World War II Memorial
World War II Memorial | |
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Location | Washington, D.C. |
Coordinates | 38°53′22″N 77°2′26″W / 38.88944°N 77.04056°W |
Established | April 29, 2004 |
Visitors | 4.6 million (in 2018) |
Governing body | National Park Service |
Website | World War II Memorial |
The World War II Memorial is a national memorial in the United States[1][2] dedicated to Americans who served in the armed forces and as civilians during World War II. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
The memorial consists of 56 granite pillars, decorated with bronze
Opened on April 29, 2004, it replaced the Rainbow Pool at the eastern end of the Reflecting Pool, between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Dedicated by President George W. Bush on May 29, 2004,[3] the memorial is administered by the National Park Service under its National Mall and Memorial Parks group.[4] More than 4.6 million people visited the memorial in 2018.[5]
Overview
The memorial consists of 56
The memorial includes two[7] inconspicuously located "Kilroy was here" engravings. Their inclusion in the memorial acknowledges the significance of the symbol to American soldiers during World War II and how it represented their presence and protection wherever it was inscribed.[8]
On approaching the semicircle from the east, a visitor walks along one of two walls (right side wall and left side wall) picturing scenes of the war experience in bas relief. As one approaches on the left (toward the Pacific arch), the scenes begin with soon-to-be servicemen getting physical exams, taking the oath, and being issued military gear. The reliefs progress through several iconic scenes, including combat and burying the dead, ending in a homecoming scene. On the right-side wall (toward the Atlantic arch) there is a similar progression, but with scenes generally more typical of the European theatre. Some scenes take place in England, depicting the preparations for air and sea assaults. The last scene is of a handshake between the American and Russian armies when the western and eastern fronts met in Germany.
Wall of stars
The Freedom Wall is on the west side of the plaza, with a view of the
History
In 1987, World War II veteran Roger Durbin approached Representative
Kaptur reintroduced legislation in the House a fourth time as HR 682 on January 27, 1993, one day after Senator
Fundraising
On September 30, 1994, President Bill Clinton appointed a 12-member Memorial Advisory Board (MAB) to advise the ABMC in picking the site, designing the memorial, and raising money to build it.
Picking the site
On January 20, 1995, Colonel Kevin C. Kelley, project manager for the ABMC, organized the first meeting of the ABMC and the MAB, at which the project was discussed and initial plans made. The meeting was chaired by Commissioner F. Haydn Williams, chairman of ABMC's World War II Memorial Site and Design Committee, who would go on to guide the project through the site selection and approval process and the selection and approval of the Memorial's design. Representatives from the
Over the next months, several sites were considered.Soon, 3 quickly gained favor:[13][14]
- Reflection Pool area – between 3rd Street and the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial
- Constitution Gardens – east end, between Constitution Avenue and the Rainbow Pool
- 14thand 15th Streets
Other sites considered but quickly rejected were:
- Tidal Basin – northeast side, east of the Tidal Basin parking lot and west of the 14th Street Bridge access road
- West Potomac Park – between Ohio Drive and the north shore of the Potomac River, northwest of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
- Grounds of the Washington Monument – at Constitution Avenue between 14th and 15th Streets, west of the National Museum of American History
- Henderson Hall, adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery – dropped from consideration because of its unavailability
The selection of the Rainbow Pool site was announced on October 5, 1995. The design would incorporate the Rainbow Pool fountain, located across 17th Street from the Washington Monument and near the Constitution Gardens site.[15]
The location, between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, is the most prominent spot for a monument on the National Mall since the Lincoln Memorial opened in 1922. It is the first addition in more than 70 years to the grand corridor of open space that stretches from the Capitol 2.1 miles (3.4 km) west to the Potomac River.[16]
Designing the memorial
A nationwide design competition drew 400 submissions from architects from around the country. Friedrich St. Florian's initial design was selected in 1997. St. Florian's design evokes a classical monument. Under each of the two memorial arches, the Pacific and Atlantic baldachinos, four eagles carry an oak laurel wreath. Each of the 56 pillars bear wreaths of oak symbolizing military and industrial strength, and of wheat, symbolizing agricultural production.
Over the next four years, St. Florian's design was altered during the review and approval process required of proposed memorials in Washington, D.C. Ambassador Haydn Williams guided the design development for ABMC.
Construction
Ground was broken in November 2000. The construction was managed by General Services Administration.
