Visit Two Incredible Veterans Memorials in Washington, DC

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Two of the most striking and moving memorials you will see in Washington, DC are the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Korean War Veterans Memorial. The two are located very close to each other, adjacent to the Lincoln Memorial Reflection Pool.

Practically everyone has seen the Vietnam Veterans Memorial depicted in photographs, film and artwork, but nothing compares with seeing it in person.
There are three elements to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Memorial Wall contains inscribed names of the 58,245 American soldiers who died or became unaccounted for in Vietnam. This part of the Memorial was dedicated on November of 1982 at the time of its erection.

The second part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is the bronze Three Servicemen Statue created by Frederick Hart, which was unveiled in 1984. The Vietnam Women's Memorial statue was added as the third element of the Memorial in 1993. This statue honors the women who served in the Vietnam War, predominantly as nurses.

Like the war, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial has been the subject of controversy over the years, but ultimately it stands as an incredibly moving tribute to the Americans who served in this conflict.

Since the days of its construction, visitors have been leaving items as tokens of remembrance and respect at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. The US Park Service has been collecting and cataloging these items since this tradition began. If you are interested in seeing a small sampling of the more than 55,000 items collected here, you can visit an exhibit at the American History Museum on the National Mall.

The Korean War Veterans Memorial consists of 19 stainless steel statues representing a squad on patrol during the Korean War. The squad depicted consists of 1 Air Force Forward Air Observer, 2 Marines, 1 Navy, and 15 Army corpsman. Each statue is dressed in accurate, detailed combat gear. An American flag stands as their symbolic objective.
It is nearly impossible to convey the impression these 19 larger than life-size American soldiers make when viewed in person. They appear almost unbelievably lifelike, and you can almost hear their voices and feel the wind they appear to be stepping against. The Memorial is especially impressive when illuminated for night viewing.

On your visit to the Korean War Memorial, you will also see an incredible 164-foot mural wall. The mural contains 2,400 etched photographic images depicting scenes of men and women in military service and supporting positions that sustained the military operation.

Although you can visit both the Vietnam and Korean War Veterans Memorials 24 hours a day, you may wish to visit during the hours of 9:30 am and 11:30 pm when rangers are available to answer your questions.