It was 1960, I was eleven years old and had traversed 3,000 miles across the USA with my family in a station wagon hauling a travel trailer.  We started in the middle of Washington state, and landed in Boston.  During that summer we visited many national parks including the Washington and Lincoln Memorials.

Since that first visit, I have returned to the National Mall whenever I am in DC.  The awe I feel when approaching the Lincoln Memorial is palpable, and I ache when I walk the Vietnam War Memorial Wall.   On my last visit the World War II Memorial was just completed.  It too inspires me and is a fitting tribute.

WW II Memorial at twilight

WW II Memorial at twilight