New England Stone Industries of Rhode Island was hired by the general contractor to fabricate the stone; it worked closely with St. Florian and the ABMC throughout the process.[
The John Stevens Shop designed the lettering for the memorial and most of the inscriptions were hand-carved in situ.
The memorial opened to the public on April 29, 2004, and was dedicated in a May 29 ceremony attended by thousands of people. The memorial became a unit of the national park system on November 1, when authority over it was transferred to the National Park Service.
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August 2002
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August 2002
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April 2003
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January 2004
Controversy
Criticism of the location
Critics such as the National Coalition to Save Our Mall opposed the location of the memorial. A major criticism of the location was that it would interrupt what had been an unbroken view between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. The memorial was also criticized for taking up open space that had been historically used for major
Critics were particularly bothered by the expedited approval process, which is considerably lengthy most of the time.[27] The United States Congress, worried that World War II veterans were dying before an appropriate memorial could be built, passed legislation exempting the World War II Memorial from further site and design review. Congress also dismissed pending legal challenges to the memorial.[28]
Criticism of the design and style
There were also aesthetic objections to the design. A critic from the Boston Herald described the monument as "vainglorious, demanding of attention and full of trite imagery."[29] The Philadelphia Inquirer argued that "this pompous style was also favored by Hitler and Mussolini"[30] The Washington Post described it as "overbearing", "bombastic", and a "hodgepodge of cliche and Soviet-style pomposity" with "the emotional impact of a slab of granite".[31]
The monument was dismissed by one prominent architecture critic as "knee-jerk historicism".[32]
The design unveiled by President Bill Clinton included 50 columns honoring the 48 states of the Union during World War II and two of the eight non-state jurisdictions at the time of the war: the territories of Alaska and Hawaii that subsequently were admitted into the Union. On June 2, 1997, the Puerto Rico Legislative Assembly approved a Concurrent Resolution[33] requesting the addition of a column honoring the territory of Puerto Rico's participation in the war effort. Its author, Sen. Kenneth McClintock, began a lobbying campaign. Eventually, the number of columns was raised to 56, honoring the 48 states, the District of Columbia, and the seven U.S. territories at the time: Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Philippines,[34] and the United States Virgin Islands.[35]
FDR's D-Day prayer
On May 23, 2013, Senator
Gallery
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The southern end of the memorial, dedicated to thePacific theater
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The northern end of the memorial, dedicated to theAtlantic theater
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"The Price of Freedom"
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Engraving of Kilroy on the memorial
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Close up of the engraving at the memorial
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The Pacific Arch
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The Atlantic side of the memorial at dusk.
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A seal on the floor of the memorial using theWorld War II Victory Medaldesign
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Each of the 4,048 gold stars represents 100 Americans who died during the war
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The Pacific Arch (Atlantic Arch in the background)
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World War II Memorial Pacific-Bas Reliefs Navy In Action
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The Atlantic Arch
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View of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. from the "Atlantic" arch of the memorial.
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World War II Memorial (2013)
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Panoramic view at night, Washington Monument in the background
With the Washington Monument in background
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The memorial, looking east in winter
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Five state pillars and flag
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North Carolina pillar
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Pennsylvania pillar
Of the Central Fountain
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Central Fountain with the Atlantic Arch in background
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World War II Memorial Fountain in Washington D.C.
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World War II Memorial, Fountain in the evening.
See also
- List of national memorials of the United States
- List of public art in Washington, D.C., Ward 2
- The National WWII Museum, in New Orleans
- Architecture of Washington, D.C.
Notes
- Talk:National World War II Memorial#Number the Stars.
References
- ^ "Public Law 103-32" (PDF). uscode.house.gov. May 25, 1993. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 10, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
- ^ "16 U.S. Code Subchapter LXI – National and International Monuments and Memorials". LII / Legal Information Institute. Archived from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
- ^ "WWII Memorial". www.wwiimemorial.com. Archived from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2008.
- ^ "World War II Memorial (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Archived from the original on November 5, 2010. Retrieved April 11, 2005.
- ^ "Stats Report Viewer: World War II Memorial". irma.nps.gov. Archived from the original on June 24, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
- ^ "Memorial Design". National WWII Memorial. Archived from the original on May 31, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2008.
