D.C. Trip- Maggie Sands

I really enjoyed our class trip to D.C. because, although I have been to the National Mall before, I had never been to the Vietnam, Korean, or Martin Luther King Jr. memorials. Having done so much research on the Korean War Veterans Memorial, I was really excited to see it in person for the first time. Unfortunately, I saw for myself how the memorial doesn't really get any message across. I thought the statues were really cool and that they on their own could be the whole memorial. While the photos on the reflective wall were interesting since they are actual archived photos from the Korean War, it is really hard to see them when you are walking right next to the wall and they are better viewed from far away. Also, I know that the photos are real because I researched it, but the average visitor would not know that. The reflecting pool was pretty disappointing, and not just because it didn't have water in it. It is so far away and disconnected from the rest of the memorial that by the time you get to that part you feel like you have left. Seeing the memorial in person gave me good insights for my research paper, but sadly my experience upheld the idea that the memorial fails to serve its intended purpose.

I was also really excited to go to the Vietnam Memorial because Hass' book explained it as such a powerful experience. After rushing around the National Mall to see everything, at the wall you really slow down and look at all the names. One thing that I am curious about is the names at the top of the wall that is taller than many people can reach. Can people not make rubbings of those names? Can they not touch them? I was also surprised that there were not more gifts left at the memorial. While I did see some coins, a letter, and an Air Force medallion, I expected there to be so much more based on the reading.

My favorite part of the day was definitely the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I have never been to Arlington, and I had no idea that the changing of the guard was such a specific and highly honored ritual. I was honestly tearing up watching it because you could sense the pride and duty of these men. The memorial itself is interesting in that it is a single man being remembered but he is representative of all those who were killed and never identified. I could not help but read over and over the end of the memorial that said "Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God." The religious aspect adds another element of seriousness and solemnity, and for me it made me think about the fact that this soldier died and is now with God. The ritual created a very quiet and respectful environment, and the visitors were asked to participate in that we were told to remain silent and standing.

Overall, I really enjoyed the day because it is one thing to look at pictures of all these memorials, but I got so much more out of it seeing them in person.