By Scot Facer Proctor

click photos to enlarge

Washington D.C. is a city of monuments, but amazingly there has never been one erected in honor of those who fought in World War II…until now.  Sixteen million served our country in World War II and of those, four million yet live.  This great monument will be dedicated tomorrow, Saturday, May 29, 2004—but because our WW II veterans are dying at a rate of 1,800 a day, the monument was opened a month ago to allow many who may never get to see it to have that opportunity.

I like to make my photo essays very personal, bring you along side me if you will.  May I do so again this time?  Maurine and I have read about the building of the WW II monument for the past few years.  We have heard many critics of its architectural design.  We have heard of many who have tried to protect every blade of grass on the National Mall and who tried to stop even one shovel-full of dirt being turned.  We have seen the construction from the road over the past two-and-a-half years, but we had never been to the monument until this past Tuesday evening.  We were overwhelmed.

I spent that afternoon reading about the project and all that went into it.  I began to feel quite emotional.  I love World War II veterans.  They are now old men (and women) and they bring me to tears nearly every time I meet them.  Our home teacher invited us to a celebration of World War II the other evening at Wolf Trap (the National Park for the Performing Arts here in Washington) and I was blessed to sit by a World War II vet.  He was humble and kind.  I asked whom he served under.  He stammered a bit and then told me his commanding officer’s name and where he served.  He was gentle and sculpted by the winds of time.  At one point they asked for all the WW II vets to stand and be honored and there were hundreds of them.  I cried.  I shake hands with each that I can and I say, “Thank you, sir, for your service.  I honor you as a real hero.”  Inevitably they say, “Oh, I’m not a hero, I was just a soldier (or sailor) that tried to do my duty.”  I admire and honor the millions who just “did their duty” during the conflict we call World War II and who bought our freedom that we enjoy.  My small gift to them at this time is to do this photo essay and perhaps let a few more of them see this monument erected in their honor here in Washington D.C. 

I know that many of this “greatest generation” are computer-slow so I encourage the baby boomers and the next generation to get together and show them the pictures I am about to show you.

The National World War II Memorial was built at the Rainbow Pool site on the central axis of the National Mall. The Rainbow Pool is located at the eastern end of the Reflecting Pool between the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument. The Second World War will be the only 20th century event commemorated on the Mall's central axis.

Our schedule was such that we could only do this photo shoot in the early evening after six o’clock.  We had prayed about the weather.  As we crossed the Potomac into Washington we kept watching the sun and as we rounded the bend by the Washington Monument it slipped behind a thick mass of clouds, never to return that evening.  The weather we faced was rain and tornado warnings.

The setting for the World War II Memorial is dramatic.  The Washington Monument casts its shadow from the east and one cannot help but think about this Commander-in-Chief who so humbly acknowledged the One who watches over this nation.

I was very emotional as I looked in every direction.  I could see angle after angle that I wanted to show you.  The monument was impressive and moving.  The fountains were beautiful and stately.  I loved seeing the Washington Monument (the tallest structure in Washington) so close.  I felt like General Washington was pleased.

The rainbow pool is 246 feet 9 inches long and 147 feet 8 inches wide.  The movement of the water reminded us that the war waged on land, in the air and at sea.

The water is a powerful component of the monument.  It is full of movement and life.  It has dimension and grace.  It reminded us of the living and the dead.  Its constant flow seemed to enliven our memories and cause us to reflect more deeply upon those who served

The monument was immaculate and near perfect.  Here at the western side a single carnation lay on the granite at the base of the simple phrase:  HERE WE MARK THE PRICE OF FREEDOM.

I took a picture at LDS Pilot Nathan White’s funeral in Arlington National Cemetery (you can see that picture here) that I called “The Price of Freedom.”  It hangs on the wall in our office.  Each morning Maurine and I and Michaela (our nine-year-old home schooler) pledge allegiance to the flag looking at that picture.  When I saw the phase HERE WE MARK THE PRICE OF FREEDOM, I choked with emotion again.

There are 4,000 sculpted gold stars on the Freedom Wall at the western side of the memorial.  Each represents 100 of the more than 400,000 Americans who gave their lives in World War II.

Less is so often more.  We were moved by the simple message and symbol of the Freedom Wall.  No more need be said.  The gold stars shown brightly and we got the message.

A small reflecting pool before the Freedom Wall multiplied the stars to our eyes and for a moment was a small gaze into eternity.  It seemed as if I could hear President Thomas Monson’s voice (also a World War II veteran) at this point, quoting from a beautiful poem or honoring some brave soldier whose story we had never heard before to build our faith and to inspire us to higher heights.

We could not take our eyes off the Freedom Wall.  As we observed the individual stars it seemed like each one was just a little different, each one had a mark or a flaw in a different place, each one shone brightly on its own and yet brighter with the thousands beside it.

Click here to go to Part 2 of An Evening Visit to the WW II Memorial in Washington D.C.