World War II Memorial Honors Americans
Today, May 29, brings the dedication of the War World II Memorial in Washington, D.C., a fitting tribute to our nation's heroes on this Memorial Day Weekend. The first national monument dedicated to Americans who served in World War II, the memorial opened to the public on April 29, 2004. It honors veterans of the war as well as the valiant efforts of those on the home front and the entire nation's courage and conviction during that troubled time.
Today's dedication ceremony will be attended by over 100,000 dignitaries, veterans, and citizens paying tribute to the sacrifices made by millions of Americans during the Second World War. In addition to the formal ceremony, the weekend will be filled with other festivities honoring World War II veterans, including a special service at the National Cathedral, an entertainment tribute featuring performing ensembles from the armed forces, and the Smithsonian’s National World War II Reunion.
The memorial is located at the east end of the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall, between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. The memorial plaza and the newly-renovated Rainbow Pool are the centerpieces of the memorial, with two 43-feet-tall pavilions – representing the Pacific and Atlantic Theaters – marking the north and south entries to the plaza. Fifty-six granite pillars surrounding the plaza and Rainbow Pool represent the states and territories of that time period, with a sculpted bronze rope connecting the pillars as a symbol of the nation’s remarkable unity during the war. On the western side of the monument, the Freedom Wall bears 4,000 sculpted gold stars in honor of over 400,000 Americans who sacrificed their lives during World War II.
In a commentary about the memorial, World War II veteran and former Senator Bob Dole states, "The memorial is destined to become one of Washington's great public gathering places…We build it so future generations of Americans never forget what the World War II generation was called to do. We build it so they never forget the cost of freedom."
Veterans and other members of the public are encouraged to visit Washington, D.C., and the memorial throughout the summer to participate in "America Celebrates the Greatest Generation," a city-wide celebration which will continue through Labor Day.
For more information about the memorial, visit the National WWII Memorial website.
-
Share this:
-
Blink
-
Del.icio.us
-
Digg
-
Furl
-
Simpy
-
Spurl
-
Y! MyWeb
