The National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The National World War II

 Memorial from the

  Washington Monument.

Political speech writer, historian

& biographer, Joseph E. Persico,

wrote this inscription for the

Memorial.

     "Here in the presence of Washington and Lincoln, one the eighteenth century father and the other the nineteenth century preserver of our nation, we honor those twentieth century Americans who took up the struggle during the second world war and made the sacrifices to perpetuate the gift our forefathers  entrusted to us, a nation conceived  in liberty and justice."   

Joe. Persico wrote numerous books on military history and American leaders.  He lived in Guilderland, New York, about nine miles from my former home in Rotterdam, New York.

 The Memorial was dedicated in April, 2004.

 Each state & territory is represented along

the perimeter of the Memorial.

A quote from General George

Catlett Marshall

    

     "We are determined that before the sun sets on this terrible struggle our flag will be recognized throughout the world as a symbol of the freedom on the one hand and of overwhelming force on the other."

Each star on this wall represents 100 American soldiers

who died or listed as missing.  

In total, 405,399 Americans were killed or designated as missing during World War II.