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War World II Memorial
The World War II Memorial honors the 16 million who served
in the armed forces of the U.S., the more than 400,000 who
died, and all who supported the war effort from home.
Symbolic of the defining event of the 20th Century, the
memorial is a monument to the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment
of the American people. The Second World War is the only
20th Century event commemorated on the National Mall’s central
axis.

World War II Memorial (Pacific Half)
The memorial consists of 56 pillars, arranged in a semicircle
around a plaza with two arches on opposite sides. Each pillar
is inscribed with the name of one of the 48 U.S. states of 1945,
as well as the District of Columbia, the Alaska Territory and
Territory of Hawaii, the Commonwealth of the Philippines,
Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The northern arch is inscribed with "Atlantic"; the southern one,
"Pacific."

World War II Memorial (Atlantic Half)

Korean War Memorial
From 1950 to 1953, the United States joined with United Nations
forces in Korea to take a stand against what was deemed a threat
to democratic nations worldwide. At war's end, a million and a
half American veterans returned to a peacetime world of families,
homes, and jobs - and to a country long reluctant to view the
Korean War as something to memorialize. But to the men and women
who served, the Korean War could never be a forgotten war.
The statues depicting fighting men on patrol represent the army,
navy, Marine Corps, and air force working together for a common
goal - victory.

Korean War Memorial
The Pool of Remembrance where the sacrifice of 54,246 American
lives can be contemplated.

Korean War Memorial
A granite mural of over two thousand sandblasted photographs
honors the supporting services who provided supply, medical,
spiritual, and fire support to the frontline units.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Deliberately setting aside the controversies of the war, the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial honors the men and women who served
when their Nation called upon them. The designer, Maya Lin, felt
that “the politics had eclipsed the veterans, their service and
their lives.” She kept the design elegantly simple to “allow
everyone to respond and remember.”
Lin's memorial created a controversy. The Three Soldiers was a
compromise reached to produce a bronze figurative sculpture in
the heroic tradition in order to complement the memorial wall.

The Wall
Currently there are 58,249 names on the wall. The names are of
veterans killed or are "missing in action" in the conflict.
This number can change every Memorial day if the Department of
Veterans Affairs receives additional information.

Vietnam Memorial Panels

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