Dwight D. Eisenhower was the 34th president of the United States and the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in World War II . During his presidency, "Ike" worked to contain the spread of Communism around the globe, developed the interstate highway system, and famously used the military to enforce the integration of schools in Little Rock, Arkansas. The memorial reflects Eisenhower's leadership roles as general and as president. On the right side of the mem
Dwight Eisenhower returned to Abilene on June 22, 1945 to a parade welcoming him home and honoring his leadership in Europe during World War II. After watching the celebration, his grateful acceptance of the recognition began with the above quote. He went on to say that this parade was not just for him; he was only a "symbol" of the soldiers, sailors and airmen who helped bring Allied victory.
On the right side of the memorial core, Eisenhower as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force during World War II is commemorated by a bronze heroic-sized statue with sculptures of his soldiers inspired by the famous photograph with the 101st Airborne Division before their jump into France. Behind the sculptures is a bas relief depicting the Normandy landings on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
On the left side of the memorial core, the bronze heroic-sized statue of Eisenhower as 34th President of the United States places him at the center of the White House Oval Office flanked by sculptures of civilian and military advisors, symbolizing the balance Eisenhower struck between conflicting demands of national security and peaceful progress. The bas-relief global background depicts a map of the world symbolizing Eisenhower's role as a world statesman and preeminent inte
Under the design direction of architect Frank Gehry, artist Tomas Osinski has created a stainless-steel tapestry for the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial. The tapestry depicts the Pointe du Hoc promontory of France’s Normandy coastline during peacetime and serves as a symbol of the peace Eisenhower sought and won as Supreme Allied Commander during World War II and maintained and nurtured as 34th president. Although the artistic feature draws inspiration from historic tapestry.
On a pedestal at the northwest plaza entrance, a life-size sculpture of Eisenhower as a young man depicts the trajectory of his life as the quintessential American story. Inscribed in stone nearby is an excerpt from Eisenhower's Abilene Homecoming Speech on June 22, 1945.
