Washington Stamp Story: World War I Memorial 🏛️🌸

The World War I Memorial in Washington, D.C., is situated in Pershing Park on the southeast corner of the National Mall. It opened on April 16, 2021, honoring the 4.6 million Americans who served in the Great War and the 116,516 who lost their lives. 🇺🇸✨ John J. Pershing (1860–1948) was the supreme commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) during WWI. In 1919, he was awarded the rank of General of the Armies—the highest military honor in U.S. history, a title shared only with George Washington. 🎖️📜 The statue of Pershing was created by American sculptor Robert White (grandson of famed architect Stanford White). Unveiled in October 1983, the bronze statue stands 8 feet tall on a red granite base. It depicts Pershing in his WWI uniform, holding binoculars in his right hand and a hat in his left, gazing resolutely toward the battlefield—a powerful tribute to his leadership. 🎩⚔️ Behind the statue stands the recently completed “A Soldier’s Journey” relief wall. In 2015, the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission launched an international design competition. The winning entry came from sculptor Sabin Howard and architect Joseph Weishaar. Their design centers on a narrative bronze relief tracing one soldier’s personal journey, reflecting both individual sacrifice and national transformation. Inspired by the “Hero’s Journey” archetype, the relief unfolds in five scenes from left to right: leaving home, entering combat, facing injury and death, returning in triumph, and coming back to family. It captures not only courage, but also the trauma and complexity of war. 🧡🕊️ On September 13, 2024, the relief was officially unveiled in a “First Illumination” ceremony—coinciding with what would have been General Pershing’s 164th birthday. Together, the relief and the statue form the complete National World War I Memorial. The U.S. Postal Service issued stamps honoring General Pershing and WWI veterans in 1961 and 1985. The day WWI ended—November 11—later became Veterans Day in the United States. #Stamps #GreatWashingtonTravel #WashingtonDC #WashingtonDCTravel #WWIMemorial #WWICommemoration #HistoryLovers #MonumentsOfDC #VeteransDay #USHistory #SculptureArt #NationalMall #RememberingHeroes