June 2000
Interest in building a memorial to the veterans of the Korean War began shortly after completion of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. In the early 1980s Congress authorized the American Battle Monument Commission to create a memorial to the Korean War Veterans. Groundbreaking took place in November of 1993, and the Korean War Veterans Memorial was dedicated by President Bill Clinton and President Kim Young Sam of the Republic of South Korea, on the 42nd anniversary of the armistice, July 27, 1995.
Learn more about the Korean War Veterans Memorial.
| Click on the small image for a larger view. | |
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There are a total of nineteen statues, representing an army unit on patrol. Different races are represented, to reflect the fact that the military had begun to integrate. |
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The low black granite slabs in front of each solidier are symbolic of the many obstacles that they had to overcome in fighting the war. |
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Rugged and difficult terrain was just one of the obstacles that they had to face. The first troops sent into battle were also poorly equipped and poorly trained. |
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The ponchos that they wear hint at the miserable weather they had to face. |
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Despite the many obstacles, the troops overcame them and succeeded in preserving freedom and democracy in South Korea. |
