Metro Morning

By the time we reached the Lincoln Memorial in our walking tour of D.C., other tourists had gathered in small groups on the steps of the columned building. They posed with cheesy grins in front of the famous carving of Lincoln and leaned against the pillars and browsed in the small museum under the statue.

Designed by architect Henry Bacon of New York, the monument originally included an underground viewing area. "I guess that's a casualty of 9-11," I told Andy, when we descended the elevator to the lower level. For protection of people and property, the underground foundation isn't visible anymore. "Too bad. I always found it fascinating," I said.

So downstairs we read the descriptions about the carving. Artist Daniel Chester French studied death masks, books and photos of Lincoln before he planned the 19-foot statue. In Lincoln's face he wanted to show the struggles of a life filled with personal tragedy and disappointment, as well as the humanitarianism of the 16th President, who strove to maintain the ideals of the nation's founders. French understood that Lincoln used the power of his office to preserve the Union when 11 states seceded. In freeing the slaves in 1863, Lincoln left a legacy to freedom that is one of the most enduring birthrights of all Americans.

The statue, carved from Georgia marble by the Piccirilli Brothers of New York, captured Lincoln's emotions. Lincoln's speeches and murals of events during his life surrounded the statue. The display explained that the 28 blocks of stone had been carved so perfectly that seams were not visible in the statue. The 36 columns around the memorial represent the states in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death, only six days after General Robert E. Lee surrendered his troops at Appomattox Court House in Virginia, effectively ending the Civil War and reuniting the Union. I told Andy, "I think it's fitting that the names of all 48 states are carved at the top in the exterior walls and that Alaska and Hawaii are commemorated in the surrounding plaza. Lincoln stood for union, one nation inseparable. His memorial demonstrates that stance, all states incorporated in one memorial.
Family members and friends took etchings and left mementos at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, as they have since its completion in 1982. That was the intent of designer Maya Ying Lin of Athens, Ohio, the 21-year old Yale student who won the national competition open to all U.S. citizens 18 years of age or older.

We walked past the Wall with 58,267 names inscribed in chronological order by date of casualty. "What a terrible waste," said Andy.

"I always get chills here," I told him. With ends pointing to the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial fulfilled the memorial criteria: 1. that it be reflective 2. that it harmonize with its surroundings 3. that it contain the names of all who died or remain missing 4. that it make no political statement.

Parents with school-age children stopped at the Faces of Honor statues. "This must be winter vacation time," I said to Andy. Many schools in the East had cancelled part or all of winter break to make up snow days. But parents at the memorial created learning experiences.
"Those are the emblems of the five services," said one father to a ten-year old boy. They named the emblems together. "Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard."

I focused the camera on the faces in the bronze statue. The pamphlet said, "The contrast between the innocence of their youth and the weapons of war underscores the poignancy of their sacrifice."

The women's bronze of females coming to the aid of a fallen soldier recalled the courage and sacrifice of all women who served in Vietnam. "I like the idea that eight yellowwood trees around the statue offer a living tribute to the eight servicewomen who died," I told Andy.

"I know you haven't seen this one," said Andy, as we reached the World War II Memorial site. "It was dedicated in 2004."

"Right," I agreed. "The pamphlet says that its placement between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial reflects the importance of World War II in preserving and spreading the ideals won under George Washington and defended under Abraham Lincoln. I don't get the arrangement of states though. It's not alphabetical, and it's not alternating alphabetical."

"Is it entry into the Union?" asked Andy.

"No, because I can't find Connecticut," I answered.

"Maybe it's coast--Atlantic or Pacific?" he suggested, but before I could deny the idea, he corrected himself. "Not coast. Connecticut is on the Pacific side."
We asked Volunteer Docent Martha at the information stand. "Oh, " she answered, grinning, "It is by the order in which states joined the Union, but they alternate on each side. Delaware is first. Alaska and Hawaii were placed at the end, because they were not yet states during World War II. Did you figure out the other six?"

"Sure," I said, "District of Columbia is obvious. And Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands and American Samoa are U.S. territories."

"And the Philippines?" she asked.

"They weren't independent then," said Andy.

"Good." said Martha. "It goes back to the Spanish American War. Because of the start of World War II, we did not grant independence to the Philippines until after the war in 1946."

We walked around the outside of the 56 pillars. "I don't like it as well as the others," said Andy, "but it probably looks better with the fountains going."

"It's bulky," I agreed, "but it was meant to show power and dominance, I think." The war changed the world and killed 50 million people. The monument touts America as liberator of a world falling to the forces of tyranny, according to the pamphlet. But more important, it recognizes and honors the 16 million U.S. citizens who served in uniform and the 400,000 who died serving our country. I thought about it as we walked on. The memorial should be big and bulky to show the price paid by American families and to celebrate American spirit, unity and victory.