I went on a weekend getaway to Washington D.C. over the long Labor Day weekend in September. It wasn’t the first trip I had taken there, but it was the first time that I had seen the National World War II Memorial during the daytime.

The architectural design was created by Friedrich St. Florian.

As I walked towards the Atlantic Pavilion side of the Memorial (There is a Pacific side, also), I had a profound sense of realization, and I was overcome with emotions regarding the fact my father served in the U.S. Army during WW II, along with hundreds of thousands of other men and women. This Memorial (which was offically dedicated on Memorial Day 2004) is a long overdue tribute to the U.S. men and women, who served abroad and at the homefront, whether in the military or in another capacity. There are very few veterans still living who served during that time period.

I spent hours walking around the Memorial, and I stopped in front of the section that had the New York Pillar (my birthplace, and the state where my father enlisted) to reflect and say a prayer. There is a pillar for each of the 50 states.

In the center of the Memorial is a Reflecting Pond, with fountains along the perimeter of the pond. It is a serene area to meditate, to remember those who served, and to reflect on the past, the present and the future, and how war affects us all, no matter the generation we are in.

I walked over to the Pacific Pavilion, and took a few photographs of the Atlantic Pavilion from that side of the Memorial.

I also took a photo from the grassy area of The Mall, with the National World War II Memorial in front of the long and expansive lawn, and in the background, one can see the white columns and Greek architecture of the beautiful Lincoln Memorial. In between the two Memorials is a long Reflecting Pool…separating both Memorials by about one mile.

For me to articulate and describe the World War II Memorial is basically impossible. Words such as beautiful, poignant, serene, emotional, etc., all seem so inadequate. The Memorial encompasses all of those words and so much more, and the experience was extremely profound, for me.

While you look at these photos, also reflect on the fact that World War II was a time of loss of life of not only military, but also civilians and people from all over the world, from different cultures and spiritual beliefs. It was a time of anti-semitism, horrific autrocities and genocide.

It was a time fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, grandparents, children, aunts and uncles, cousins, friends, etc., left us unexpectedly, relatives and friends were killed/murdered and exterminated, never to say goodbye.