- ^ "Kilroy Was Here, World War II Memorial, Washington, D.C. – Kilroy Was Here on Waymarking.com". www.waymarking.com. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
- ^ "Kilroy Is Here – Can You Find Him?". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
- ^ Knight, Christopher (May 23, 2004). "A memorial to forget". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 26, 2005.
- ^ "Timeline - WWII Memorial Registry". Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ King, Ledyard; Morin, Rebecca; Lee, Ella (December 10, 2021). "Bob Dole hailed as war hero and 'Kansas' favorite son' at Washington funeral service". USA Today. Archived from the original on May 16, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
- ^ NBC News (December 10, 2021). "Bob Dole Honored At World War II Memorial". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
- ^ Forgey, Benjamin (July 1, 1995). "Site-seeking at the Mall: Placing World War II memorial in the grand scheme of things". The Washington Post. p. C1.
- ^ Forgey, Benjamin (July 28, 1995). "No Accord on WWII Memorial; Two Agencies Send Mixed Signals About Location". The Washington Post. p. B3.
- ^ Forgey, Benjamin (October 6, 1995). "WWII Memorial Gets Choice Mall Site; 2nd Panel Approves Location, Clearing Way for Design Phase". The Washington Post. p. B1.
- ^ Krueger, Colleen (November 9, 1995). "World War II memorial moves toward reality : Officials have agreed on a prominent site on the National Mall. Fund raising is the next task for sponsors". Archived from the original on September 23, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016 – via LA Times.
- ^ WWII Memorial: The “High Point” of Raymond Kaskey’s Career – Carnegie Mellon Today Archived April 7, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "WWII Memorial". Retrieved September 9, 2009.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "James Peniston Sculpture: Bio". Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved September 9, 2008.
- ^ "Building the Memorial". Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. Smithsonian Institution. Archived from the original on June 24, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ^ "Projects". Valley Bronze of Oregon. Archived from the original on September 23, 2018. Retrieved September 22, 2018.
- ^ Leonard, Larry. "Oregon Magazine". www.oregonmag.net. Archived from the original on September 23, 2018. Retrieved September 22, 2018.
- ^ "Bronze from Joseph part of WWII monument". Wallowa County Chieftain. Archived from the original on September 23, 2018. Retrieved September 22, 2018.
- ^ Wheeler, Linda; Hsu, Spencer S. (May 17, 2001). "Bush Backs War Memorial". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 5, 2019. Retrieved November 5, 2019 – via nationalmallcoalition.org.
- ^ Fisher, Marc (May 4, 2004). "A Memorial That Doesn't Measure Up". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
- ^ "The World War II Memorial Defaces a National Treasure". National Coalition to Save Our Mall. January 2001. Archived from the original on May 4, 2007. Retrieved June 2, 2007.
- National Public Radio. Archivedfrom the original on March 8, 2007. Retrieved June 2, 2007.
- ^ Killian, Michael (May 22, 2001). "Senate OKs WWII Memorial". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007.
- ^ Keane, Thomas M. Jr. (June 25, 2004). "WWII Memorial fails both past, present". Boston Herald. p. 27.
- ^ Saffron, Inga (May 28, 2004). "Monument to Democracy, The National World War II Memorial deserves its prominent location in Washington, as a tribute to heroes and a great cause". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. E01.
- ^ Fisher, Marc (May 4, 2004). "A Memorial That Doesn't Measure Up". The Washington Post. p. B01.
- ^ Ouroussoff, Nicolai (April 11, 2008). "Get Me Rewrite: A New Monument to Press Freedom". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 11, 2018. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
- ^ "Sistema de Información de Trámite Legislativo". www.oslpr.org. Archived from the original on April 27, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
- ISBN 978-0-89608-275-5.
- ^ The Northern Mariana Islands were not designated as a territory until three decades later in 1975. "Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands". www.doi.gov. June 11, 2015. Archived from the original on August 2, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
- ^ "S. 1044 – Summary". United States Congress. Archived from the original on July 16, 2014. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Letter to Chairman Udall and Ranking Member Portman" (PDF). American Civil Liberties Union. July 29, 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 13, 2013. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
- ^ "S. 1044 – All Actions". United States Congress. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
- ^ "Project Synopsis July 2017" (PDF). National Capital Planning Commission. July 13, 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 5, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
- from the original on November 28, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
- ^ Gromelski, Joe (June 6, 2023). "FDR's D-Day prayer is now a part of the National World War II Memorial". Stars and Stripes. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.