National World War II Memorial

Where can you see a tribute to war heroes, all fifty states, and every US commonwealth in one place complete with poetic inscriptions and a beautiful fountain and pool?  If you can't answer that, then my title was not quite as obvious and unoriginal as I had thought.

The National World War II Memorial is just that comprehensive.  In aerial pictures you can see that its round design is beautifully situated at the end of the rectangular reflective pool and between that and the Washington Monument (that tall, obelisk-shaped monument featured earlier on the blog), therefore making it one of the many must-see attractions on the National Mall and perfect for Washington D.C. educational tours.

Each detail of this memorial was thoughtfully planned and carried out.  From its prominent position (poignantly described in the inscription quoted below) to the inclusion of the states and commonwealths, the Freedom Wall, and even an engraved kilroy, a famous doodle with innumerable legends as to its origin but which came to be known as a symbol for our GI's in the War.

The inscription for the Memorial says it all:

Here in the presence of Washington and Lincoln, one the eighteenth century father and one the nineteenth century preserver of our nation, we honor those twentieth century Americans who took up the struggle 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.

(Photo by Kamoteus on Flickr)