Monument Monday - The National World War II Memorial
Located between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, the National World War II Memorial commemorates the 16 million American men and women who served, fought, sacrificed and died during the Second World War.
Surrounding the majestic plaza are 56 17-foot pillars, each inscribed with the name of a state (48 at the time of the war), as well as the 8 districts or territories (DC, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). At either end of the memorial are two large inscribed arches, one for the Atlantic theater and the other for the Pacific theater.
With a view of the reflecting pool, The Freedom Wall at the west side of the memorial, holds 4,048 gold stars, each one representing 100 dead American soldiers. About 76% of causalities were Army personnel, 21% Army Air Corps, 15% Navy, 6% Marines and 2% Coast Guard and Merchant Marine. Surprisingly, the Merchant Marines had the highest percentage of casualties, close to 4%, slightly higher than the Marines at 3.7%. Over 14,000 airmen, soldiers, sailors and marines also died as prisoners of war.
At various points, famous quotations are engraved from President Roosevelt, Admiral Nimitz, Generals Douglas MacArthur, George Marshall and Dwight D. Eisenhower, among others.
A list the many sites where major battles were fought are also engraved around the bases of the two end fountains in front of the arches.
During the war, a national icon, showing that the Americans had “been there”, sprung up across Europe and the Pacific, from troop transport ships to tanks, rural farmhouses to the Arc de Triomphe. The national joke, “KILROY WAS HERE”, was reported the invention of an American shipyard inspector, named J.J. Kilroy. While inspecting troop ships, instead of the typical chalk line, he would mark the rivets he had checked with his personal “KILROY WAS HERE” signature. Tens of thousands of servicemen saw his signature on ships heading to Europe and the Pacific theaters and servicemen started placing the slogan on just about everything. It quickly became such a popular soldier’s icon that it was said that “The outrageousness of the graffiti was not so much what it said, but where it turned up.”
And if you look hard, you can find this most popular WW-II icon, Kilroy on the memorial. But you need to look hard to find him. Need a hint?
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Check out The DC Traveler’s Insider Tip for directions.
The World War II memorial opened to the public in April of 2004, almost 60 years after the war ended. The concept of a national memorial on the Mall was originated by World War II vet, Roger Durbin of Ohio. He asked his congressman if a WW-II memorial could be constructed and after 6 years of introducing multiple bills in Congress, it passed, just one day after a similar bill passed the Senate.
Similar to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a design competition was held and architect Friedrich St. Florian’s submission was selected.
World War two was actually two simulations wars, one in Europe and North Africa, and the other in Asia and the Pacific. The two wars started years before the U.S. was involved. The Pacific war was started when Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931 and in 1937, bombed and invaded mainland China, starting a full-scale war in Asia and the Pacific. In 1939, Nazi Germany invaded Poland, starting the European war.
The U.S. had avoided entering the conflicts under treaties of neutrality. But on the morning of December 8th, 1941, the day after the Japanese simultaneously bombed U.S. military installations in Hawaii, Midway Island, Guam, Wake Island and the Philippines, the U.S. declared War on Japan.
Germany and Italy, under treaties with Japan, soon also declared war on the U.S.
The war officially ended with the surrender of Japan on V-J Day, August 15, 1945, three months after Germany surrendered. Italy has surrender in Sept. 1943.
Estimates of war causalities are 25 million military personnel from all sides, as well as 46 million civilians. The total cost of WW-II was roughly 3.7% of the world’s population.
The Second World War has been described as America’s first truly national experience (excluding perhaps the Civil War).
National World War II Memorial
17th Street, NW, between Constitution & Independence
Washington, DC (map it)
Dates and Times - Open daily, 24-hours a day.
Admission - Admission is free.
Nearest Metro Subway Station - Smithsonian, Blue and Orange lines, then a 6-block walk.
Parking - Limited metered and free street parking is available within a few blocks walk.
Images - Memorial photos from personal collection except Kilroy - Flickr.
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16 Comments
[...] in case you missed last Monday’s The DC Traveler, I wrote about the National World War II Memorial, dedicated to America’s greatest [...]
