Monday, May 26, 2014

Memorial Day Remembrance

The World War II Memorial in Washington, DC marks its 10th anniversary this Memorial Day weekend and the news had me going back through my photos to remember our visit there.  We lived in the Northern Virginia suburbs for a number of years and in April 2005, just a year after the WWII Memorial opened to the public, we headed out early one gorgeous day to see the famous cherry blossoms and explore the newest memorial.

A wreath is placed in front of the wall of gold stars.  There are 4,048 stars circling the memorial and reflecting in the pool with each star representing 40 lives lost in the war.


There are two sides to the memorial plaza representing the Atlantic and Pacific theaters of the war.  Because the Cherry Blossom Festival was in full swing the typically busy capitol mall was especially lively.  It looks like a visiting choir is preparing to sing over on the right.  April is also the month when school children from across the country visit their nation's capitol.  That's the Lincoln Memorial in the background.


The large fountain in the center of the plaza is surround by granite columns representing 50 U.S. states and six territories contributing soldiers to the war.  Each pillar is topped with wreaths on each side. In the distance behind the pillars you can see the Jefferson Memorial and the delicate pink ring of cherry blossoms around the tidal pool.  (Click on the photo to enlarge)


The fountain and the Washington Monument.  The Capitol Building is just to the left with the Smithsonian Castle on the far right.


It's nice to go back and remember these sights and events from years past on this Memorial Day 2014.

6 comments:

  1. Memorials like this are great, to commemorate, honour the fallen and their sacrifice, and to remind us all of the past and what must not be repeated.

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  2. Nice post, Shirley--thanks for sharing those photos.

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  3. thank you for sharing - glad our country honors those who have given the greatest sacrifice for us.

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  4. Thank you for sharing your memories and photos. I appreciate you taking us all along on this virtual visit to commemorate a weekend that all too often gets highjacked as a "schools out!" kickoff to the summer.

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  5. What a great post for Memorial Day. Thanks for sharing your photos and taking us along. DC is one of my favorite destinations, and Memorial Day would be a good time to visit. I still remember the first time I saw the Vietnam War and the Korean War Memorials. My dad was in the Korean War, so it was an emotional experience. Great post!

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