This Memorial is decades overdue, veterans of WWII dying at the rate of about 1,100 every day, and many of the living physically unable to go to see it.
On April 29, 2004, as a service and tribute to members of the World War II Generation, the National World War II Memorial opened for public viewing, exactly one month prior to the formal Dedication Ceremony taking place May 29, 2004.
The World War II Memorial is the first national memorial dedicated to all who served during the Second World War.
The memorial, established by the American Battle Monuments Commission, honors all military veterans of the war, the citizens on the home front, the nation at large, and the high moral purpose and idealism that motivated the nation's call to arms.
The Second World War is the only 20th-century event commemorated on the Mall's central axis.
- Communities and veteran service organizations are planning local tributes on dedication day—in stadiums, city plazas, and American Legion and VFW halls. A specially-produced broadcast of the noon pre-dedication “Tribute” event and the 2 p.m. dedication ceremony that follows will be available for viewing in these venues via satellite. Those wishing to learn more about viewing events in their areas should contact their local veteran service organizations such as the American Legion and VFW.
- The History Channel and C-SPAN have each agreed to carry the two-hour dedication ceremony “live” starting at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 29. These broadcasts will insure that virtually every American can pay tribute to the members of the World War II generation.
Those of you born after the end of the war in September 1945, please note the deliberate recognition given the incredibly high majority of citizens who in every way supported the war and those who served in it! Although I was a child of 7 at the time of Pearl Harbor (11 when it ended), my memories of the day and all those that followed were acute, actively involved as every old-enough-to-be-aware American was.
WVNan and I have often described here on The Finest our participation as children in saving and turning in used paper to be recycled for the "War Effort," as well as scrap metal, including cutting out the ends of tin cans and smashing them flat.
Many critical goods were rationed, books carefully issued by the government to families (including each child) for such things as sugar, coffee, meat, butter, tires, shoes (only 4 pairs per year per person), etc.
In this manner, those items were thus available to our fighting forces around the entire world, engaged in Europe, Asia, Africa and on all the seas of the globe.
Even we children were PROUD TO DO WITHOUT in order to sustain them!
Gasoline was limited according to need, farmers and ranchers given "A" cards to be able to operate tractors and get their products to stores or for shipment to the fronts.
We never thought in terms of "being deprived" in not being able to have "things," or usually not being able to go to a vacation destination, unless it was near us.
Quite literally, The War and those engaged in it were paramount, unlike today, rather than our own "desires" - - -
Those who complained or dared speak against anything about the war were ostracized and labeled unpatriotic, traitors, or even treasonists.
You can perhaps understand then, our abhorrence for the climate of America today and our passion that the Liberal Creep be overcome while it is still possible.....
Many of you had parents or grandparents or other relatives or friends who participated during WWII.
Here is the official resource for seeing if they are listed, or to enroll them if they are not.
World War II Registry
Honor members of the World War II generation by enrolling them in the World War II Registry, a list of individual Americans who participated in the war effort. To search for currently enrolled honorees, or to enroll a family member or friend, click here
The main URL for The World War II Memorial is:
http://www.wwiimemorial.com