On the western side of Victoria Gardens, overlooking the Victory Road and Queens Road junction.

A large rectangular block set on a plinth. A plaque is mounted at the center of the monument which is inscribed in English in raised and gold lettering. It is also bordered by 3 etched lines with stars on each corner and etched with two flags on the sides. More than 400,000 troops and nearly 150,000 vehicles were shipped out over 11 months and the plaque on the monument marks the route they took on their way to the embarkation point.

In 1944, Portland and Weymouth Harbours were commissioned as USNAAB Portland-Weymouth as part of preparations for the Normandy landings. The two harbors were major embarkation points for American troops of the US 1st Division destined for "Omaha Beach". After the end of World War II in Europe, Portland's role in the landings was commemorated with a ceremony on 22 August 1945, when American Ambassador John D. Winant unveiled the commemorative stone in Victoria Gardens. He had traveled by plane from London to Warmwell and completed his journey to Portland by car for the event. The stone monument, locally known as the American Stone, features the bronze plaque honoring the Americans who took part. The same day saw Winant unveil a new road sign for the renaming of Cadets Road, running around the edge of the gardens, to Victory Road. The change of name was the idea of the PUDC Councillor Mr. W. J. Baker.

The monument underwent restoration during March-April 2008, following calls made by the Portland Community Partnership for the Portland Cenotaph to be restored. With the work on the cenotaph to be largely funded by Weymouth & Portland Borough Council, the Court Leet agreed to fully fund the D-Day Memorial, allowing both memorials to be restored at the same time.

Source of information: www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk, Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register, www.portlandhistory.co.uk, www.tripadvisor.com

Source of images:www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk

THIS MEMORIAL WAS UNVEILED BY

HIS EXCELLENCY THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR

MR JOHN G WINANT

1944 - 1945

THE MAJOR PART OF THE AMERICAN ASSAULT FORCE WHICH

LANDED ON THE SHORES OF FRANCE ON 'D' DAY, 6 JUNE 1944, WAS

LAUNCHED FROM PORTLAND HARBOR. FROM 6 JUNE 1944 TO 7 MAY

1945, 418,585 TROOPS AND 144,093 VEHICLES WERE EMBARKED

FROM THIS HARBOR. THIS PLAQUE MARKS THE ROUTE WHICH THE

VEHICLES AND TROOPS TOOK ON THEIR WAY TO THE POINTS OF

EMBARKATION. PRESENTED BY THE 14TH MAJOR PORT, U.S. ARMY.