FREEDOM IS NOT FREE: the Korean War Veterans Memorial
Take a look inside the Korean War Veterans Memorial DOD
MURAL WALL
The Korean War began June 25, 1950, with the North Korean army’s invasion of South Korea. In honor of the millions of Americans who served in the three-year conflict, the Korean War Veterans Memorial was dedicated in 1995 in Washington, D.C. A primary feature is the memorial’s mural wall.
In 1986, Congress authorizes the American Battle Monuments Commission to build a war memorial honoring U.S. veterans of the Korean War. The legislation establishes an advisory board of 12 veterans appointed by the president to coordinate all aspects of the memorial’s construction.
More than 500 plans are submitted in a nationwide competition to design the memorial which will be located in Washington, D.C. After months of controversy, the winning design is eventually rejected and the design that is eventually implemented is created by Cooper-Lecky Architects.
Ground is broken for the building of the Korean War Veterans Memorial in a ceremony hosted by President George H.W. Bush on Flag Day, June 14, 1992.
Since the dedication, several modifications are incorporated into the design including a kiosk to provide shelter for National Park Service personnel and to house a computer system for public access to the “Honor Roll.” A state-of-the-art crystal optic lighting system is also installed to enhance the statues and the mural wall at night.
The Korean War Veterans Memorial is dedicated in a ceremony led by President Bill Clinton and South Korean President Kim Young-sam on July 27, 1995, the 42nd anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War.
Perhaps the most iconic feature of the memorial are the 19 stainless steel statues representing the service members who fought in the war. The statues are about 7 feet tall among patches of juniper bushes that symbolize the rice paddies of Korea.
The 19 statues were created by Vermont sculptor Frank Gaylord and represent an ethnic cross section of America. They include 14 soldiers, three Marines, one sailor and one airman. The troops wear ponchos covering their weapons and equipment which seem to blow in the cold winds of Korea.