“Humility must always be the portion of any man who receives acclaim earned in blood of his followers and sacrifices of his friends.”

General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Guildhall Address, June 12, 1945

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General Dwight D. Eisenhower said these words just one year after D-Day, June 6, 1944 – the event that turned the tide for the Allied Forces in World War II – during a stop in London, England, on his victory tour through Europe and the United States. He had witnessed the horrors of the most deadly conflict in human history and knew the reality of what victory meant for so many soldiers who never returned home.

Each year, the Eisenhower Foundation joins people throughout the world in commemorating D-Day and on this 79th anniversary, we are excited to share that Ike’s Soldiers: A Virtual World War II Honor Roll for the Greatest Generation continues to grow by adding new soldier profiles. This year, we are starting the Hometown Heroes Project, as a way for people in their own communities to honor and identify local World War II veterans. The Ike's Soldiers database preserves this history and makes it availale to future generations.

To further this effort, a loyal Kansas donor has extended a matching gift opportunity. If we can raise $5,000 by the end of June, they will match every donation, dollar-for-dollar!

As a loyal Friend of the Eisenhower Foundation, will you make a tax-deductible gift by the end of June to help us continue adding personal accounts of World War II heroes to Ike’s Soldiers?

As you can imagine, this is an important project for our organization. In fact, the Eisenhower Foundation’s original purpose was to honor all World War II soldiers. 

Through fulfilling the mission of Ike’s Soldiers — to honor General Eisenhower’s legacy through the compelling stories of the soldiers he led and share them with the world — we continue to hold true to our founding principles that General Eisenhower himself established.

As fewer and fewer World War II veterans remain, we must accelerate our efforts. And that is why a gift from you before the end of June is so important.

General Eisenhower believed in his troops like the Eisenhower Foundation believes in our Friends and Americans across this great nation. We hope that you share our commitment to honoring the legacy of General Dwight D. Eisenhower and all soldiers from World War II and you will make a gift on this 79th anniversary of D-Day — the invasion that ultimately secured freedom throughout the world.

In addition to our efforts to honor World War II veterans online, we are planning a special event on June 3rd, in conjunction with Symphony at Sunset, the annual D-Day commemoration concert on the campus of the Eisenhower Presidential Library. We already have four World War II veterans planning on attending. Your contribution will help us honor and recognize our veterans as part of this event.

Any amount is greatly appreciated. Your gift of $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000, or whatever you can afford, will be put to immediate use as we continue adding to Ike’s Soldiers. Your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar, thanks to a loyal Kansas donor.

Thank you so much for joining us in this important and historic cause. With your help, we will preserve the legacy of Dwight D. Eisenhower and the soldiers he led; true American heroes.