Rhode Island World War II Memorial
Dublin Core
Title
Rhode Island World War II Memorial
Subject (Topic)
Subject (Topic)
Memorial Park--Rhode Island--Providence
Downtown--Neighborhoods--Rhode Island--Providence
Monuments--Rhode Island--Providence
Memorial Park--Rhode Island--Providence
Downtown--Neighborhoods--Rhode Island--Providence
Monuments--Rhode Island--Providence
Subject (Object)
Subject (Object)
Commemorative sculpture
Commemorative sculpture
Description
The memorial begins with a small ramp at the far right of the structure. This ramp, located between short, equally distanced stone pillars, invites passersby to step off the brick pathway of Memorial Park and into the stone structure. Stepping across the threshold via the ramp, visitors meet an engraving in the center of the stone ground. To either side are four benches: two flanking the left wall and two flanking the right. Each stone bench is inscribed along the front with one of the Four Freedoms, famously spoken by Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Behind the pairs of benches are two granite pylon walls. Each is inscribed with the names of Rhode Islanders who died in WWII. The number of casualties totals 2,560.
The centerpiece of the space is a large, circular stone colonnade. The circle is sixteen feet in diameter, and the eight granite columns are one hundred and forty feet tall, three feet separating each one from the next. At the top of the structure sits a four-foot-wide "granite capital and cornice," resulting in a total height of eighteen feet. The space inside the eight columns features the different theaters of war where battles took place and where Rhode Islanders fought. Each column has a number: one through eight. A map decorates the granite ground within the colonnade in the style of a Mercator projection. On it, the countries are made of reddish granite while the water is a marbled gray. Looking closely, one can see small numbers on the map—one through eight—corresponding to the battle locations inscribed on each column. Small fiber-optic lights dot the ground near the columns, illuminating the map and the engravings at night to make them still readable. Above is open space, a circular window to the sky.
Behind the colonnade is a low semicircular wall. At the beginning and end of this low wall are the seals of different government agencies. To the left are the seals of the United States Army, United States Air Force, and the United States Coast Guard. To the right are the seals of the United States Marine Corps, the United States Merchant Marines, and the United States Navy. Between two engraved quotations on the wall are the engraved crests of the thirty-nine municipalities of Rhode Island from which servicepeople hailed and under each crest is the number of people who served from that municipality. Providence has the highest number of men who served in World War II: 34,115 people. On higher ground to either side of the memorial, two stone tablets thank the donors who paid for the memorial, and the committee behind its creation. Behind each of these, encircling the colonnade, are more stone benches.
The centerpiece of the space is a large, circular stone colonnade. The circle is sixteen feet in diameter, and the eight granite columns are one hundred and forty feet tall, three feet separating each one from the next. At the top of the structure sits a four-foot-wide "granite capital and cornice," resulting in a total height of eighteen feet. The space inside the eight columns features the different theaters of war where battles took place and where Rhode Islanders fought. Each column has a number: one through eight. A map decorates the granite ground within the colonnade in the style of a Mercator projection. On it, the countries are made of reddish granite while the water is a marbled gray. Looking closely, one can see small numbers on the map—one through eight—corresponding to the battle locations inscribed on each column. Small fiber-optic lights dot the ground near the columns, illuminating the map and the engravings at night to make them still readable. Above is open space, a circular window to the sky.
Behind the colonnade is a low semicircular wall. At the beginning and end of this low wall are the seals of different government agencies. To the left are the seals of the United States Army, United States Air Force, and the United States Coast Guard. To the right are the seals of the United States Marine Corps, the United States Merchant Marines, and the United States Navy. Between two engraved quotations on the wall are the engraved crests of the thirty-nine municipalities of Rhode Island from which servicepeople hailed and under each crest is the number of people who served from that municipality. Providence has the highest number of men who served in World War II: 34,115 people. On higher ground to either side of the memorial, two stone tablets thank the donors who paid for the memorial, and the committee behind its creation. Behind each of these, encircling the colonnade, are more stone benches.
