II
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 760
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 1, 2009
Mrs. McCaskill (for herself and Mr. Bond) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
A BILL
To designate the Liberty Memorial at the
National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, as the National
World War I Memorial
.
National World War I Memorial
Findings
Congress finds that—
although more than 4,000,000 Americans served in World War I, there is no nationally recognized memorial honoring the service of those Americans in that War;
in 1919, the residents of Kansas City, Missouri, expressed an outpouring of support and raised more than $2,000,000 in 2 weeks for a memorial to the service of Americans in World War I; and
that fundraising—
was an accomplishment unparalleled by any other city in the United States, irrespective of population; and
reflected the passion of public opinion about World War I, which had so recently ended;
after the fundraising drive, a national architectural competition was held by the American Institute of Architects for designs for a memorial to the service of Americans in World War I, and the competition yielded a design by architect H. Van Buren Magonigle;
on November 1, 1921, more than 100,000 people witnessed the dedication of the site for the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri; and
that dedication marked the only time in history that the 5 allied military leaders present, Lieutenant General Baron Jacques of Belgium, General Armando Diaz of Italy, Marshal Ferdinand Foch of France, General John J. Pershing of the United States, and Admiral Lord Earl Beatty of Great Britain, were together at 1 place;
General Pershing, a native of Missouri and
the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I, noted at the
November 1, 1921, dedication that [t]he people of Kansas City, Missouri,
are deeply proud of the beautiful memorial, erected in tribute to the
patriotism, the gallant achievements, and the heroic sacrifices of their sons
and daughters who served in our country’s armed forces during the World War. It
symbolized their grateful appreciation of duty well done, and appreciation
which I share, because I know so well how richly it is merited
;
during an Armistice Day ceremony in 1924, President Calvin Coolidge marked the beginning of a 3-year construction project for the Liberty Memorial by the laying of the cornerstone of the memorial;
the 217-foot Liberty Memorial Tower has an
inscription that reads In Honor of Those Who Served in the World War in
Defense of Liberty and Our Country
, as well as 4 stone Guardian
Spirits
representing courage, honor, patriotism, and sacrifice, which
rise above the observation deck, making the Liberty Memorial a noble tribute to
all who served in World War I;
during a rededication for the Liberty Memorial in 1961, World War I veterans and former Presidents Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower recognized the memorial as a constant reminder of the sacrifices during World War I and the progress that followed;
the 106th Congress recognized the Liberty Memorial as a national symbol of World War I;
the 108th Congress designated the museum at
the base of the Liberty Memorial as America’s National World War I
Museum
;
the National World War I Museum is the only public museum in the United States specifically dedicated to the history of World War I; and
the National World War I Museum is known throughout the world as a major center of World War I remembrance.
Designation
The Liberty Memorial at the National World
War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, shall be known and designated as the
National World War I Memorial
.