We are still reeling from the overall experience. We especially enjoyed having the opportunity to interact with the veterans. Stories need to be forever told lest we forget what was done for us, and at what price. The banquet was the icing on the cake.” —Jeff R.

Give Back to the Men that Gave All

We are honoring WWII veterans with a special evening of food, song and fellowship June 6 at the WWII museum in New Orleans. Your tax-deductible donation will allow veterans like Herb Griffin, who stormed Utah Beach on June 6, 1944, and his brother Ed, an Army engineer, to attend. Time is running out to thank these men as the Department of Veterans Affairs estimates 640 WWII veterans die each day. Join us if you can—donate generously to make it happen. LandmarkEvents.org/Support

Event Summary

“L”andmark Events invites you to join us as we explore the providential aspects of WWII, the War of 1812 and the Civil War. We will experience the magnificent WWII Museum in New Orleans, walk the storied battlefield of Chalmette Plantation, peruse the best Civil War Museum in the country, Confederate Memorial Hall, and glean valuable life lessons from the heroes and heroines buried in Metairie Cemetery. We will finish in style as we host a private banquet featuring WWII veterans inside the fabulous WWII Museum including our special guests, WWII veterans Herb and Ed Griffin. It will be an unforgettable history weekend!


Special Guest Herb Griffin, Utah Beach Veteran


Face-to-face interaction with WWII heroes!

Our “D-Day” Great Battles Tour will feature the magnificent D-Day Museum where we will meet veterans, enjoy the state-of-the-art interactive displays, and view the live footage from the war. This incredible system of museums also features Beyond All Boundaries, a 4D journey through the war that changed the world and  Final Mission: USS Tang Submarine Experience  that places visitors aboard the most successful submarine in World War II for its fifth and final war patrol on October 25, 1944.


The world-class WWII Museum in New Orleans


Private Veterans Banquet at the Stage Door Canteen

We will visit the Chalmette Battlefield where General Andrew Jackson’s army faced the best England had to offer and whipped them full sore. Almost the whole battlefield is preserved and we will walk it from one end to the other with battlefield historian Bill Potter. Our visit to the Metairie Cemetery will include compelling stories at the gravesides of Generals and Preachers, where we see the providence of God in the lives of these individuals and our nation. Join us as we learn and fellowship and praise to God for all his mighty acts; you won’t be the same at the end.


The Beautiful Grounds of Chalmette Plantation


Metairie Cemetery

The presence of the WWII veterans was the highlight of this tour. My sons will remember their time visiting with Mr. Griffin for the rest of their lives—and so will I. This tour afforded us the chance to spend time with—not just meet—real heroes. Landmark Events put together a terrific package that we will remember forever.

Ticket Pricing
(Choose Full Tour or Á la Carte Options)

Full Tour Includes

  • Face-to-face fellowship with WWII veterans at private Tribute Banquet
  • Exclusive Access to Confederate Memorial Hall
  • Walking Tour of Chalmette Plantation and Battlefield*
  • Notable burials in Historic Metairie Cemetery
  • Pass to WWII Museum and Beyond all Boundaries 4-D experience in New Orleans
  • Electronic headset receiver for ease of hearing guides
  • Rich fellowship with other brothers and sisters in Christ

Full Tour Tickets
(Chalmette*, Metairie, 2 Museums,  Banquet)

Adults (13+):$169
Youth (6-12):$119
Child (0-5):FREE

Veterans Banquet Only
(Private Veterans Banquet, June 6)

Adults (13+):$69
Youth (6-12):$50
* Chalmette Battlefield included in tour at no charge. Landmark Events’ policy is to only charge fees imposed by the National Park Service when touring NPS sites.

Tour Highlights

Chalmette Plantation — War of 1812

After a short drive from Mobile to New Orleans, we will visit two premier historical sites that should be on everyone’s bucket list, more than once. In 1812, the United States were on the verge of losing a war to Great Britain. In a final attempt to wrest the Mississippi from our grasp, a veteran army, fresh from defeating Napoleon Bonaparte, was sent to capture New Orleans. President Madison sent General Andrew Jackson, already both victorious and notorious to stop them. In one of the most decisive engagements in American history, Jackson met the British army at Chalmette Plantation outside of the city and routed them in what some thought to be a miraculous accomplishment. We will walk the battlefield, tell the amazing stories, and wonder too at how such a small and diverse army could have defeated one of the most powerful forces on the planet.

Metairie Cemetery

We will also pay our respects to some of the great men of the past who are buried in Metairie Cemetery; men such as Confederate Generals John Bell Hood and Pierre Gustav Toutant Beauregard and the Army of Tennessee and Army of Northern Virginia memorials. Metairie is also the not so final resting place of Pastor Benjamin Morgan Palmer, one of the most remarkable and effective preachers of the Gospel in the 19th Century. We will meet at the gravesites and tell stories of daring, failure and faithfulness.

Confederate Memorial Hall

Confederate Memorial Hall opened its doors in New Orleans on January 8, 1891, and since that time has been commemorating the military history and heritage of the South. The museum is the oldest in Louisiana and houses one of the largest collections of Confederate memorabilia in the United States. Displays include Civil War firearms and edged weapons, authentic uniforms, extensive personal items and actual battle flags. This private museum is the best of it’s kind in our opinion.

