WWII Memorial

I went to the World War II Memorial because I agree with Tom Brokaw’s description of the generation who grew up in the United States during the deprivation of the Great Depression, and then went on to fight and support a nation at the home-front in World War II. My Memaws were a part of the “Greatest Generation;” they and other members have my appreciation and respect.

In 1987, World War II veteran Roger Durbin approached Representative Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat from Ohio, to ask if a World War II memorial could be constructed. Kaptur had to reintroduce legislation in the House four times until he introduced HR 682 on January 27, 1993, one day after Senator Strom Thurmond introduced companion Senate legislation. On March 17, 1993, the Senate approved the act, and the House approved an amended version of the bill on May 4. On May 12, the Senate also approved the amended bill, and the World War II Memorial Act was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on May 25 of that year, becoming Public Law 103-32. A nationwide design competition brought Friedrich St. Florian's design in 1997.

The U.S. National World War II Memorial is dedicated to Americans who served in the armed forces and as civilians during World War II. The architectural design includes 56 granite pillars with a name on the 48 U.S. 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. There are two arches are at the memorial, the northern arch is inscribed with "Atlantic" the southern one "Pacific." As I saw veterans of World War II and other wars observing the memorial I renewed my appreciation for the sacrifices they had made. The beauty of their strength and courage is symbolized in the sleek granite of the memorial.

-Helene