Posted on 05/28/2004 5:07:42 AM PDT by BigWaveBetty
The 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. 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.
Site
The first step in establishing the memorial was the selection of an appropriate site. Congress provided legislative authority for siting the memorial in the prime area of the national capital, known as Area I, which includes the National Mall. The National Park Service, the Commission of Fine Arts, and the National Capital Planning Commission approved selection of the Rainbow Pool site at the east end of the Reflecting Pool between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. President Clinton dedicated the memorial site during a formal ceremony on Veterans Day 1995.
Design
ABMC engaged the General Services Administrations (GSA) Public Buildings Service to act as its agent to manage the memorial project. The design submitted by Friedrich St.Florian, an architect based in Providence, R.I., was selected as one of six semi-finalists in an open, national competition. Leo A Daly, an international architecture firm, assembled the winning team with St.Florian as the design architect. The team also includes George E. Hartman of Hartman-Cox Architects, Oehme van Sweden & Associates, and sculptor Ray Kaskey. St.Florians memorial design concept was approved by the Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission in the summer of 1998. The commissions approved the preliminary design in 1999, the final architectural design and several ancillary elements in 2000, granite selections in 2001, and sculpture and inscriptions in 2002 and 2003.
Fund-raising Campaign
The memorial is funded primarily by private contributions. The fund-raising campaign was led by National Chairman Senator Bob Dole and National Co-Chairman Frederick W. Smith.
Senator Dole, a World War II veteran seriously wounded on the battlefield and twice decorated with the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, was the Republican nominee for president in 1996 and the longest-serving Republican Leader in the U.S. Senate.
Frederick W. Smith is chairman, president and chief executive officer of FedEx Corporation, a $17 billion global transportation and logistics holding company. He is a graduate of Yale and a former U.S. Marine Corps officer, and serves on the boards of various transport, industry and civic organizations.
The memorial received more than $195 million in cash and pledges. This total includes $16 million provided by the federal government.
Timeline
Construction began in September 2001. The memorial opened to the public on April 29, 2004. The memorial will be dedicated on Saturday, May 29, 2004 -- Memorial Day Weekend.
ABMC
The American Battle Monuments Commission is an independent, executive branch agency with 11 commissioners and a secretary appointed by the president. The ABMC administers, operates and maintains 24 permanent U.S. military cemeteries and 25 memorial structures in 15 countries around the world. The commission is also responsible for the establishment of other memorials in the U.S. as directed by Congress.
Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist Max Desfor poses with his September 2, 1945 photograph (R) of Japan's formal surrender on the deck of the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, at the Memories of World War II photography exhibition in Washington, May 24, 2004. The newly published documentary photography book 'Memories of World War II' is being released to coincide with the dedication of the National WWII Memorial in Washington on May 29. REUTERS/Hyungwon Kang
These photographs will be among of the images presented in AP's exhibit 'Memories of World War II''
American soldiers, riding camels while off duty, wave to a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress in this March 1943 file photo, in Tunisia.
U.S. reinforcements wade through the surf as they land at Normandy in the days following the Allies' June 6,1944, D-Day invasion of occupied France.
U.S. troops in the Pacific islands continued to find enemy holdouts in this March 10, 1945 file photo long after the main Japanese forces had either surrendered or disappeared.
Looking north from 44th Street, New York's Times Square is packed Monday, May 7, 1945, with crowds celebrating the news of Germany's unconditional surrender in World War II.
U.S. Marines of the 28th Regiment of the Fifth Division raise the American flag atop Mt. Suribachi, Iwo Jima, on Feb. 23, 1945.
U.S. soldiers of Pennsylvania's 28th Infantry Division march along the Champs Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe in the background, on Aug. 29, 1944, four days after the liberation of Paris, France.
Also on exhibit Norman Rockwell's paintings 'Four Freedoms.'
Freedom of Speech
Freedom to Worship
More photos at wwiimemorial.com
World War II Memorial Rose
Yes, we here in the Mountain State are so proud of our little trailer park prison guard.
My bro, and his grandson.
How cool are the toys these days? It's lots of fun to be a grandanything so we can lavish the kiddlets!
I'm glad to see the youngster is being guided in the right direction on the matter of farm machinery. 'Twould be a shame if the youngin' 'turned' green. :>)
My niece writes: Carson's home-made LIMO for the weekend. This is what inventions you come up with when he's to heavy to lug around outside. My dad pushed him all over the place and Carson was not to happy when he had to come back in the house.........I could be in for some trouble when he learns to say OUTSIDE!!!!
Tim Russert gets an apology from the Boston Globe.
Doggoneit, I'm having trouble typing. I think I broke my little finger playing b-ball today. This really will put a crimp in my hamburger patty formulation for the Memorial Day picnic!
Ouch!
Nothing quite like the exquisite pain of jamming a finger into a b-ball.
Good thoughts back there.
Funny!
The elderly American gentleman arrived in Paris by plane and at French Customs, he fumbled for his passport.
The snooty French customs agent asked sarcastically, "You 'ave been to France before, monsieur?"
The kindly old gent admitted that he had been to France previously.
"Zen, you should know enough to 'ave your passport ready for zee inspection," said the Frenchman, even more sarcastically.
The elderly American, ignoring the snooty attitude of the French customs agent, quietly replied, "Well, the last time I was here, I didn't have to show it."
"Impossible!" exclaimed the Frenchman. "You Americans alwayz 'ave to show your passports on arrival in France!"
The American senior raised his head gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained.
"Well y'see son, the last time that I visited France, was on June 6th, back in '44 and my port of entry was a place called Omaha Beach. But, it was the strangest thing. When I came ashore, I couldn't find no stinkin' Frenchmen to show my passport to."
Having visited France five times, I can say with some certainty that the only truly rude people I encountered in that country were at the Paris airport, and that included just about every passport inspector (and two TWA employees).
...just about every passport inspector (and two TWA employees).
***
Exactly why I will not fly any more. Until, and unless some white 50-somthing American citizens "hijack" planes, I will not have some foreign, english is NOT my first language, otherwise unemployable cretin, fumble through my belongings.
Maybe I'm just funny that way.
I have a friend who is about 70, who looks at it as an opportunity to get a few laughs. She travels quite a bit, and has purchased black lace under things to put in her little travel bag along with her meds. Everything else she checks thru.
She says the looks on their faces as they sort thru the black lace is absolutely priceless.
This is a little stooped over white haired lady,,, with a GIANT zest for life! Last time I talked to her she was telling me about a trip she is planning for June,, she said she is thinking of purchasing several boxes of condoms to put in her bag along with the black lace. Then she let out a gale of laughter! You have to love people like her!
That is so great!
Huge ups to your friend.
What a concept - perhaps I should reconsider...
Thanks for this one, IG
Yea, you could pack lots of black lace,,, and maybe some Whipped Cream. That would set them off, for sure!
Thanks for the wonderful opening. The memorial is beautiful.
Tom Selleck is turning into quite the actor, playing Dwight Eisenhower. I've got my VCR programmed for this one.
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