National Desert Storm memorial site selected
The 2nd Battalion, 142nd Field Artillery conducts a fire mission in support of Operation Desert Storm. (Wikimedia Commons)

National Desert Storm memorial site selected

The site for the future national memorial to those who served during the first Gulf War conflict has been selected.

The National Desert Storm War Memorial Association (NDSWMA) announced in June that final approval had been given for the memorial to be constructed at 23rd Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., very close to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial in what is known as Area I. According to the U.S. Code, Area I is only approved if "the subject of the commemorative work is of pre-eminent historical and lasting significance to the United States."

A statement on the NDSWMA website reads, in part: "This has been the longest, [most] daunting and most enduring part of our endeavor so far; it has also been a very rewarding one. It has allowed us to research many aspects of several sites in D.C., and we have acquired an utmost appreciation for many of them. And, of course, the site we acquired was the most appropriate and deserved to construct the memorial and provide its ultimate mission: for remembering those who served, honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and educating current and future global citizens about the importance of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm."

Fundraising efforts continue; no tax dollars or government money will be used for construction. The American Legion passed a resolution supporting the memorial at the 95th National Convention in Houston. Keep up with the latest news at the NDSWM website.