Really?? Those steps are used by maintenance people to clean and service the pool and fountain. And the memorial is for those who DIED. I suspect MOST veterans who lost friends in WWII would be incensed by this.
Yah really. Sure those steps can be used by maintenance , but thousands of fountains have no steps so your premise does not hold water haha.
As to the memorial being for those who died, your assertion is again incorrect. The memorial is for the living to help us remember those who served. How do I know? Because I responded to the first call for donations and made a donation on behalf of my father who served. So did all my siblings. My father is no longer ariound but I think I can speak fairly accurately for him and I don’t think he would have cared all that much one way or another. He was daily laid back and did not talk much unless forced to. Most. WWII vets I knew were like that.