The National World War I Memorial is finally complete. The final piece of the monument, a nearly 60-foot-long bronze sculpture, was unveiled and illuminated for the first time this past weekend. This officially marks the completion of a nearly 10 year project to honor the 4.7 million Americans who served in World War I.
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“A Soldier’s Journey” by sculptor Sabin Howard, was officially illuminated during a commemorative ceremony on Friday. The 25 ton sculpture depicts one soldier’s wartime experience. The sculpture features 38 human figures that are part of several tableaus: the departure for war, the charge into battle, the physical and mental wounds incurred, and finally a homecoming. According to a news release, the sculpture is the largest free-standing, high-relief bronze sculpture in the Western Hemisphere.
This is the final piece in a decades-long effort to bring a national World War I memorial to the District. Since 2013, the World War I Centennial Commission and the Doughboy Foundation, which works to educate about the U.S.’s participation in the Great War, worked together to plan, fund, and create the memorial and sculpture. The memorial itself, which is located in Pershing Park (right near the White House on Pennsylvania Ave. between 14th and 15th Streets NW), was designed by architect Joe Weishaar and has been open to the public since 2021. The memorial is free to visit, and you can watch the full ceremony here.