Concerned Veterans for America Statement on Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial
Arlington, Va. – Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) Outreach and Research Analyst Shaun Rieley released the following statement regarding the ongoing debate over the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial in Washington, DC:
“While this issue is one that hasn’t often been in the forefront of the news cycle, we feel that it is an important one. General and President Dwight D. Eisenhower is a hero to veterans. From his masterful D-Day invasion as Supreme Allied Commander, to his armistice he achieved as president halting the Korean War, he demonstrated superb leadership and a deep concern for his troops. We firmly believe that General Eisenhower deserves a fitting national memorial that embodies his values and inspires veterans and all Americans. Unfortunately, Frank Gehry’s memorial design utterly fails at that task.
“World War II veteran and Brigadier General John S.D. Eisenhower, the president’s son, said, the proposal is extravagant in scope and scale and fails to do justice to Eisenhower. The ugly, confusing, and grandiose design does not befit a man who asked to be buried in the same $80 government-issued casket provided to the common soldier. We salute the Eisenhower family’s united opposition to the memorial.
“But it is not just the design that is a disgrace. After 16 years and $40 million spent without a shovel of dirt being turned, the memorial has is a classic example of government waste. Veterans know that Eisenhower, a budget hawk who balanced the federal budget, would be aghast at this boondoggle estimated to cost $144 million.
“It has become clear that this design lacks consensus from Congress and the public, and that it will never be completed. It’s time to honor Ike with a new design – not just for World War II veterans, but for all veterans – and all Americans – both today and tomorrow.”
For media inquiries, contact press@cv4a.org.
###
Concerned Veterans for America is a non-partisan, non-profit, 501(c)(4) organization that advocates for policies that will preserve the freedom and prosperity we and our families so proudly fought and sacrificed to defend.