Creator
Corrente, Joseph T., 1923-2009 (designer/engineer)
William Kite Architects, Providence
Gates Leighton Associates, East Providence
Riverside Stone Co., Seekonk
William Kite Architects, Providence
Gates Leighton Associates, East Providence
Riverside Stone Co., Seekonk
Source
Photographs by Eric Sung, Professor, Providence College
Date
November 11, 2007
Contributor
WWII Memorial Committee of Rhode Island, 2000-2007: Chairman: Joseph T. Corrente; Honorary Co-Chairmen; Lt. Gen. Reginald A. Centracchio; Hon. Clairborne Deb Pell; Hon. Joseph R. Weisberger; Hon. Harry Kizirian;
Committee Members: Webster Pidgeon; S. Michael Minutelli; Ernest Pitochelli; Raymond Benkosky; Eli Leftin; Frank Calcagni; Howard Brown; Paul Duguay; The Mayforth Group.
WWII Memorial Committee of Rhode Island, Reorganized July 2007: Chairman Emeritus: Joseph T. Corrente; Chairman: Lt. Gen. Reginald A. Centracchio; Committee Members: S. Michael Minutelli; Ernest Pitochelli; Raymond Benkosky; Sanford Gorodetsky; Virginia Hanson; Alix Ogden; Janice Petri; Robert Burke; Libby Arron; Aram Garabedian; John Defusco; Big John Bina; Carol Annarino; Linda Campbell; The Mayforth Group.
Donors: Brown University; The City of Providence (HUD Grant); CVS Corporation; The First Champlin Foundation; The Governor Carcieri Grant; The June Rockwell Levy Foundation; Paul Masse Dealership; The Rhode Island Legislative Grant; The Thirty-Nine Rhode Island Cities and Towns; Other Contributors.
Committee Members: Webster Pidgeon; S. Michael Minutelli; Ernest Pitochelli; Raymond Benkosky; Eli Leftin; Frank Calcagni; Howard Brown; Paul Duguay; The Mayforth Group.
WWII Memorial Committee of Rhode Island, Reorganized July 2007: Chairman Emeritus: Joseph T. Corrente; Chairman: Lt. Gen. Reginald A. Centracchio; Committee Members: S. Michael Minutelli; Ernest Pitochelli; Raymond Benkosky; Sanford Gorodetsky; Virginia Hanson; Alix Ogden; Janice Petri; Robert Burke; Libby Arron; Aram Garabedian; John Defusco; Big John Bina; Carol Annarino; Linda Campbell; The Mayforth Group.
Donors: Brown University; The City of Providence (HUD Grant); CVS Corporation; The First Champlin Foundation; The Governor Carcieri Grant; The June Rockwell Levy Foundation; Paul Masse Dealership; The Rhode Island Legislative Grant; The Thirty-Nine Rhode Island Cities and Towns; Other Contributors.
Rights
City of Providence, 25 Dorrance Street, Providence, Rhode Island, 02903, United States
Format
JPEG
Language
English
Type
Visual Arts-Sculpture
Coverage
Memorial Park, South Main Street, Providence. Rhode Island, 02903, United States
Has Part
An inscription on the ground by the entrance to the monument:
This monument is dedicated to the men and women of Rhode Island who served and those who died in the struggle to establish a world founded upon the Four Freedoms cited by Franklin D. Roosevelt to Congress on January 6, 1941.
Four engravings, one on each of the four contemplative benches, clockwise from left to right:
1. Freedom of Speech
2. Freedom from Want
3. Freedom from Fear
4. Freedom of Worship
Inscription on the left granite pylon wall:
No Lapse of Time • No Distance of Space • Shall Cause You to Be Forgotten
Inscription on the right granite pylon wall:
Yours the Suffering Has Been • The Memory Shall Be Ours
Inscription circling the granite capital and cornice:
World War II Memorial Rhode Island
Inscription on the far left of the low wall circling the back of the colonnade:
We are grateful to the ninety-six thousand Rhode Islanders who served our nation during this conflict
Inscription on the far right of the low wall circling the back of the colonnade:
In the long history of the world only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger.
