World War II National Memorial
World War II Memorial, National, a memorial on the grounds of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It is dedicated to all who served in the war and all who supported the war effort at home. Its grounds cover 7.4 acres (3 hectares) between the Washington Monument on the east and the Lincoln Memorial on the west. The monument itself covers 2.3 acres (0.93 hectares) and consists of a series of granite structures surrounding a pool. At the north and south sides are 43-foot (13.1-m) arches, one representing the war's Atlantic theater, the other the Pacific theater. Free-standing pillars, one for each state and possession, flank the arches. A curved wall on which are embedded 4,000 gold stars honors the war's dead.
The project was authorized in 1993. Construction began in 2001 and the memorial was opened in 2004. Friedrich St. Florian was the design architect. The memorial is operated by the National Park Service.