Places 4 – For Veteran’s Day - The World War II Memorial

On October 23, I wrote about participating in the World Wide Photo Walk in Washington.  A good deal of my time that day was spent at the World War II Memorial.  This magnificent space was dedicated in 2004 and lies on the Mall between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.

On Memorial Day 2011, I posted a piece about my late father, a WW II vet who died long before the “Greatest Generation” was identified as such.  I also noted having seen a brief You Tube video posting regarding the Honor Flight Network.  The goal of this fine organization is to bring aging veterans to Washington to see their memorial.  It seems fitting to make a Veteran’s Day tribute to those who saved this country and show more images from the Photo Walk.

World War II Memorial (13 October 2012)

Even on a bright day late in the year, the sun is low in the sky and it seemed like half of the Memorial was lit and half was in shadow.  I like cropping some scenes to almost panorama proportions to emphasize certain elements.

Freedom Wall, WW II Memorial (13 October 2012)

Between the Atlantic and Pacific pavilions on the north and south ends of the Memorial is a pool.  The back wall has 4000 gold stars.  During the war, a gold star was the symbol of family sacrifice.  Over 400,000 Americans lost their lives in this conflict.

This being a perfect, autumn Saturday morning, the grounds soon swelled with visitors, including busloads of Honor Flight vets, volunteers and family.  There were active military in uniform, bikers straight out of Rolling Thunder and kids too young to understand what this place is about.  They should have seen the man with the t-shirt that read, “If you can read this, thank a teacher.  If you can read this in English, thank a veteran.”

Honor Flight Photo Group Shot (13 October 2012)

So many old men in wheelchairs...but so many others willing to help and listen and thank these guys for what they did.  In my nearly seven decades of experience and fertile imagination, I still cannot conceive what it is like to fight a conquering menace of an enemy with my homeland and heritage at stake.

I was most fortunate to be on the elevated Pacific Theater pavilion when one of those ‘Right Place, Right Time’ moments happened.  Two vets were wheeled toward one another and they greeted.

67 Years after VJ Day, WW II Memorial (13 October 2012)

How times have changed.  The man on the left is wearing a Navy cap.  That means that in the war, he likely served as a stevedore or a mess hall/galley attendant.  Maybe he was a servant to one of the ship’s commanding officers.  The military was segregated then and many of these guys came home to wonder whose freedom they were fighting for.  I’m glad that history is fading.