National World War II Memorial, (sculpture).

National World War II Memorial, (sculpture).

St. Florian, Friedrich, 1932- , architect.

Benson, Nick, assistant.

Kaskey, Raymond, 1943- , sculptor.

Daly, Leo A., architect.

van Sweden, James A., landscape architect.

Oehme, van Sweden & Associates, landscape architect.

National World War II Memorial, (sculpture).

World War II Memorial, (sculpture).

Dedicated May 29, 2004.

Granite and bronze.

Overall: 7 acres. Each arch: approx. H. 43 ft.; Wreaths: W. 10 ft.

(Announcement stone at the memorial's ceremonial entrance reads:) "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 STRUGGLES DURING THE SECOND WORLD / WAR AND MADE THE SACRIFICES TO PERPETUATE / THE GIFT OUR FOREFATHERS ENTRUSTED TO US / A NATION CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY AND JUSTICE. (Inscription on the memorial's eastern corner quotes from President Franklin D. Roosevelt's famous radio broadcast calling the nation to war:) "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." (On the freedom wall on the south, the words of President Harry S. Truman, at war's end:) "OUR DEBT TO THE HEROIC MEN AND VALIANT WOMEN IN THE SERVICE OF OUR COUNTRY CAN NEVER BE REPAID. THEY HAVE EARNED OUR UNDYING GRATITUDE. AMERICA WILL NEVER FORGET THEIR SACRIFICES." (Names of major battles are inscribed around the fountain's rim).

The memorial includes a landscaped plaza setting with sunken Rainbow Pool and fountain in center, flanked by 56 columns adorned with bronze wreaths on each side (112 in all), two four-squared Arches, and surrounding inscribed walls with 24 bas-relief panels and a Freedom Wall of 4,000 gold stars (each representing 100 who died in the war).

At the entrance pavilion are four pillars (representing the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines) topped by bronze eagles holding ribbons that support laurel wreaths of victory. The two processions of granite double pillars that radiate out from the Freedom Wall bear the name of the 48 states, seven territories and the District of Columbia that formed the nation at the time of the war. Each are adorned with wreaths of oak leaves and wheat stalks, symbolizing state contributions to industry and agriculture "in the extraordinary mobilization efforts that transformed America into the arsenal and breadbasket of the world."

The two quadruple arches symbolize the Atlantic and Pacific fronts. Bas-relief panels on the south wall depict scenes from the Pacific front, from the news of Pearl Harbor bombings to VJ Day, and scenes from the home front. Included is a scene of a crew huddled under a Corsair Navy fighter plane. Panels on the north wall depict scenes of the war in the Atlantic, including the D-day invasion of Normandy.

History -- United States -- World War II

Animal -- Bird -- Eagle

Object -- Other -- Wreath

Outdoor Sculpture -- District of Columbia -- Washington

Administered by United States Departartment of the Interior, National Park Service, Washington, District of Columbia

Located National Mall, 17th & Constitution, Washington, District of Columbia

The memorial honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the United States during World War II; the more than 400,000 who died and the millions who supported the war effort at home. In Dec. 1987, Representative Marcy Kaptur, at the urging of veteran Roger Durbin introduced legislation for establishing a World War II memorial on federal land in the District of Columbia. On May 25, 1993, President Clinton signed Public Law 103-32 authorizing the American Battle Monuments Commission to build a World War II memorial in Washington, DC. On Oct. 6-7th, 1994, the House and Senate passed Joint Resolution 227 approving the placement of the WWII memorial in the Capital's monumental core area. The President signed the resolution into law on October 25th, 1994. A design competion was held in 1996; and St. Florian's memorial design concept was approved by the Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission in 1998. Funding for the memorial came primarly from private contributions, school and veterans groups. The project also received a $16 million dollar federal appropriation. A total of $195 million dollars was raised for the memorial and its ongoing maintenance.

For those who wanted to save the nation's mall, the site chosen for the memorial was controversial and groundbreaking did not take place until Nov. 11, 2000. Tompkins Builders and Grunley-Walsh were awarded the construction contract in June 2001. Friedrich St. Florian was the design architect for the memorial. The bronze relief panels, eagles, stars, and wreaths were done by Raymond Kaskey and his studio. Nick Benson and four stone mason associates did the granite inscriptions; James van Sweden was the landscape architect; and Leo A. Daly's firm was the architectural engineering firm. The memorial opened to the public in April 2004 and was officially dedicated on May 29, 2004. IAS files also contain related article from Washingtonian, June 2005, pgs. 41-45, focusing on the contractors who worked on the memorial.

Washington Post, April 30, 2004; May 16, 2004; May 28, 2004.

Washington Post Magazine, May 23, 2004.

Dupre, Judith, "Monuments: America's History in Art and Memory," New York, NY: Random House, Inc., 2007, pg. 132-138.

Dupre, Judith, "Monuments: America's History in Art and Memory," New York, NY: Random House, Inc., 2007, pg. 132-133.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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