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Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
by Frank Chalfant Gaylord II
The Korean War Veterans Memorial is in the form of a triangle intersecting a circle. Within the triangle are 19 stainless steel larger than life-sized statues designed by Frank Gaylord representing a squad on patrol, 15 Army, 2 Marines, 1 Navy Corpsman, and 1 Air Force Forward Air Observer dispersed among strips of granite and juniper bushes, representing the rugged terrain of Korea. To the north is a path, forming one side of the triangle, and behind, to the south, is a 164 foot long black granite wall, created by Louis Nelson, with photographic images depicting soldiers, equipment and people involved in the war, forming the second side. 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 to the Korean war effort. The circle contains the Pool of Remembrance, a shallow pool lined with black granite and surrounded by a grove of trees with benches. Inscriptions list the numbers killed, wounded, missing in action, and held as prisoners of war, and a nearby plaque in inscribed: "Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met." Additionally, right next to the numbers of American soldiers are those of the United Nations troops in the same categories. Source: Wikipedia
The Korean War was a three-year escalation of a civil war between two rival Korean regimes, each of which was supported by external powers, with each trying to topple the other through political and guerilla tactics. After failing to strengthen their cause in the free elections held in South Korea during May 1950 and the refusal of South Korea to hold new elections per North Korean demands, the communist North Korean Army moved south on June 25, 1950 to attempt to reunite the Korean peninsula, which had been formally divided since 1948. In a larger sense, the conflict was then expanded by the United States and the Soviet Union's involvement as part of the larger Cold War. The main hostilities were during the period from June 25, 1950 until the ceasefire agreement was signed on July 27, 1953. Source: Wikipedia
Granite, Stainless steel by Frank Chalfant Gaylord II
Address: Independence Ave. & 23rd Nearest Metro: Smithsonian (Orange - Blue)
Smithsonian Art Inventories Catalog: Control number 71500313 (dcMem ID #1210)
Click here to see all 20 pictures of this attraction
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Sources & Links:
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National Parks Service website (136)
Corps of Engineers article on the Memorial
Wikipedia article on Korean War Memorial
Wikipedia article on the Korean War
