K O R E A N   W A R   V E T E R A N S   M E M O R I A L

Washington, D.C.

Wednesday, October 27, 2004

Memorial: #6

Dedicated: July 27, 1995

Visitation: 3,514,113 (FY 2004)

Highlights: 19 soldier statues, wall containing 2,500 sandblasted images, remembrance pool.

Lowlights: The Memorial has a strange, eerie feel to it

Location: National Mall, Washington, D.C, southeast of the Lincoln Memorial.

Hours: Open daily, 8am to midnight, closed December 25.

Admission: Free!

Link: Official Website

Rating:

(5 max)

Upon arrival I find myself at the rear of the Memorial's platoon of 19 soldiers. Constructed of roughened stainless steel and weighing 1,000 lbs each, the artful soldiers were created by sculptor Frank Gaylord.

A pathway leads me to the Mural Wall. Created by artist Louis Nelson, the 100-ton wall of polished granite contains 2,500 documented photographs of the actual people who contributed to the war effort. The mural speaks to the many men and women who provided land, air, and sea support services to the fighting troops at war front. From a distance, the outline created by the top most reaches of the mural symbolize the mountainous terrain of the Korean Peninsula.