It's not the largest, the most famous nor probably the most expensive Washington DC monument for a US war, but the Korean War Veterans Memorial is possibly the most haunting, moving & unforgettable remembrance ever created.
And, ironically, it's been built for a conflict that's been called 'the forgotten war'.
The concept seems, at first glance, to be very simple.
As you approach the monument you see 19 soldier statues - from behind - as they patrol through a field dotted with small bushes and low pieces of granite.
But as you move towards the front, you see what makes this memorial truly unforgettable...
...the soldier's faces.
According to a DC guide, sculptor Frank Gaylord modeled each face from an actual Korean War Vet. Each one is different & subtly shows the human cost of war.
Himself a veteran, Gaylord was the model for the 2nd from the left 'soldier'.
On the south side of the statues is a long, black granite wall in which artist Louis Nelson etched a mural of unnamed faces. They are soldiers, sailors, airmen & Marines who supported the ground troops.
But its real power comes from its ghostly reflection of the soldier statues.
Now (with the reflections) you see 38 soldiers. That symbolizes the 38th parallel where the war was fought & the 38 months the war lasted & ...
There's more - much more - but this is a memorial that my words & pictures cannot do justice. You must simply see it for yourself - in person.
You won't be disappointed.
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