Korean War Veterans Memorial

Washington, D.C., United States

The Korean War Veterans Memorial commemorates those who served in the Korean War. It was confirmed by the U.S. Congress in 1986.

The main memorial is in the form of a triangle intersecting a circle. The Mural was created by Louis Nelson, with photographic images sandblasted into it depicting soldiers, equipment and people involved in the war. When reflected on the wall, there appear to be 38 soldiers, 38 months, and it is also representing the 38 parallel that separated the North and South Korea.

Within the walled triangle are 19 stainless steel statues designed by Frank Gaylord. The figures represent a squad on patrol, drawn from each branch of the armed forces; fourteen of the figures are from the U.S. Army, three are from the Marine Corps, one is a Navy Corpsman, and one is an Air Force Forward Air Observer. They are dressed in full combat gear, dispersed among strips of granite and juniper bushes which represent the rugged terrain of Korea.

To the north of the statues and path is the United Nations Wall, a low wall listing the 22 members of the United Nations that contributed troops or medical support to the Korean War effort.

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Founded: 1986
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in United States

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4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Pablo Buendia (8 months ago)
Amazing memorial in honor of the sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met. The memorial is very well done, all countries who fought under the U.N. flag in Korea are honored. Numbers of casualties, missing, captured, and injured are displayed in front of a wall saying "Freedom is not Free". The memorial now has a wall sort of like the Vietnam wall, but in a huge circle. It is organized by branch then rank alphabetically, and has the names of 36,574 American servicemen and more than 7,200 members of the Korean Augmentation troops. The statues and the stone wall with more than 2,500 pixelated faces etched into it are incredibly well done as well.
Poulsbo Buckeye (8 months ago)
A tribute to the men and women of the United States who joined the United Nations on the Korean Peninsula who were the first American forces to stand against communism. The butcher’s bill was high and names of those who paid the ultimate price are prominently displayed. The pool was has not been de-winterized. An emotional place to remember that a generation of Americans who unselfishly served in brutal conditions whether drafted or voluntarily for the love of their country.
Shawn Jessup (8 months ago)
I really don't know that much about the Korean War but the memorial is very moving and interesting. I went through it about 20 years ago and it looks exactly the same. It's one of the better kept memorials around the mall. The statues are very detailed.
Brian Cho (9 months ago)
The Korean War veterans memorial is absolutely the most haunting of all of the war memorials. I definitely recommend that you visit here at night. The look on the faces of the statues of the soldiers are so sad and moving freedom is indeed, not free
Nicholas P (10 months ago)
You’ll see 4 parts of the memorial: the 19 soldiers on patrol, the Wall and Pool of Remembrance, the United Nations Wall, and the Mural Wall. I liked all of the details that went into creating the 19 stainless steel statues, they looked very realistic as they wore their ponchos in that severe weather. The Wall of Remembrance has the names of 36,574 Americans and 7,114 of the Korean Augmentation to the US Army. Admission is free. I recommend just taking the train and walking over here. Parking can be very limited. Any time of the day is fine to see it, but you’ll see the most crowds of people in the afternoon.
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