Tell me-is there a place I can write (other than the NARA) where I might ask about the listings on the World War II Memorial? The personnel record for the person I’m searching for was burned in an accidental fire-so am hoping to see if his name might be connected with the WWII memorial. Thank you. Eleen Robinson
I am doing research on the WWII Memorial and have a question if you can answer. I understand that there are quotes on the Pacific side of the Memorial. Is one of these by Roosevelt used to announce the attack on Pearl Harbor and do you know exactly how it reads. I understand that it starts “Yesterday December 7, 1941 - a date…
I need the complete quote if you can give it to me.
Your help and appreciation is appreciated.
Dianne
Hello to all that support and represent this Memorial. I would like to know if you add anything to the person that fought in WWII such as, he was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Metal? Or is it just their name and their rank on the wall?
Thanks
Humble lady
gloria
My Husband, son, and I had our picture taken in front of the Fountain at WW ll and we have in the background the Wall of Stars as well as Lincoln Memorial. About how far away is the Lincoln memorial from where we stand.
It’s a short walk Bea. You can see it in the last photo above. Perhaps a 5 minute walk. It’s just over a half mile.
When President Roosevelt announced the attack on Pearl Harbor he endend it with “SO HELP US GOD”. Why was this left off the memorial? He speech as enscribed is unfinished.
Hi,
There is an e-mail going around that says “so help us God” is not on the inscription of the WWII memorial that is a quote from FDR. The part, “With confidence in our armed forces, with abounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph” - the “so help us God” would complete the quote. Is it there?
Tom:
Great question.
While the words “so help us God”, was not included on the memorial, only 35 words of FDR’s complete 515 word Day of Infamy speech were etched into the memorial.
The line you are referring to goes…
With confidence in our armed forces—with the unbounding determination of our people—we will gain the inevitable triumph—so help us God.
The inscription in the Memorial is just part of that speechm, and does not include any of that famous line.
It reads…”Pearl Harbor - December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy…No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory.”
I’ll have a full post and photo on this urban myth soon on The DC Traveler.
I believe that is one of the main reasons why this country is crumbling from within, we no longer “TRUST IN GOD” for anything, we have become to big for our britches, so to speak.
Hello,
I am doing a research project involving the world war two memorial and i was wondering where exactly is the “Kilroy was here” mark left on this memorial.
If you can help me i would greatly appreciate it.
David
David: Check out the video clip in the post as I included directions. It’s on the Lincoln Memorial side, accessable from the outer side walkway of the monument. Look for the ventilation duct.
Hi, I am a charter member of the WWII Memorial and I was wondering about something, I havent made it to DC to see the memorial but plan a trip there in september. My dad died a year ago, but I am curious to know if his name was inscribed (as the Vietnam memorial) or if he is just listed in the registry. I am trying to plan my trip to the memorial and list the things that I want to photograph. And of course, Kilroy will be one of them, I am 47 years old and all my life my dad has left this drawing all over the place, as I also do the same now.
Jackie: I don’t beleive there is a registry of the soldiers that ither served or were killed in action in WW-II at the memorial. If you check the Veteran’s Administration or the websites for the veterans of each Branch of Service, you may be able to locate some information. I know there is access to the Navy database at the Navy Memorial on Penn Ave.
Anyone who needs to know,
Kilroy Was Here is actually located outside the memorial. It is on the side with the Pacific pavilon, and if you follow the outside of the memorial and go ,to the side that faces The Lincoln Memeorial, all the way to the Freedom Wall(the big wall with gold stars) there is a small area that is blocked off by a chain with metal grating on the ground. If you look on the wall opposite the chain you will find the famous Kilroy Was Here engraving.
I’m disappointed that the whole sentence was not included in Roosevelt’s inscription - there’s no period after triumph - so his train of thought did not stop there. The sentence is incomplete and does not convey how strongly he felt in defending our country.
I get a much better understanding of his emotions from the complete sentence: “With confidence in our armed forces—with the unbounding determination of our people—we will gain the inevitable triumph—so help us God.”