The First Division Monument – Washington D.C. 

The First Division Monument sits on a plaza in President’s Park, west of the White House and south of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the corner of 17th Street and State Place, NW. The monument was originally erected in 1924.

The Society of the First Division conceived the monument to honor the valiant efforts and sacrifice of Soldiers who fought in World War I. Over time, additional sections were added to commemorate First Division Soldiers who served and gave their lives in subsequent conflicts. The World War II addition on the west side was dedicated in 1957, the Vietnam War addition on the east side in 1977, and the Desert Storm plaque was added in 1995.

Each conflict memorial includes the names of Soldiers killed in action while serving with the 1st Infantry Division, with names listed by unit for each conflict.

  • World War I: 5,516 First Division Soldiers
  • World War II: 4,325 First Infantry Division Soldiers
  • Vietnam: 3,079 First Infantry Division Soldiers
  • Desert Storm: 27 First Infantry Division Soldiers, including one female Soldier and one contract civilian

In May 2024, the monument was expanded to include 631 additional names honoring 1st Infantry Division Soldiers who gave their lives during post-9/11 operations.

The post-9/11 additions include:

  • Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn (Iraq): 439
  • Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan): 192

With these additions, a total of 13,578 names are now memorialized on the monument.

Department of the Army policy required the completion of official campaigns before the names of Soldiers killed during those operations could be permanently added to the monument. Prior to the May 2024 expansion, several significant steps were completed, including redesigning the monument base to accommodate the additional names, obtaining Congressional authorization, securing approval from the National Park Service, and contracting a firm to complete the construction and engraving work.

To learn more about the history of the monument, visit the National Park Service website for the First Division Monument.