Veterans honored with new Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial in DC

Veterans honored with new Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial in DC This Veterans Day and for countless Veterans Days to come, the work by a sculptor from Vermont will be a major place to honor military service and sacrifice in the Gulf War Advertisement Updated: 5:19 PM CST Nov 11, 2026 Editorial Standards ⓘ Jack Thurston Anchor Veterans honored with new Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial in DC This Veterans Day and for countless Veterans Days to come, the work by a sculptor from Vermont will be a major place to honor military service and sacrifice in the Gulf War Updated: 5:19 PM CST Nov 11, 2026 Editorial Standards ⓘ Jack Thurston Anchor As the nation pauses to observe Veterans Day, a new memorial in Washington, D.C., will honor service and sacrifice in the Gulf War in 1990 and 1991. The Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial has been in the works for more than a decade, and an artist raised in Vermont made major contributions to the finished product. "One of our goals, overall, was to first create a beautiful place that people want to come to," explained sculptor Emily Bedard. "Once they're here and having that experience, then they can think deeper about the artwork. What is this representing? Who is this honoring? And then they can go back and learn more about Desert Storm and the veterans." Advertisement Bedard grew up in the Chittenden County town of Milton and now has a studio in New York. She was on a team of artists who collaborated on the new memorial, which is located near the Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall. Bedard designed a curving stone wall with bas-relief sculptures that tell the story of the U.S.-led coalition of forces that liberated Kuwait from Iraq's invasion. The new addition to the National Mall honors the roughly 700,000 U.S. military personnel who served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and remembers the nearly 400 who made the ultimate sacrifice. "It's an incredibly humbling experience," Bedard said in late October when she was in Washington, D.C., for the dedication of the memorial. "It's really wonderful to see it public today and mostly to have veterans come and see this work and to receive this sense of closure after 35 years of waiting to be recognized for their service." Bedard said she hopes people will experience the new memorial at different times of day, explaining that the angle of the sun changes the experience of walking past the curving wall. The figures on it reflect the surge of international forces that came to Kuwait's aid with precise planning and swift action, Bedard explained. "To the American people, to all those who answered the call to serve, your place in Kuwait's national memory and in our hearts will never be forgotten," said Sheikha Al-Zain Al-Sabah, Kuwait's ambassador to the United States. The new landmark will be open to visitors 24/7, according to the National Park Service . It was paid for with private funds, not taxpayer dollars, according to the National Desert Storm Memorial Association . "The National Park Service tells me that literally 5 to 6 million people are going to come through this memorial every year," said Scott Stump, a Desert Storm veteran who also served as the president of the organization that worked to make the memorial a reality. "It's very humbling to know that that story is going to live on long after all of us are gone." 106-year-old WWII veteran reflects on his service and provides life advice Vietnam veteran honored with new truck, making it easier for him to go to medical appointments Trump honors US veterans during observance events at Arlington National Cemetery Make WISN a preferred source on Google Add Preferred Source Share Infinite Scroll Enabled Top Picks JoBe Cerny, who voiced the Pillsbury Doughboy, has died Lessie Benningfield Randle, the last known Tulsa Race Massacre survivor, turns 112 They longed to hold their fragile NICU babies. A new device made it possible 106-year-old WWII veteran reflects on his service and provides life advice