Commemorating Veterans Day with Photos from Washington DC's World War II Memorial

With another Veteran's Day upon us, I honor those who have served our country 
with highlights from our visit to the World War II Memorial in Washington DC.

It's situated between the Washington Monument and, on the other 
end of the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial.

This depiction of an amphibious landing is one of 

24 bronze bas-relief sculptures lining the entrance to the memorial. 

A 43' pavilion on each end of the plaza represents the Pacific and Atlantic conflicts.

Inside each one is a bronze baldacchino (a ceremonial canopy) 

featuring four American eagles holding a laurel victory wreath.

Fifty-six granite pillars represent each state and territory of the United States.
They're arranged according to the order of entry into the Union.

The pillars are connected at their bases by 

bronze rope sculptures, symbolizing the country's unity.

Each 17' pillar is adorned with a bronze wreath of either oak leaves or wheat.

I appreciated the opportunity for deep contemplation and thoughts of gratitude 

to my father, my father-in-law, uncles, and fathers of friends who served in WWII.

The impressive Freedom Wall features 4,000 gold stars,

each representing 100 American service personnel,

honoring over 400,000 who died or remain missing in WWII.

Freedom isn't free. 

The Rainbow Pool with its beautiful fountains is the centerpiece of the Memorial.

To every US Veteran, we honor and respect what you did for our country.

Please know that your service is appreciated.

National WWII Memorial
17th Street Independence Ave. Southwest
Washington, District of Columbia 20037

Learn more here:
Website
Facebook
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National Park Service

While we're at it, a shot of the majestic Washington Monument.

Do you have family members who've served in WWII?
I'd love to hear about it in the Comments section below!

Vintage Travel Posters: Washington, DC

I love the retro art of vintage travel posters!
They advertise exciting travel destinations, as well as
the planes or trains that can transport us there.
Many of these works of art are truly frame-worthy.

Having spent a terrific weekend in Washington, DC this summer,
I set off on a search for posters and decided to show off what I found. 

Be inspired to visit our nation's capital for yourself!

dpvintageposters

ebay

ebay

antikbar

dpvintageposters

thither

If you'd like to read my blog posts on
Washington, DC and Arlington, VA,
you can find a list of them here.

You may also be interested to see this post:
Vintage Travel Posters by BLivingstons

The US Holocaust Memorial & Museum: A Bleak Reminder of the Atrocity

Six million Jews were persecuted and murdered by the Nazis
during the Holocaust. The United States Holocaust Memorial and Museum
in Washington DC, as its name implies, is not just a museum filled
with artifacts, but a living memorial to the Holocaust.

Our memorable tour this summer left us with heavy hearts.
Still, I was very grateful for this educational, eye-opening experience.
Through the years, I've learned about the Holocaust in school, 
from books I've read, and from movies I've seen, but never
in such an all-encompassing, moving way as was presented here.



The Hall of Witness is an impressive 3-story atrium at the core of the building.
We happened to be in luck; a docent was at hand and happy to describe 
the symbolism of the brick and steel architectural features.

The Museum is sectioned into three floors of exhibits:

Nazi Assault 1933-1939

The rise of the Nazi party. Outbreak of World War II.

The "Final Solution" 1940-1945

Ghettos, deportation, concentration camps.

Last Chapter

Liberation, rescue, aftermath. 

Signs like this one, proclaiming "Jews Forbidden,"
were displayed in business establishments.

These are uncut Star of David badges that Jews were required 
to wear to distinguish them from non-Jews.

Railway cars remind us of this horrifying period of history 
when Jews were deported to concentration camps.

A quote by Elie Weisel, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Have you read his book, Night?

It's an amazing book that I'd recommend to all.

The sight of 4,000 shoes, once belonging to prisoners of a concentration camp
in Poland, is a stark testimony to the horror of the Holocaust. 
Representing the relatable Everyman, the shoes are grim reminders of the 
men, women and children who lost their lives at Nazi death camps.

A bridge far above the Hall of Witness has glass walls etched with the names of 

5,000 European towns and villages that were completely destroyed by the Nazis.

This three-story room of photo album pictures forms a tower representing 

over 4,000 residents of Eishishok, Lithuania that were 

wiped out in a two-day massacre by a Nazi killing squad in 1941.

Only 29 escaped.

Seeing these photos made the Holocaust become real for me.

Real people with real families.
These just as easily could have come from the pages of our own family scrapbooks.

So many faces. Faces like yours and mine.

They had names, jobs, goals, and dreams.
The victims came to life and my history lessons became reality.

This was by far the most moving exhibit for me.
The most powerful; and also the most painful.
Yet, I felt the need to linger and allow the photos to
make their deep, indelible impressions on my soul.

The Hall of Remembrance is a solemn place to sit quietly, 
to light a candle, and to contemplate, reflect and pray.

A goal of the US Holocaust Memorial & Museum is to encourage and inspire us to 

"confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity."

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW

Washington, DC