T o d d P a t t i s t wrote
Chris W wrote:
So it takes the least amount of power to maintain level
flight at VLD, any slower or faster in level flight
requires more power?

This is not correct. Power required is force times speed.
Even though force (drag) is minimum at the speed for best
L/D, as you slow, the decrease in speed is faster than the
increase in drag, so the product (power) continues to
decrease.

Of course it is "thrust" that overcomes drag, not power. :-)

From Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators:

A factor more important in airplane performance considerations
is the lift-drag ratio, L/D. With the lift and drag data
available for the airplane, the proportions of CL and CD can
be calculated for each specific angle of attack. The resulting
plot of lift-drag ratio with angle of attack shows that L/D
increases to some maximum then decreases at the higher lift
coefficients and angles of attack. Note that the maximum lift-
drag ratio, (L/D)max, occurs at one specific angle of attack
and lift coefficient. If the airplane is operated in steady
flight at (L/D)max, the total drag is at a minimum. Any angle
of attack lower or higher than that for (L/D)max reduces the
lift-drag ratio and consequently increases the total drag for
a given airplane lift.

Bob Moore