W O R L D W A R I I M E M O R I A L
Washington, D.C.
Wednesday, October 27, 2004

Memorial: #3

Dedicated: May 29, 2004

Design Architect: Friedrich St.Florian

Highlights: Expansive (384' x 279'), Freedom Wall, Rainbow Pool, granite & bronze materials, 24 bas-relief panels, two 43-foot pavilions, fifty-six 17-foot tall pillars, 112 bronze wreaths w/armatures, 56 bronze ropes.

Location: East end of the Reflecting Pool, Washington, D.C.

Hours: Open all year, 7 x 24.

Admission: Free!

Links: Official Website | World War II Memorial Registry

Rating: (5 max)

I arrive at the Memorial's main entrance. Immediately, I'm served up with this large stone tablet containing the Memorial's epilogue. In the distance, I see the large Rainbow Pool with its spurting, opposing fountains.

The most important ideal the Memorial wishes to convey is the concept of American national unity. Without the cohesiveness of America in its war efforts against the Axis Powers, the world certainly would have evolved into a different place, one that I'm pretty sure would be far worse than the lot we find ourselves in today.