The 2nd Infantry Division Memorial will be modified to honor those who lost their lives in the period of the Second Korean or DMZ War, as well as Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
The announcement was made at the memorial in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 26, the 106th birthday of the division.
“We are here to pay tribute to those who gave their lives for freedom. We also salute the families of our fallen heroes,” said the Chairman of the 2ID Memorials Foundation Aves Thompson.
The monument was originally dedicated in 1936 “To our Dead” for the division’s service in World War I. It was rededicated in 1962 following World War II and the Korean War, when two wings were added to honor its fallen in those conflicts.
The not-for-profit foundation began efforts to update the memorial in 2014 to honor those who died during the DMZ Conflict from 1966 to 1969 as well as in Afghanistan and Iraq. The effort was spearheaded in Congress by Sens. Lis Murkowski (R-AK) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and the late Congressman Don Young (R-AK).
After bi-partisan Congressional approval of the modification, the foundation worked with architectural firm Beyer Blinder Belle to develop design options. Late in 2019, the necessary design concept was received from the National Park Service and other federal oversight committees.
“We seek to honor those who have served our country over the years, in Korea and in all wars since and those who continue to serve our country,” said Murkowski. “The 2ID has a very storied history from France in WWI to the hills of Korea and beyond. We must make sure that the recognition they receive is permanent.”
Thompson explained that two plinths will be added to the existing monument, one dedicated to those who lost their lives in the DMZ Conflict, including the Korean soldiers assigned to the division. The other plinth will honor those who died serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The modification project is anticipated to be completed and dedicated in Fall 2025 at a cost of $2.7 million. The project is being privately funded with donations being accepted here.
The 2ID Memorial Monument is located in President’s Park on the National Mall, on the corner of 17th Street, NW and Constitution Avenue.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.