Air Force Memorial

With its three iconic steel spires soaring into the sky, the Air Force Memorial honors the service of U.S. Air Force members.

Located on a beautiful hillside overlooking the Pentagon, the Air Force Memorial honors the service and heritage of the men and women of the United States Air Force and its predecessor military organizations.

Visible from miles around, three stainless steel spires soar into the sky from the promontory reaching a height of 402 feet above sea level. The arching design was inspired by the contrails of Air Force Thunderbird aircraft as they peel back in a precision "bomb burst" maneuver.

Design

The Air Force Memorial uses architectural design, inscriptions and sculpture to represent Air Force history, including the intrepid pioneers in early-flight balloon reconnaissance and the advent of manned air and space flight. The last project of American architect James Ingo Freed (known for his design of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum), the three memorial spires range from 201 feet to 270 feet high. But only three of the four contrails are represented, at 120 degrees from each other, as the absent fourth suggests the missing man formation traditionally used at Air Force funeral flyovers.

rows of American Flags in front of the three large, reflective spires of the Air Force Memorial in Arlington, VA

Additional design elements complement the spires. Four 8-foot-tall bronze statues, which represent the United States Air Force Honor Guard, prominently adorn the memorial. They were sculpted by Zenos Frudakis, an American sculptor known for his monumental works. A stone plaza leads to a glass contemplation wall, a free-standing panel with the images of four F-16s flying in a missing man formation engraved on both sides. This is the only part of the memorial that depicts aircraft, apart from the information kiosks outside the administration building. You can see the north inscription wall through this glass panel.

Two inscription walls — each 56 feet long, 10 feet tall and one foot thick — are located at each end of the central lawn. Made of polished, highly reflective granite, they both include a two-and-a-half-inch outer inscription panel also made of granite. The names of Air Force Medal of Honor recipients are inscribed on the north wall, while the south wall bears inspirational quotations related to valor and the values of the Air Force: "integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do."

Built in 2006, the Air Force Memorial was the last military service monument to be erected in the National Capital Region.

view from the middle of the three spires of the Air Force Memorial looking up toward a cloudy sky

Events

The memorial, which welcomes more than 350,000 annual visitors, hosts about 300 activities each year. They include military retirement, promotion and reenlistment ceremonies; wreath-laying ceremonies; Memorial Day, POW/MIA Recognition Day and Veterans Day programs; weddings; funerals and other special events. During the summer, the United States Air Force Band performs concerts at the memorial every Friday night.

How to Visit

The memorial has free admission and parking. It’s located adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery and is about a mile walk from Metro’s Pentagon City station and Pentagon station.