Inscriptions on eight columns holding up the colonnade are each inscribed with a different theater of the war:
European Theater of Operations
Pacific/Far East Campaign
Pacific/Far East Campaign
Southeast Asia Campaign
Pacific/Far East Campaign
Battle of the Atlantic
Mediterranean Conflict
European Theater of Operations
Inscription of the left granite tablet situated on the green above the monument
WW II MEMORIAL COMMISSION
OF RHODE ISLAND
GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES THE GENEROSITY OF
Brown University
The City of Providence (HUD Grant)
CVS Corporation
The First Champlin Foundation
The Governor Carcieri Grant
The June Rockwell Levy Foundation
Paul Masse Dealership
The Rhode Island Legislative Grant
The Thirty-Nine Rhode Island Cities and Towns
And The Many Contributors Whose Donations
Made Possible This Grand Edifice
Honoring Those Who Made The Supreme Sacrifice
And All Women and Men
Who Served in World War II
Inscription of the right granite tablet situated on the green above the monument:
WW II MEMORIAL COMMITTEE OF RHODE ISLAND
2000-2007
HONORARY CO-CHAIRMEN
Lt. Gen. Reginald A. Centracchio
Hon. Clairborne Deb Pell
Hon. Joseph R. Weisberger
Hon. Harry Kizirian
CHAIRMAN
Joseph T. Corrente
COMMITTEE
Webster Pidgeon
S. Michael Minutelli
Ernest Pitochelli
Raymond Benkosky
Eli Leftin
Frank Calcagni
Howard Brown
Paul Duguay
The Mayforth Group"
REORGANIZED JULY 2007
CHAIRMAN EMERITUS
Joseph T. Corrente
CHAIRMAN
Lt. Gen. Reginald A. Centracchio
COMMITTEE
S. Michael Minutelli
Ernest Pitochelli
Raymond Benkosky
Sanford Gorodetsky
Virginia Hanson
Alix Ogden
Janice Petri
Robert Burke
Libby Arron
Aram Garabedian
John Defusco
Big John Bina
Carol Annarino
Linda Campbell
The Mayforth Group
This monument is dedicated to the men and women of Rhode Island who served and those who died in the struggle to establish a world founded upon the Four Freedoms cited by Franklin D. Roosevelt to Congress on January 6, 1941.
Four engravings, one on each of the four contemplative benches, clockwise from left to right:
1. Freedom of Speech
2. Freedom from Want
3. Freedom from Fear
4. Freedom of Worship
Inscription on the left granite pylon wall:
No Lapse of Time • No Distance of Space • Shall Cause You to Be Forgotten
Inscription on the right granite pylon wall:
Yours the Suffering Has Been • The Memory Shall Be Ours
Inscription circling the granite capital and cornice:
World War II Memorial Rhode Island
Inscription on the far left of the low wall circling the back of the colonnade:
We are grateful to the ninety-six thousand Rhode Islanders who served our nation during this conflict
Inscription on the far right of the low wall circling the back of the colonnade:
In the long history of the world only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger.
