Second Division Memorial, part of the President’s Park in Washington, D.C.
See the White House Grounds Tour web page for a map and links to other attractions on the grounds of President’s Park.
The Second Division Memorial in President’s Park is located near the corner of 17th Street and Constitution Avenue. The original monument, the tall, center structure, is the work of James Earle Fraser and was dedicated in 1936. The memorial honors the 17,660 men of the U. S. Army’s Second Infantry Division who died in World War I.
At the center of the monument is an open portal with a gold sculpture of a hand-held flaming sword. This represents the stopping of Germany from entering Paris. The insignia of the Second Division is embossed on the hilt of the sword. Additions were added to the memorial in 1962 to include Second Division men who died in World War II (left side) and the Korean War (right side). The names of battles in which the Second Division was prominently involved are engraved in the granite.
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Last updated on November 23, 2025
