Memorial Day in America is typically marked by quality outdoor time with friends, family and a barbecue.But the actual reason for the day is to remember and honor the men and women who make it possible for such carefree gaiety to occur; those who have served in the US Armed Forces.

DC is a city that loves its monuments and memorials, so in honor of Memorial Day, here are my three favorite military-related memorials in town.

3. Korean War Memorial 
Flanking the south side of the Reflection Pool on the National Mall, this memorial is often passed over by visitors.  Ironic (or fitting) given that the Korean War itself is known as the “Forgotten War.”

Statues of servicemen on patrol (representing all branches of the military) sit in a triangular field that is lined by a black granite wall featuring the etched faces of actual participants in the war.

A small reflection pool shows stats on the number of wounded, killed and missing for both the US and the United Nations.

I love that the crowds here tend to be much smaller and more manageable than other memorials on the Mall.

2. Iwo Jima Memorial 
Located across the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia, this is it the ultimate monument to the Marine Corps. I may be biased given there’s a Marine in my family, but I’m always impressed by the sheer size of this statue.

Its a recreation of the iconic photo taken by Joe Rosenthal at the Battle of Iwo Jima on Mount Suribachi during WWII.

I love the detailed hands working together to raise the flag.

From the Iwo Jima memorial there is an amazing view of the Mall.  But a better view still can be found about 300 feet south of the memorial at the base of the Netherlands Carillon bell tower.  From there you can see the Washington Monument, the Capitol Building and the Lincoln Memorial!

1. World War II Memorial 
Situated at the east end of the Reflecting Pool on the Mall, this monument is a clever expanse of marble surrounding an oval pool of fountains.

56 pillars line the narrow edges of the pool representing all US states and territories.

Two columned arches designate the Pacific and Atlantic theaters of war.

A wall along the far side of the pool dons over 4,000 gold stars, each taking the place of 100 American lives lost during the war.

Image courtesy of Ambrosia_apples

This memorial is great place to sit and people watch or to take a rest if you’re spending an afternoon on the Mall.

Honorable Mention – Vietnam War Memorial
I consider this the “darling” of war memorials, as it by far gets the most attention from visitors. However, because of that, there’s always a crowd which can ruin the poignant experience of walking the Wall (inscribed with the names of all US service members who were killed or missing in action, in chronoligical order).