The National Mall is home to numerous Washington DC memorials to the Founding Fathers and those who gave their life in the service of their country. Two such memorials located on the eastern reaches of the Mall near the Lincoln Memorial are the Vietnam Veterans Memorial – the first of its kind on the Mall – and the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Learn about things to do in Washington below:
A Healing Wound
The Vietnam War Memorial is comprised of three parts, the most famous and largest of which is the Memorial Wall in the Constitution Gardens northeast of the Lincoln Memorial. This 2-acre monument consists of two 246-foot long walls of black marble sunk into the ground as earthworks. Each wall consists of 72 panels (144 in total), rising up from an initial height of 8” at the far ends of the wall to an apex of 10 feet where they meet in the center of the monument, forming a shallow ‘V’ to symbolize an open wound that is closing. Polished to a reflective shine, visitors can see their own reflection as they look on each panel inscribed with the names of those who were wounded, killed, or went missing during the conflict. To date, 58,318 names are listed.
Nearby the Wall is the statue of The Three Servicemen, a bronze depiction of three soldiers standing to the side and looking solemnly at the Wall that bears the names of their friends in arms. South of the Wall, closer to the Reflecting Pool is another statue, the Women’s Memorial, dedicated to the women who served in the conflict, primarily as nurses. Washington DC memorials are filled with history!
Washington DC Memorials
Southeast of the Lincoln Memorial one can visit the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Dedicated to the sacrifice of U.S. servicemen and women in the short but hard-fought conflict on the Korean peninsula from 1950 to 1953, the Memorial consists of four parts.
The Statues – 19 stainless steel statues of infantrymen representing the four branches of the U.S. Armed Forces are depicted in billowed ponchos crossing a stylized landscape of polished granite strips representing rice paddies, with scraggly juniper bushes recreating the stark landscape of the battlegrounds. Each statue stands more than 7-feet tall and reflects an ethnic cross-section of America, recognizing the contributions every community made to the war effort.
The Mural Wall – A 164’ wall of polished granite bearing the stylized inscriptions of more than 2,400 photographs depicting the war. The stone reflects the images of the 19 statues, creating the appearance of 38 to symbolize the battle over the 38th parallel and a conflict that lasted 38 months.
The Pool of Remembrance and United Nations Wall – At the far end of the Memorial is a reflecting pool with listings of the casualties of war. It is surrounded by peaceful trees, a walkway, and benches. The U.N. Wall is adjacent to the Mural Wall and depicts the sacrifice and contributions of the 22 U.N. member nations that contributed troops to the conflict.
Both the Vietnam and Korean War Veterans Memorial are open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day and are free to the public. Book some of our most beautiful homes for rent in Washington DC area today.