Walking through Washington D.C., you can feel the emotions and memories to go along with each monument and commemoration for a War. From all the lives lost on the wall at the Vietnam monument to the gold stars at the World War II memorial, you can feel the impact of each life lost. Students in the Vietnam History class at Greater Latrobe got the opportunity to experience the emotions and process these feelings when they took a trip to the nation’s Capital. 

Arriving in D.C. and stepping off the bus at the World War II Memorial, a prideful feeling overwhelmed each student. The monument was a beautiful tribute of respect and appreciation for the lost soldiers in the war. The memorial consists of a fountain in the middle of the monument surrounded by stone pillars, each one labeled and representing a state and territory of the United States during the war. The feeling in the monument was very strange. Very quiet, as everyone was showing their respect. It was an atmosphere I had never been a part of before. It felt as if there was a funeral for each soldier going on in the middle of the memorial. On the north end of the monument, there was a wall of 4,048 gold stars. Each star represented 100 American soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty. The 404,800 lost lives is the second most in American history, only behind the Civil War. Opening the trip at the World War II Memorial was a special way to open the trip, as it set the tone for the emotional impact to come at each monument.  

Leaving behind the weight of every lost life in World War II, we moved to the Washington Monument. The Washington Monument is the tallest structure in D.C. and is a staple of the Washington Skyline. Standing at the base of the structure, you could feel the sheer size of the building and how it shapes the D.C. skyline. The courtyard at the base of the building was filled with interested students, curious tourists, and proud Americans. The monument is in remembrance of our first president, George Washington. You could almost feel the pride of Washington’s life and all his achievements emanating from the building. The towering building is made from large stone, granite, and marble blocks. About halfway up the monument, the color of the blocks changes. Construction of the monument was halted in 1854, and when it resumed, a different quarry with different stone and marble was used. Such an important life to form the backbone of this nation deserves a special kind of tribute. Having the tallest structure in the D.C. skyline is the perfect piece of respect to President Washington.

The group left behind the accomplishments of Washington and took a dive into the life of Thomas Jefferson. Sitting on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial, you will be overwhelmed with the beauty of our nation’s capital. The view consists of the D.C. skyline over the water, with a magnificent view of the White House. The overall vibe of the memorial and the view was something special, it was a true pleasure to get to experience. Inside the closed structure of the Jefferson Memorial is a large statue of Thomas Jefferson, our 3rd president. The statue of Jefferson faces north towards the White House, paying tribute to how Jefferson would look over the executive branch following his presidency. He was a key figure in American history during and after his presidency. Surrounding Jefferson are four walls with inscriptions of Jefferson’s writing, including his work on the Declaration of Independence. Reading and hearing people read his works aloud inside the enclosed dome was almost as if you could hear Jefferson’s voice within the echoes in the building. 

Moving on from the lives of two of the most influential American reformers, we then looked at a memorial for one of the most influential American wars. The Vietnam Memorial has a large wall lined from end to end with the names of fallen soldiers. Each student in the Vietnam history class was given a piece of paper and a pencil, and a name on the Vietnam wall. The students had to trace over the fallen soldiers’ names on the wall. As the students were tracing the name onto their paper, you could feel the memories of a lifetime transfer off the wall. The feeling of a proud soldier who gave his life for this country, now with his name lined on the wall with his brothers from his company in tribute to their service for our nation. This monument had the most solemn feeling. You could feel the pain and sadness from each passing bystander. Most people walking through the memorial were looking for the name of a loved one who had been lost. At the base of the wall, many families had left pictures and personal belongings of their lost loved ones. There were statues of soldiers and nurses around the surrounding area of the monument. The memorial was something special to see, a special piece of American History. 

Leaving behind each name on that wall, we made our way to another commemoration for lost soldiers. In Arlington National Cemetery, there was a very similar feeling from the Vietnam Wall, but there was a difference. You could once again feel the life of each soldier who was lost, but now not just for a single war but for all of American history. The feeling was overwhelming. It felt like the weight of each lost life was weighing over you as you passed each stone. Walking through the roads and looking at all the stones for each lost soldier was such an eerie feeling, to see all the lost lives. There were stones everywhere you looked; it felt like they went on forever. At the end of the cemetery, we came to the tomb of the unknown soldiers. The whole crowd was silent as they looked at the soldier guarding the tomb. We got the privilege to witness the changing of the guard. The changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown is a special ceremony that happens every 30 minutes. The patriotism of the soldier guarding the tomb was transferred to the whole crowd as they watched such a special ceremony for our nation. It is such a unique scene to honor those who gave their lives. For those who are not known but never forgotten. 

We then moved to another special area in Arlington Cemetery, the tomb of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy. The tomb was silent, and there were signs saying to stay quiet and be respectful. The tomb was very large, as it is the burial grounds of J.F.K., his wife, and two of his children. At the top of the tomb is an eternal flame to remember and celebrate the lives of the Kennedy Family and all they did for the country. The tomb was full of a solemn feeling for the tragedy of J.F.K. and how he lost his life. Everyone around the tomb was showing their respect and processing their emotions as the feeling and the atmosphere from the burial grounds overwhelmed everyone in the area.

The trip was really a special experience and a privilege to get to see all the national monuments and all the history to go along with them. All the emotions picked up from the memorials still weigh over me. Remembering the lost lives of national heroes and American royalties. The atmosphere at each monument was a feeling like no other, and it truly is something every American citizen should experience at least once in their lifetime if they get the chance.