The best camping near Korean War Veterans Memorial

This four-part memorial located in Washington, D.C.'s West Potomac Park commemorates the 5.8 million U.S. armed services members who fought in the Korean War. The Statues, the Mural Wall, the Pool of Remembrance and the United Nations Wall honor their sacrifices. Spanning three years (1950-1953), the Korean conflict saw 36,574 Americans die and 103,284 sustain wounds. 8,200 are listed as missing in action, lost or buried at sea.

This moving memorial is set on the National Mall, near the Lincoln Memorial and the Reflecting Pool. It's free and open 24 hours a day. There are 19 soldier statues that stand 7 feet tall and weigh 1,000 pounds. The facial expressions of the advancing troops are incredibly lifelike. The sculptures represent an ethnic cross-section of America. Their ponchos appear to billow in the cold winds of Korea as they walk through rice paddies.

The 164-foot Mural Wall is a two-dimensional work of art next to the soldier statues. Its 41 panels contain over 2,400 computer-enhanced photos of the war in action. The reflective black granite makes it look as if there are 38 statues. This is symbolic of the 38th parallel, the dividing line of North and South Korea during the conflict, and the 38 months of the war.

The United Nations wall lists all 22 members of the U.N. that contributed to the war efforts. There's also a granite wall proclaiming “Freedom Is Not Free.” A look into the shallow, reflective Pool of Remembrance shows inscriptions listing the number of soldiers killed, wounded, missing in action and held prisoner during the Korean War. It's a lovely place to sit on the benches beneath the trees and do some reflecting of your own.