Inscriptions on eight columns holding up the colonnade are each inscribed with a different theater of the war:
European Theater of Operations
Pacific/Far East Campaign
Pacific/Far East Campaign
Southeast Asia Campaign
Pacific/Far East Campaign
Battle of the Atlantic
Mediterranean Conflict
European Theater of Operations
Inscription of the left granite tablet situated on the green above the monument
WW II MEMORIAL COMMISSION
OF RHODE ISLAND
GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES THE GENEROSITY OF
Brown University
The City of Providence (HUD Grant)
CVS Corporation
The First Champlin Foundation
The Governor Carcieri Grant
The June Rockwell Levy Foundation
Paul Masse Dealership
The Rhode Island Legislative Grant
The Thirty-Nine Rhode Island Cities and Towns
And The Many Contributors Whose Donations
Made Possible This Grand Edifice
Honoring Those Who Made The Supreme Sacrifice
And All Women and Men
Who Served in World War II
Inscription of the right granite tablet situated on the green above the monument:
WW II MEMORIAL COMMITTEE OF RHODE ISLAND
2000-2007
HONORARY CO-CHAIRMEN
Lt. Gen. Reginald A. Centracchio
Hon. Clairborne Deb Pell
Hon. Joseph R. Weisberger
Hon. Harry Kizirian
CHAIRMAN
Joseph T. Corrente
COMMITTEE
Webster Pidgeon
S. Michael Minutelli
Ernest Pitochelli
Raymond Benkosky
Eli Leftin
Frank Calcagni
Howard Brown
Paul Duguay
The Mayforth Group"
REORGANIZED JULY 2007
CHAIRMAN EMERITUS
Joseph T. Corrente
CHAIRMAN
Lt. Gen. Reginald A. Centracchio
COMMITTEE
S. Michael Minutelli
Ernest Pitochelli
Raymond Benkosky
Sanford Gorodetsky
Virginia Hanson
Alix Ogden
Janice Petri
Robert Burke
Libby Arron
Aram Garabedian
John Defusco
Big John Bina
Carol Annarino
Linda Campbell
The Mayforth Group
Medium
Portuguese granite; Bronze; Fiber-optic lights
Bibliographic Citation
"In the Day’s Mail: Addison P. Munroe, War Memorial." Providence Journal, April 12, 1946.
Hanlon, John. "War Memorial Finally on Track--Maybe." Providence Journal, October 19, 1980.
Reilly, George W. "WWII Monument Model on Display This Week." Providence Journal, June 4, 2001.
Reilly, George W. "Ceremonies, Monument Dedications Mark Veterans Day. Providence Journal, November 5, 2001.
Brussat, David. "Another Monumental Memorial." Providence Journal, February 12, 2004.
Davis, Karen A. "Providence War Memorial Nears Completion." Providence Journal, September 15, 2005.
Burke, Robert I. "Before They Are Gone." Providence Journal, June 24, 2007.
Landis, Bruce. "Final Fundraising Push to Finish WWII Memorial." Providence Journal, August 13, 2007.
Mooney, Tom. "One More Mission to Complete. Organizes Issue a Call for Help to Finish World War II Memorial." Providence Journal, August 15, 2007.
Reilly, George W. "Donations Needed to Complete WWII Memorial by Veterans Day." Providence Journal, August 20, 2007.
Lussier, Rita. "I Want YOU to Donate for Your Country." Providence Journal, August 22, 2007.
"Finish the Memorial." Providence Journal, August 24, 2007.
Mooney, Tom. "WWII Memorial Efforts Revive." Providence Journal, August 27, 2007.
"Letters for the Editor: Caroline Unruh, Finish Memorial!" Providence Journal, August 30, 2007.
Mooney, Tom. "World War II Memorial. ‘This Means an Awful Lot to Me.’ Donations to Complete Memorial Honor Those Who Sacrificed the Most." Providence Journal, September 21, 2007.
"Finishing Touches." Providence Journal, October 19, 2007.
Kerr, Bob. "There’s a Way to Pay Tribute to a Good Man." Providence Journal, October 26, 2007.
Reilly, George W. "Dedication of New Monument, Parade Set for Veterans Day." Providence Journal, October 29, 2007.
Reilly, George W. "Veterans Day Observances Scheduled Throughout Rhode Island." Providence Journal, November 5, 2007.
Mooney, Tom. "World War II Memorial Will Be Dedicated Sunday." Providence Journal, November 8, 2007.
"Veterans Day Commemorations." Providence Journal, November 8, 2007.
Wims, Meaghan. "’Many Hands . . . One Great Heart’ A Memorial at Last. The Veterans Day Parade in Providence Culminates in the Dedication of the Long-Awaited WWII Memorial." Providence Journal, November 12, 2007.
Kerr, Bob. "The People Who Made This a Better Year." Providence Journal, November 21, 2007.
Brussat, David. "Monuments and the Memorial." Providence Journal, November 22, 2007.
"A Memorable Monument." Providence Journal, December 2, 2007.
Hill, John. "War’s Changing Face—20th-Century War Monuments Reflect Our Changing Views of Sacrifice." Providence Journal, May 25, 2009.
