Korean War Veterans Remembered
by D Hackett
Title
Korean War Veterans Remembered
Artist
D Hackett
Medium
Photograph - Digital Art
Description
Korean War Veterans Remembered by D Hackett
Korean War Memorial Washington DC - image is a combination of 2 digital images. One of the soldiers at the memorial and the other the American Flag. I combine the images in honor of my Father who served in Korea during the Korean war. He is a Marine and my Hero
Semper Fi
KOREAN WAR VETERANS MEMORIAL
The Korean War Veterans Memorial is located near the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It was dedicated on July 27, 1995. The memorial commemorates the sacrifices of the 5.8 million Americans who served in the U.S. armed services during the three-year period of the Korean War. From June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953, 54,246 Americans died in support of their country. Of these, 8,200 are listed as missing in action, or lost or buried at sea. In addition 103,284 were wounded during the conflict. As an integral part of the memorial, the Korean War Honor Roll was established, honoring those U.S. military personnel who died worldwide during the war.
The 19 stainless steel statues were sculpted by Frank Gaylord of Barre, Vt. and cast by Tallix Foundries of Beacon, N.Y. They are approximately 7-feet tall and represent an ethnic cross section of America. The advance party has 14 Army, three Marine, one Navy and one Air Force members. The statues stand in patches of juniper bushes and are separated by polished granite strips, which give a semblance of order and symbolize the rice paddies of Korea. The troops wear ponchos covering their weapons and equipment. The ponchos seem to blow in the cold winds of Korea.
The mural wall was designed by Louis Nelson of New York, N.Y. and fabricated by Cold Spring Granite Company, Cold Spring, Minn. The muralist, sculptor and architect worked closely to create a two-dimensional work of art adjacent to the three-dimensional statues. The wall consists of 41 panels extending 164 feet. Over 2,400 photographs of the Korean War were obtained from the National Archives. They were enhanced by computer to give a uniform lighting effect and the desired size. The mural, representing those forces supporting the foot soldier, depicts Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard personnel and their equipment. The etchings are arranged to give a wavy appearance in harmony with the layout of the statues. The reflective quality of the academy black granite creates the image of a total of 38 statues, symbolic of the 38th parallel and the 38 months of the war. When viewed from afar, it also creates the appearance of the mountain ranges of Korea.
The point of the triangle enclosing the statues reaches into a circular pool approximately 128 feet in diameter. Water is fed into the pool from its bottom and it flows over a stepped weir to give a pleasant rippling sound. Surrounding the pool are 28 linden trees shaped to create a barrel effect, which will allow the sun to reflect on the pool. Seven benches, located under the trees, provide a place for visitors to rest and reflect on the terrible price the youth of America paid during the war. On the wall that extends into the pool area, written in 10-inch silver letters, is the reminder:
Freedom is not free
Uploaded
February 5th, 2014
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Comments (13)
Howard Tenke
My father (who passed in 1991) was wounded in Korea after making it through WW II without a scratch. When I visited the memorial in April I was very moved and wished my dad could have seen it. I love the treatment and the depth of your image a job well done on the memorial to the "Forgotten War".
Lee Craig
My father is a Korean War Veteran and this is a particularly moving piece for me. Yes...it was a war and not a conflict. I'm glad that they have finally realized that and that you have shared an image like this in your gallery!