Monuments and Memorials

The National Mall is all about monuments and memorials. Oh yeah, and museums. But that's another post.

I visited:

Albert Einstein Memorial - What's not to like about Albert Einstein? What's not to like about a bronze statue of Albert Einstein that is more that 3 times life size? The papers on his lap contain three equations: The photoelectric effect, the theory of general relativity, and the equivalence of energy and matter. One of my very favorite Einstein quotes is inscribed here:

The right to search for truth implies also a duty; one must not conceal any part of what one has recognized to be true.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial - The massive granite wall inscribed with 58,256 names of those that died or are still listed as missing in Vietnam. Interestingly, the confirmed dead have a diamond next to their name and the missing have a cross. If a missing person is later confirmed dead, a diamond is superimposed on the cross. If the missing return alive, the cross is to be circumscribed by a circle, but this has not yet happened. It's staggering to see so many names. Here, I spoke with two veterans volunteering at the site who know men whose names appear on the wall. I thanked them for their service. I'm also thankful that I never had to live through a time of war where I could be drafted into the military. I pray that my sons will never know such a time, though I fear that they may. I visited two nearby statues, The Three Soldiers and the Women's Memorial are also a part of this memorial.

Lincoln Memorial - It looks a lot smaller on the back of a penny! This incredibly white and very large memorial is best seen at night. Inside the memorial, above the statue of Abraham Lincoln are the words:

IN THIS TEMPLE
AS IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE
FOR WHOM HE SAVED THE UNION
THE MEMORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN
IS ENSHRINED FOREVER

In addition, the Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural Address are found in galleries to the left and right of the Abraham Lincoln statue.

Korean War Veterans Memorial - This one is spooky at night! A set of statues depicts a squad on patrol dressed in full combat gear. The wall next to the statues has pictures of soldiers, equipment, and people involved in the Korean War sandblasted into it. A low wall nearby lists the nations involved in the Korean War and a pool nearby has casualty statistics inscribed in granite blocks. Among the UN nations involved, there were almost 680,000 killed and almost 1.8 million injured in this war, with almost 100,000 captured and nearly a half million missing. This brings home the message in silver on the adjoining black granite wall: Freedom Is Not Free."

National World War II Memorial - This was likely my favorite memorial. I visited it late at night, during the day, and at dusk. It's a newer memorial, having only been dedicated in 2004. The Freedom Wall section of the memorial has 4048 gold stars, each representing about 100 Americans who died in World War II. 56 pillars represent each US State and Territory whose people were involved in the war. On one side, an entrance is dedicated to the Atlantic theater and on the other side, an entrance is dedicated to the Pacific theater of the war. It's a striking memorial, decorated with wreaths, bas relief sculptures, notable quotes from notable World War II figures, and lots and lots of water. Near the Washington Monument, a granite block is inscribed with the words:

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 OF OUR FOREFATHERS ENTRUSTED TO US: A NATION CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.

Toward the reflecting pool to the south, on either side, an engraving of Kilroy can be found! Kilroy was here!

Washington Monument - It's 555 feet tall, but looks much taller! It's really unbelievable when seen in person. I didn't know that it was started BEFORE the Civil War. It's been there for a long, long time. When it was finished in 1884, it was the tallest structure in the world and remained so until the Eiffel Tower was completed. Just walking around the National Mall, the Washington Monument draws your eyes toward it from any direction. It was also the first part of Washington, DC that I saw...as I flew into Reagan National Airport. Maybe next time, I'll make it up to the observation level.

Thomas Jefferson Memorial - If he weren't already larger than life in my mind, the bronze statue of Jefferson inside this memorial would have made him that way. The best parts of this memorial, to me, were the various inscriptions in the statue chamber of the memorial including two of my favorites:

I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.

We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men.

George Mason Memorial - This one is smaller and a little off the beaten path. He withheld his signature from the United States Constitution because it did not abolish slavery.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial - This one goes on and on and on and on. There are four large outdoor areas, one for each of his terms in office. Five water areas depict the crash of the economy that led to the Great Depression, The Tennessee Valley Authority dam-building project, World War II, Roosevelt's death, and a retrospective of Roosevelt's presidency. Amazing sculptures and quotes are scattered throughout the memorial.

District of Columbia War Memorial - Another smaller memorial near the reflecting pool between the Lincoln Memorial and the World War II Memorial honors the citizens of the District of Columbia that served in The Great War.

Wow... I think that's the list. I didn't have my camera at some of the memorials, so I'm sure I'll remember some better than others. Many of the memorials MUST be seen at night for the best effect, especially the Korean War memorial. It was fun to see many of them at different times of day.

It made me wonder what it would be like to come around a corner and see a huge statue of yourself. Not that it actually happened to any of the people depicted in statues in the memorials, but I'm sure it would be unsettling.

It also made me appreciate the many who died in securing liberty for me.