Korean War Veterans Memorial

Washington, D.C., United States

The Korean War Veterans Memorial commemorates those who served in the Korean War. It was confirmed by the U.S. Congress in 1986.

The main memorial is in the form of a triangle intersecting a circle. The Mural was created by Louis Nelson, with photographic images sandblasted into it depicting soldiers, equipment and people involved in the war. When reflected on the wall, there appear to be 38 soldiers, 38 months, and it is also representing the 38 parallel that separated the North and South Korea.

Within the walled triangle are 19 stainless steel statues designed by Frank Gaylord. The figures represent a squad on patrol, drawn from each branch of the armed forces; fourteen of the figures are from the U.S. Army, three are from the Marine Corps, one is a Navy Corpsman, and one is an Air Force Forward Air Observer. They are dressed in full combat gear, dispersed among strips of granite and juniper bushes which represent the rugged terrain of Korea.

To the north of the statues and path is the United Nations Wall, a low wall listing the 22 members of the United Nations that contributed troops or medical support to the Korean War effort.

References:

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: 1986
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in United States

Rating

4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Kristi Rhinehart (11 months ago)
Korean War veterans memorial was rededicated today. It's beautiful, humbling, and incredible. This gift of the Korean government to honor the fallen soldiers (US & other countries) is amazing. We were here to honor Asa Law of the 93rd Bomb squad 19th bomd group. Honor the brave with a visit here if you can.
Emily (12 months ago)
Super pretty!! I recommend going when it is not busy so you can actually appreciate it! It is a super cool place and I highly recommend going to on your journey from the Vietnam veterans memorial and the Lincoln’s memorial!
onthegoboomer (12 months ago)
I LOVED this memorial! My father would have been 88 yesterday and he served in the Korean War so for me this was a very personal place to visit. To stand amongst the statues representing soldiers from more than a dozen countries and look at their facial expressions was very impactful. I am so happy that they are renovating the memorial and I can’t wait to visit it again once the renovations are complete. The reflection wall is really impressive as well.
Karen Koller (13 months ago)
Beautiful memorial with stunning views. I went during the day and at night and both were beautiful. Easy to do on your own or with a tour. The wall at night was spectacular
Cory Daignault (2 years ago)
Haunting presentation at night, though as of 5/20 the lights illuminating the individual soliders are burned out. They have no timeline for replacing them due to budget constraints. Kind of heart breaking...
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Odeon of Herodes Atticus

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a stone theatre structure located on the southwest slope of the Acropolis of Athens. It was built in 161 AD by the Athenian magnate Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife, Aspasia Annia Regilla. It was originally a steep-sloped theater with a three-story stone front wall and a wooden roof made of expensive cedar of Lebanon timber. It was used as a venue for music concerts with a capacity of 5,000. It lasted intact until it was destroyed and left in ruins by the Heruli in 267 AD.

The audience stands and the orchestra (stage) were restored using Pentelic marble in the 1950s. Since then it has been the main venue of the Athens Festival, which runs from May through October each year, featuring a variety of acclaimed Greek as well as International performances.