Dedicated in 2004, the WWII memorial honors the 400,000 Americans who died in the conflict, along with the 16 million US soldiers who served between 1941 and 1945. The plaza's dual arches symbolize victory in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. The 56 surrounding pillars represent each US state and territory. Stirring quotes speckle the monument. You'll often see groups of veterans paying their respects here.
The Freedom Wall is studded with 4048 hand-sculpted gold stars, one for every 100 Americans who lost their lives in the war (the stars are replicas of those worn by mothers who lost their sons in the fighting). Bas-relief panels depict both combat and the mobilization of the home front. Beside the memorial to the south there is an information kiosk where you can look through the registry of war veterans.
