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Washington D.C. War Memorial Video Tours
Western Pennsylvania is home to a great number of veterans from all branches of the United States Armed Services. Many of these service men and servicewomen have served and sacrificed in one or more of our Nation's wars.
Recognizing that not everyone may have the opportunity to visit these sites in person, I have organized the following video tours of the World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War Memorials in our nation's capitol. The tours are between thirty and forty five minutes long and each is guided by National Park Service Ranger who provides an in depth explanation of each memorial, highlighting the symbolic meanings behind the statues and design of each memorial.
Please take the time to watch these tours and to honor
our nation's military heroes.
World War II Memorial
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Memorial honors the 16 million who served in the armed
forces of the U.S. during World War II, the more than
400,000 who died, and the millions who supported the war
effort from home. Symbolic of the defining event of the 20th
Century, the memorial is a monument to the spirit,
sacrifice, and commitment of the American people to the
common defense of the nation and to the broader causes of
peace and freedom from tyranny throughout the world. It will
inspire future generations of Americans, deepening their
appreciation of what the World War II generation
accomplished in securing freedom and democracy.
Friedrich St. Florian’s winning design balances classical and modernist styles of architecture, harmonizes with its natural and cultural surroundings, and connects the legacy of the American Revolution and the American Civil War with the great crusade to rid the world of fascism. Above all, the memorial stands as an important symbol of American national unity, a timeless reminder of the moral strength and awesome power that can flow when a free people are at once united and bonded together in a common and just cause.
Link to National Park Service Tribute to WWII and the WWII
Memorial |
Korean War Memorial
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Korean War Memorial finds the expression of American
gratitude to those who restored freedom to South Korea.
Nineteen stainless steel sculptures stand silently under the
watchful eye of a sea of faces upon a granite wall—reminders
of the human cost of defending freedom. These elements all
bear witness to the patriotism, devotion to duty, and
courage of Korean War veterans.
The statues depicting fighting men on patrol represent the
Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force working together for
a common goal - victory. A granite mural of over two
thousand sandblasted photographs honors the supporting
services who provided supply, medical, spiritual, and fire
support to the frontline units. The United Nations Wall on
the opposite side lists the countries that provided troops,
medical support, or supplies to help South Korea. All these
elements point toward the Pool of Remembrance where the
sacrifice of 54,246 American lives can be contemplated. It
is here where an inscription summarizes the true meaning of
the memorial: "OUR NATION HONORS HER SONS AND DAUGHTERS WHO
ANSWERED THE CALL TO DEFEND A COUNTRY THEY NEVER KNEW AND A
PEOPLE THEY NEVER MET."
The Korean War has often been referred to as the "forgotten
war" because it came on the heels of World War II and was
overshadowed by the Vietnam War. Korea like Vietnam, was
part of the Cold War to stop the advancement of Communism in
Southeast Asia. When the Communist troops of North Korea
invaded the democratic Republic of South Korea, the United
States became involved through a promise of support given to
the president of South Korea. It was feared that this tiny
peninsula would be the setting for the eruption of World War
Three. When the United Nations joined forces with the United
States and the Republic of South Korea to stop the invasion,
this fear was justified. North Korea not only had the
support of the Soviet Union government, but also the
military support of China. |
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
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The Vietnam Veterans Memorial recognizes and honors the men
and women who served in one of America's most divisive wars.
The memorial grew out of a need to heal the nation's wounds
as America struggled to reconcile different moral and
political points of view. In fact, the memorial was
conceived and designed to make no political statement
whatsoever about the war. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a
place where everyone, regardless of opinion, can come
together and remember and honor those who served. By doing
so, the memorial has paved the way towards reconciliation
and healing, a process that continues today. The Vietnam
Veterans Memorial accomplishes these goals through the three
components that comprise the memorial: the Wall of names,
the Three Servicemen Statue and Flagpole, and the Vietnam
Women's Memorial.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, which was created to
build the Vietnam
Veterans Memorial, has worked in partnership with the
National Park Service to
care for the Memorial since it was dedicated in 1982. |
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