Today is Veterans Day. We celebrate and honor those who serve our country. I want to thank all the men and women who are or have served our country for the sacrifices they make every day to protect us to that we can enjoy the lives we leave.
Let us not confuse Veterans Day with Memorials Day. Memorial Day honors military personnel who died serving our country, especially those who died in the battle or as a result of the wound sustained in the battle. However, Veterans Day honors all those who served in the military.
While we honor those we sacrificed so much for us and our country, I wanted to showcase the memorials I visited, especially in the Washington DC area so many times honoring our veterans and fallen heroes.  It’s such a surreal experience walking through these memorials commemorating our nation’s heroes. I highly recommend everyone to visit these places when if you ever find yourself in the nation’s capital.
World War II Memorial honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S., the more than 400,000 who died, and all who supported the war effort from home. It was opened to public on April of 2004. Every time I visit the place, I find a profound peace. It is flanked by the Washington Monument to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west.
Vietnam War Memorial honors men and women who served in the controversial Vietnam War. It is located in the constitution gardens adjacent to the National Mall, just northeast of the Lincoln Memorial. The memorial was opened to public on November of 1982. The memorial includes the names of over 58,000 servicemen and women who gave their lives in service in the Vietnam Conflict. The memorial also includes “The Three Servicemen” statue and the Vietnam Women’s Memorial.
Korean War Memorial honors those who served in the forgotten Korean War. It is located in Washington D.C.’s  West Potomac Park, southeast of the Lincoln Memorial and just south of the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall. The memorial was opened to public on July, 1995. It has several realistic sculptures of soldiers in trench coat, treading in the grass and on alert for enemy ambush.
Iwo Jima Memorial, officially known as the Marine Corps War Memorial is located outside the walls of Arlington National Cemetery. It is dedicated to all personnel of the United States Marine Corps who have died in the defense of the United States since 1775. The memorial features the statues of the six servicemen who raised the second U.S. flag on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II, on February 23, 1945.
We have memorials honoring the heroes who sacrificed so much for your protection and our country. Visiting these places reminds us the coldness and cruelty of war and so much has been lost. Just go down with your family if not for anything just to sit down and enjoy the surrealistic beauty of these iconic memorials.
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