Air Force Memorial Arlington VA

Air Force Memorial Arlington VA

On our way to the Pentagon from the Iwo Jima Memorial, my son and I saw these three pillars sticking out of the trees into the sky.  I couldn’t help but wonder what they are, I think I even pointed them out to him saying the same.

Then I saw the sign for the Air Force Memorial and since that was my branch of service, we simply HAAAD to visit it!  So we did.

It was a really nice memorial!  I loved it.  It’s free to visit of course and there’s no locked gates or anything, so you can pretty much visit it anytime from what I could see.  I felt a since of belonging, like it meant something special to me to visit it.

I liked and appreciated how they had set up the memorial.  We spent a few minutes there taking it all in and talked about what it meant.

It was a nice little surprise stop, for sure.  I will likely stop there again when I’m coming through the area just to pay my respects to my brothers and sisters in the Air Force.  I miss them.

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About Air Force Memorial Arlington VA

The United States Air Force Memorial is located at 1 Air Force Memorial Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22211.  It is free to visit and was built to honor the service and heritage of United States Air Force men and women.

The three stainless steel spires soar into the sky 402 feet above sea level.  Overlooking the Pentagon, the memorial is adjacent to the Arlington National Cemetery.

The granite walls contain inscriptions which describe the core values and valor of aviation pioneers who support the Air Force, as well as its predecessor military organizations.

This was the last military service memorial to be erected in the DC area.  It was also the designed by American architect James Ingo Freed, this was his last project.

Inspiration for the memorial came from the bomb burst maneuver of the Air Force Thunderbirds when they peel back in precision.

The Memorial is open 9am to 9pm every day of the year, except Christmas.  There is a small parking lot in which you can park and walk to the memorial.

Summary

This stop probably meant more to me, having served in the Air Force, than it did my son.  But he still thought it was pretty cool how they built the spires which seem to be soaring to glory.

We didn’t stay here very long, maybe 15 minutes.  There isn’t a lot to see here.  But if you do visit, take the time to read about the values of the Air Force and pay your respects to the airmen and women that serve for our freedom.

I highly recommend this stop.  Like the Iwo Jima Memorial, the grounds are quiet and serene, it’s a great place to sit and reflect.

Have you been there?  I’d love to hear what you thought of it.  How did you like those spires?

Please drop a few lines in the comments box below and let me know how your visit went.

In the meantime, safe travels!

~Kris M.

P.S.  If you happen to use travel journals, be sure to check out the travel journal I created for my future Washington DC Road Trips.

Written by Kris M.