Hill, John. "Last Tributes. In R. I. , Memorials Have Rich History." Providence Journal, May 27, 2014.
Reynolds, Mark. "A WWII Veteran’s Mission." Providence Journal, April 27, 2018.
McDonald, Susan. "Salute to Service. Memorial Day Events around RI, and Family Fun to Kick Off the Summer Season." Providence Journal, May 18, 2025.
Hanlon, John. "War Memorial Finally on Track--Maybe." Providence Journal, October 19, 1980.
Reilly, George W. "WWII Monument Model on Display This Week." Providence Journal, June 4, 2001.
Reilly, George W. "Ceremonies, Monument Dedications Mark Veterans Day. Providence Journal, November 5, 2001.
Brussat, David. "Another Monumental Memorial." Providence Journal, February 12, 2004.
Davis, Karen A. "Providence War Memorial Nears Completion." Providence Journal, September 15, 2005.
Burke, Robert I. "Before They Are Gone." Providence Journal, June 24, 2007.
Landis, Bruce. "Final Fundraising Push to Finish WWII Memorial." Providence Journal, August 13, 2007.
Mooney, Tom. "One More Mission to Complete. Organizes Issue a Call for Help to Finish World War II Memorial." Providence Journal, August 15, 2007.
Reilly, George W. "Donations Needed to Complete WWII Memorial by Veterans Day." Providence Journal, August 20, 2007.
Lussier, Rita. "I Want YOU to Donate for Your Country." Providence Journal, August 22, 2007.
"Finish the Memorial." Providence Journal, August 24, 2007.
Mooney, Tom. "WWII Memorial Efforts Revive." Providence Journal, August 27, 2007.
"Letters for the Editor: Caroline Unruh, Finish Memorial!" Providence Journal, August 30, 2007.
Mooney, Tom. "World War II Memorial. ‘This Means an Awful Lot to Me.’ Donations to Complete Memorial Honor Those Who Sacrificed the Most." Providence Journal, September 21, 2007.
"Finishing Touches." Providence Journal, October 19, 2007.
Kerr, Bob. "There’s a Way to Pay Tribute to a Good Man." Providence Journal, October 26, 2007.
Reilly, George W. "Dedication of New Monument, Parade Set for Veterans Day." Providence Journal, October 29, 2007.
Reilly, George W. "Veterans Day Observances Scheduled Throughout Rhode Island." Providence Journal, November 5, 2007.
Mooney, Tom. "World War II Memorial Will Be Dedicated Sunday." Providence Journal, November 8, 2007.
"Veterans Day Commemorations." Providence Journal, November 8, 2007.
Wims, Meaghan. "’Many Hands . . . One Great Heart’ A Memorial at Last. The Veterans Day Parade in Providence Culminates in the Dedication of the Long-Awaited WWII Memorial." Providence Journal, November 12, 2007.
Kerr, Bob. "The People Who Made This a Better Year." Providence Journal, November 21, 2007.
Brussat, David. "Monuments and the Memorial." Providence Journal, November 22, 2007.
"A Memorable Monument." Providence Journal, December 2, 2007.
Hill, John. "War’s Changing Face—20th-Century War Monuments Reflect Our Changing Views of Sacrifice." Providence Journal, May 25, 2009.
Hill, John. "Last Tributes. In R. I. , Memorials Have Rich History." Providence Journal, May 27, 2014.
Reynolds, Mark. "A WWII Veteran’s Mission." Providence Journal, April 27, 2018.
McDonald, Susan. "Salute to Service. Memorial Day Events around RI, and Family Fun to Kick Off the Summer Season." Providence Journal, May 18, 2025.
Rights Holder
Department of Art, Culture, Tourism, City of Providence
Geolocation
Citation
Corrente, Joseph T., 1923-2009 (designer/engineer)
William Kite Architects, Providence
Gates Leighton Associates, East Providence
Riverside Stone Co., Seekonk
, “Rhode Island World War II Memorial,” Commemorative Works of Providence, accessed March 31, 2026, https://commemorativeworks.artculturetourism.com/items/show/67.