Terry Everett, May 31, 2004

Three years after the U.S. House and Senate gave final approval to the construction of the long-awaited World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the structure is a reality. It was officially dedicated last weekend before a crowd of thousands of veterans and tourists.

Our nation's capital is a city of monuments to America's founding fathers and military heroes. It is hard to visit here and not feel patriotic. Yet for all its shrines to our noblest ideals and freedoms, there has been one obvious void. Although monuments like Iwo Jima, commemorating a specific World War II battle, have been here for years, Washington, D.C. had no memorial dedicated to the valor and sacrifices of all those who served and fought in World War II.

The numbers are staggering. More than 16 million Americans (including many of our parents and grandparents) donned a military uniform in defense of freedom during the Second World War. At least 400,000 of those patriots literally gave their lives on battlefields on land and at sea so that liberty could persevere against global tyranny. Another 600,000 were injured.

Millions more here on the home front labored in armaments factories and personally did without in order to supply and support the victorious war effort. Certainly such bravery and triumph of the human spirit deserves special tribute, yet for 60 years there was no national memorial to honor those we know as America's "greatest generation."

In 1993, Congress passed special legislation authorizing the creation of a national World War II Memorial. The Memorial foundation accomplished a great deal. It not only selected a fitting site on the National Mall, between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, but came up with a design which pleased a majority of Americans - not an easy task. Furthermore, it managed to raise a staggering $175 million in private contributions; more than enough to build the Memorial and maintain it for years to come.

There were many who helped secure funds for the much-needed Memorial - both nationally and in Alabama. One notable fundraising effort was spearheaded in 1999 by Fort Rucker, Alabama Command Sergeant Major Ronald Bedford who walked all the way from Mobile to the National Mall (1,500 miles) generating publicity and contributions along the way. I had the honor of personally greeting CSM Bedford on behalf of the Congress when he arrived in Washington.

The stately new Memorial is truly a testament to those who secured freedom during the most symbolic event of the 20th Century. Its 56 grand granite pillars, supporting ornate bronze wreaths accented by a field of 4,000 stars and a large fountain, inspire awe and command reverence. An Alabama Company, Allen Architectural Metals of Talladega, had a hand in the construction of the historic monument by providing ornate grille work associated with its impressive fountain as well as floor lettering in the Atlantic and Pacific pavilions.

With aging and ailing World War II veterans dying at a rate of 1,100 a day, it has been estimated that only four million of the total 16 million servicemen and women are still alive today. This monument to their sacrifice is late in coming, but that does not diminish its necessity or power.

Congressman Terry Everett, a Republican, represents Alabama's Second Congressional District, which includes the state capitol, Montgomery.