Carol Highsmith
The California Academy black granite wall along the south side of the memorial to the west contains a grand martial mural. The granite is adorned with etchings of over 2,400 period photographs of Korean War service-members, obtained from the National Archives. The mural represents those forces that augmented and supported the ground troops. The stone mural depicts Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps personnel and their equipment. The etched images are devoid of insignia or name tapes, making them representative of all who served. These images reveal the determination of the U.S. forces and the countless ways in which Americans answered the call to duty. The Mural Wall was designed by Louis Nelson Associates of New York, N.Y. and fabricated by Cold Spring Granite Company, Cold Spring, Minn. (the company that also engraved the names on the Wall of Remembrance). The muralist, sculptor, and architect worked closely to create a two-dimensional work of art that would complement the statues and draw attention to the unity of effort demonstrated by all who served. The muralist enhanced and manipulated the photographs with a computer to give them uniform lighting, size, and shadow effect. The etchings are arranged to rise and fall in harmony with the layout of the statues. The mirror-like Academy Black Granite reflects the 19 images of the statues in the "Field of Service" and creates an image of 38 statues, symbolic of the 38th Parallel the line that demarcates North and South Korea. When viewed from afar, the etchings also create the appearance of the rugged Korean mountain ranges. The wall is organized by military branch and specialty fields as shown below: 
Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation |
Last updated: July 26, 2022