Memorials around the Mall in DC

One afternoon we decided to try to FIND parking and walk around the Mall and see all the monuments.

 Here is the Washington Monument. It was closed because of some cracks at the top from the Earthquake that happened a few weeks before we got there. The last time we were there (1992) there were lines wrapped around it for a 3 hour wait! So we still didn't get to go inside and up!

 This is the Jefferson Memorial. What a great man! He truly had a huge impact on our country in the architectural design of our national buildings and some Presidents' homes!

 This was Franklin Delano Roosevelt Monument. There were 4 stages, one for each of his terms as US President. I knew he did 3, didn't know about the 4th. What was interesting is he took people through WWI, the depression, and WWII. He is the president who started the water authority and power plants - that is why all the running water. There was one display of people (statues) in a soup line. He did a lot to get this country on its feet. He actually created JOBs!

 Martin Luther King monument. Behind him was a larged curved wall with some of his most famous quotes on. It was very well done.

 This is the Korean War Memorial. Very fitting - trudging through lush fields. My dad fought in this war.

 Abraham Lincoln Memorial.  He always wanted to be great in the eyes of his constitutents, but it wasn't until after his death that it was realized!

 This is part of the Vietnam War Memorial. Also trudging through lush vegetation.  There was also a long wall with every name of a person killed or missing during that war. There was a man there taking rubbings (a paper he was coloring over to get the name on his paper of someone who died. It looked like he was hired to do this, there were several he was taking on a special paper.)

 This is the World War II Memorial. This one caused me to cry.  At each end were tall monuments with wreaths on each one.  There was one for every state in our union and 6 territories at the time. One end represented the battle in the Pacific and had the major battles listed, the other end was the European side with major battles listed. In the middle was a large water fountain.

At the head of it, was a large arch with Gold Stars. (See just above the water) Each star represented 100 soldiers who died. There were LOTS.  The Park Ranger told me this was laid out like a formal dinner in the Roman Era.  The guests of honor were at the Head of the table (stars), the banquet was the water fountain. Seated around the table were the guests as they entered into the union starting with the first Delaware on the left, then the 2nd state on the right side, then the 3rd state to enter the union on the left and back and forth. The territories which included Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, Phillipines, Puerto Rico and ?? at the end.  There is a lot of symbolism in this lay out!!!  My father-in-law served in this War.