D-Day Museum

New Orleans is home to the world-renowned D-Day Museum, founded through the inspiration of WWII historian Stephen Ambrose. One of the greatest soul-stirring and significant battles of that war — or any war — was the Allied attack on 6 June, 1944 on the beaches of the Normandy coast of France. “The Mighty Endeavor” by hundreds of thousands of American, British, and Canadian troops in airborne attacks, naval bombardment, and bold-faced infantry assaults combined to initiate the drive through France and Belgium to liberate Europe from the domination of Adolph Hitler’s Germany. The multi-building, state-of-the-art, interactive museum presents D-Day and WWII in one powerful and unforgettable experience. We will offer a full day and a half of experiencing the museum, the D-Day Veterans, and expert interpreters on the very anniversary of Operation Overlord, the Allied counter-invasion of France.

D-Day Tribute Banquet

We will end our D-Day experience with a private banquet held in the Stage Door Canteen at the D-Day Museum.

Following an exclusive movie screening for our group, we will dine with our friends and hear testimonies from our honored WWII Veterans as they recount their adventures and the lessons learned over 70 years ago. This is a golden opportunity to connect with a generation from a remarkable time in history.

Our themes that underlie this tour will include the high cost of defending liberty, the fallibility of man and the sovereignty of God, the importance of duty well-performed, burdens of leadership, role of communications and secrets in war, and the importance of remembering and commemorating the men and events of the past.

Event Speakers

Bill Potter

An experienced historian and avid bibliophile, Bill Potter combines a lifelong study of American history with an uncommon ability to captivate audiences of all ages as he traces the providential acts of God throughout the ages. Mr. Potter has taught history in high schools and colleges, has led many tours of American and European historical sites and brings to each event a wealth of experience and knowledge. An experienced researcher and writer, Mr. Potter possesses a practical knowledge of antiquarian books, documents, and artifacts and has published several short books and has penned many articles and book reviews for publication. Bill has earned a well-deserved reputation as a man gifted in communicating the story of God’s providential hand in American history. As a father of eight children, he appreciates the necessity of passing on to the succeeding generations the richness of both our regional and national history. He and his wife, Leslie, reside in Virginia.

Historian Bill Potter

Herb Griffin

WWII veteran Herb Griffin is one of many brave American men who stormed Utah Beach on June 6, 1944. The most grateful and cheerful of men, he is always giving thanks to God for preserving him on that fateful day. Wounded at Saint-Lô in Normandy the following month, he spent his 19th birthday and many subsequent months in hospitals. Today, Mr. Griffin lives in Jacksonville, Florida, serving the Lord by giving selflessly of his time and optimism to all those around him.

Herb Griffin

Event Schedule

Tuesday, June 5

9:00am

    Chalmette Battlefield
(8606 W St Bernard Hwy, Chalmette, LA 70043)
        11.2 miles ≈ 25 mins.

1:00pm

    Confederate Memorial Hall
929 Camp Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
        5.0 miles ≈ 12 mins.

3:00pm

    Metairie Cemetery
5100 Pontchartrain Blvd New Orleans, LA 70124
Wednesday, June 6

9:00am

    WWII Museum – testimony by  WWII Veterans Herb and Ed Griffin  (meet in lobby)

10:00am

    ‘Beyond All Boundaries’ 4D Journey through the War

 

    On own for lunch and to explore museum and enjoy special exhibits and activities

5:15pm

    Private Veterans Celebration Dinner at the Stage Door Canteen in the WWII Museum

Accommodations

Spring Hill Suites

We have reserved rooms with two queen beds and a sofa bed at the Spring Hill Suites , for June 4-6.  The group rate was much higher than what we could get individually so we booked several personally at the average nightly rate of $126 for the three nights. If you stay just Monday and Tuesday the rate is $89 per night. If you would like one of these rooms, send Kevin Turley an email at info@landmarkevents.org.

Study Preparation

Key People

Admiral Chester Nimitz
Generals Beauregard and Hood
General Benjamin Butler
Rev. Benjamin Morgan Palmer
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Omar Bradley
Bernard Montgomery
George Patton
Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
Erwin Rommel
Douglas McArthur
Andrew Jackson
Pierre LaFitte
Edward Pakenham
Alexander Cochran

Key Events

Battles in the Marianas
Gilberts
Philippine Sea
Capture of New Orleans (1862)
Preaching in the Confederate armies
Preparations for D-Day
D-Day
Airborne drops
Battle of LaFiere Bridge
The Great Typhoon
Battle of New Orleans (1815)

Key Issues

Causes and Accountability for WWII
The Nature of Warfare in the Modern World
Even the Best Men are Sinful
Just War
What Did the Confederacy Stand For?
Is God at Work in the Midst of War? Providence and Andrew Jackson

Recommended Reading

D-Day, by Stephen Ambrose

Theodore Roosevelt: The Life of a War Hero, by H. Paul Jeffers

Decision in Normandy, by Carlos D’Este

A Short History of WWII, by James Stokesbury

American Lion, by Jon Meachum

Upcoming Events

Cradle of Liberty Tour
Aug 15-20, 2024