The youth of our country need to learn and honor the brave who fought for our nation’s rights and freedom in the first World War. There are hundreds of World War I Memorials scattered across our country where you can visit and learn about all the details surrounding the war. These are some of the most famous American World War I Memorials you should visit to honor vets.
World War I Museum and Memorial- Kansas, Missouri
The World War I Museum and Memorial were first constructed and known as the Liberty Monument in 1919. Since then, it has gone through multiple changes and updates and is now a complete museum and memorial to honor all those who fought for our country in World War I.
The museum is an 80,000 square foot building with state-of-the-art technology to educate the people about the great war. Under the Liberty Memorial is the Edward Jones Research Center, which is a fantastic resource for people who want to learn with over 10,000 library titles on offer for free.
The words, “IN HONOR OF THOSE WHO SERVED IN THE WORLD WAR IN DEFENSE OF LIBERTY AND OUR COUNTRY” are inscribed on the Liberty Memorial Tower, which is the Liberty Memorial Association’s primary objective. The museum operates as a non-profit, dedicating all its earnings to honor, exhibit, and educate about the brave men and women who fought in World War I.
The museum has different and regular exhibitions. It provides various educational programs to people who want to learn more. And it collects and preserves historically essential materials to continue honoring the sacrifices made during the war.
National World War I Memorial – Washington, D.C.
The National World War I Memorial was finally opened for the first time on April 16th, 2021, with the flag-raising ceremony. After over 100 years of World War I, the memorial honoring the over 4 million Americans who fought and served in the war was finally unveiled to the public.
Visitors of the monument can experience and learn about the history of the war with virtual or augmented reality applications. The memorial also features QR codes disguised as ‘poppies,’ which is a homage to all those who died in the war that people can scan to learn about various topics.
The sculpture named ‘A Soldier’s Journey’ is scheduled to be installed by 2024 at the memorial. Until then, visitors can look at a canvas featuring the sketches of the planned sculpture. The memorial also features ‘Peace Fountain,’ which has panels engraved with information about the United States’ involvement in World War I.
369th Infantry Regiment Memorial – New York City, New York
The 369th Infantry Regiment Memorial is a replica of the original memorial in Séchault, France. The monument honors the all-black Harlem-Hell fighters who served and fought for the United States in World War I.
It was the first American unit in history to earn France’s ‘Croix de Guerre,’ the highest-ranking medal in the French military. The monument is used as a testament to a time when African American soldiers fought the Germans and fought against racism and discrimination that followed them to France from home.
Opposite to the memorial, just across the street, is the 69th Regiment Armory, a landmark building that features historical exhibits about the war. The armory also uses its former ‘drill shed’ as a recreation center for youths in the area.
References:
National WWI Museum and Memorial. n.d. National WWI Museum and Memorial. [online] Available at: <https://www.theworldwar.org/>
Washington.org. n.d. The National WWI Memorial | Washington DC. [online] Available at: <https://washington.org/find-dc-listings/national-wwi-memorial>
Hmdb.org. 2020. 369th Infantry Regiment Memorial Historical Marker. [online] Available at: <https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=18993>