The First Division Monument – Washington D.C. 

The First Division Monument sits on a plaza in President’s Park, west of the White House and south of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the corner of 17^th Street and State Place, NW.  The monument was erected in 1924. 

The Society of the First Division conceived the monument to honor the valiant efforts of the soldiers who fought in World War I.  Later additions to the monument commemorate the lives of First Division soldiers who fought in subsequent wars. The World War II addition on the west side was dedicated in 1957, the Vietnam War addition on the east side in 1977, and the Desert Storm plaque in 1995 

Each conflict contains the names of those killed in action while serving with the First Infantry Division. Names are listed by unit for each conflict.

• World War I: 5,516 First Division soldiers
• World War II: 4,325 First Infantry Division Soldiers
• Vietnam: 3,079 First Infantry Division Soldiers
• Desert Storm: 27 First Infantry Division Soldiers, to include one female soldier and one contract civilian

A total of 12,947 names are now on the Monument

Department of the Army Policy requires an official campaign to end before names of soldiers killed in that campaign may be added to the monument.  The Commanding General, First Infantry Division has approved the criteria for determining names and units the Society may add to our First Division Monument in DC.  There are 631 names, along with their units to be added, with each name listed under the unit they served at the time.  

• Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn (Iraq):  439
• Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan): 192 

Before the Society may add these names, several actions must occur.  First a redesign of the monument base to accommodate the names.  Second, a Congressional Resolution authorizing the process.  Third, National Park Service approval of the plan.  Finally, retain a firm to do the construction and add the names.

Current Status (February 2021):

• The Society Board of Directors has approved the design
• The Senate and the House of Representatives have approved a resolution (FIRST ACT) to add the names
• The Society is in discussions with the National Park Service regarding details of the construction
• Once NPS approves, Construction contracts will be initiated
• Construction account has ~ $248,000 on hand of the estimated $400,000 needed.

Click here to visit the National Park Service’s 1st Division Memorial web site and learn more about the history of this monument to our honored dead.