.

“The fact that tomorrow is the 78th-anniversary of D-Day,” Gilkerson said. “This stuff needs to be remembered.”

The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission is free and exhibits range in time periods from the Civil War to more modern-day wars.