WW II Memorial

Announcement Stone

HERE IN THE PRESENCE OF WASHINGTON AND LINCOLN,
ONE THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY FATHER AND THE OTHER
THE NINETEENTH CENTURY PRESERVER OF OUR NATION,
WE HONOR THOSE TWENTIETH CENTURY AMERICANS WHO
TOOK UP THE STRUGGLE DURING THE SECOND WORLD
WAR AND MADE THE SACRIFICES TO PERPETUATE
THE GIFT OUR FOREFATHERS ENTRUSTED TO US:
A NATION CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.

Dedicated in 2004, the World War II Memorial is a large stone plaza designed by architect Friedrich St. Florian. The plaza forms a ring of columns representing the U.S. states and territories, joined together by a bronze cord symbolizing their united effort.

Bas relief artwork by Ray Kaskey Studios depicts the many facets of the American war effort both on the homefront and the battle front. Two victory pavilions, repesenting the Atlantic and Pacific theaters where the war was fought, house massive bronze sculptures of eagles laying laurel wreaths above a representation of the Victory Medal. At the base of each pavilion is a pool with the names of campaigns and battles of each theater of the war.

At the west side of the memorial, 4,048 gold stars each represent 100 American servicemen who gave their lives in the conflict.

The World War II Memorial is located on 17th Street NW between Independence and Constitution avenues, at the east end of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The nearest metro stop is Smithsonian; walk west from the station past the Washington Monument and cross 17th Street at the crosswalk to enter the memorial.

World War II Memorial, National Mall and Memorial Parks, National Park Service

Korean War

I’m not sure why I’m led to revisit and re-edit photos I’ve taken of war memorials over the years. I think this is in part because war has become so sanitized and remote in this country. Even killing is done remotely by drone operators in the US.

I was raised in Quaker communities, which oppose war. The Vietnam War was a significant influence on me as I was coming of age, a high school student at the Quaker boarding school, Scattergood Friends School, in Eastern Iowa. I spent many days, weeks, and months, studying and praying about what to do and eventually turned in my draft cards

I’ve been re-editing photos I took of the Korean War Memorial over the years. For about a decade, I would go to Washington DC as a member of the General Committee of the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), and looked forward to taking photos while I was there.

The Korean War Memorial is very moving, as well. The artist, Frank Gaylord, was an American sculptor who created the 19 stainless steel statues of soldiers and sailors that represent the U.S. military personnel who served in that war (1950-1953).

Korean War Memorial

Vietnam War

I am grateful for many things.

My first thought went to something I recently heard someone say. That he was a draft resister in the Vietnam War era, and that was the best thing he’d ever done. I was astonished to hear that fifty years later. I know what he was saying because I was a draft resister then, as well. As an 18-year-old, I knew this decision would set the course of my life. It would be easy to accept conscientious objector status and do two years of alternative service. Fortunately, though, I was aware of the stories of many Quaker men I knew who refused to participate in the war machine. Knowing they risked imprisonment and often were. But I saw how that choice defined the rest of their lives.

Now shall I walk, or should I ride?