Words Inscribed on the World War II Memorial

Joseph E. Persico served as a commissioner on the American Battle Monuments Commission during the period in which the Commission built the World War II Memorial in Washington. Engraved on the walls of the Memorial are eighteen quotations from World War II leaders and two others written by Mr. Persico. His include the announcement stone at the memorial’s entrance reading:

“Here in the presence of Washington and Lincoln, one the eighteenth century father and the other the nineteenth century preserver of our nation, we honor those twentieth century Americans who took up the struggle during the second world war and made the sacrifices to perpetuate the gift our forefathers entrusted to us, a nation conceived in liberty and justice.”

Persico also wrote the inscription on the field of gold stars which represents the 400,000 Americans who died in the country’s service during World War II. It reads:

“Here we mark the price of freedom.”