From our trip to Battery Park and Southern Manhattan, the Korean War Memorial stood out to me most. We started off our trip walking through more popular sites like the 9/11 Memorial and ended around Battery Park, where we almost walked by the Korean War Memorial. Despite the large crowd in this general area, the lines of people that were waiting to travel to nearby Ellis Island curved around the memorial. There were only about five or six people looking at the memorial, including our group of three.

The site itself seemed out of place. It set a somber mood in such a lively area, especially because there was overcast that day. The Korean War Memorial is a solid slab of marble with the outline of a soldier cut out in it. It does not list a specific soldier’s name, but rather signifies that this could be any of the thousands that died in the war. It is similar to the Unknown Soldier Memorial in that it represents service members who have died that are often forgotten. This is even more true of the soldiers of this conflict, as the Korean War itself is often forgotten. It lasted only about three years and is often overshadowed by the events of World War 2 that preceded it, and the Vietnam War that followed. The Korean War itself was very unpopular with the American public which may be why it is often forgotten. In the eyes of the American people, it was unnecessary, especially after having just been in a war. Much like the Vietnam War, people felt that it wasn’t America’s business getting involved.

As I left and returned to the larger crowds around the memorial, I could not help but think about what the war must have been like and how many unnecessary lives were lost from both sides. It made me think about what had happened decades ago in another far off corner of the world, and how that area was probably very different from itself now. It’s similar to this city. The very same place where I saw the memorial was very different decades ago. Just as the service men of the Korean War had their own stories, many in New York City during that same time had their own stories as well. It made me think about what my own impact will be in this city, and in the world in general. I look forward to shaping my future in New York City, a land that is full of potential opportunities.