Rhode Island World War II Memorial
Dublin Core
Title
Rhode Island World War II Memorial
Subject (Object)
Public art; Sculpture; United States--Rhode Island--Providence
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. Its small, inconspicuous nature suggests that the installation of the ramp was for disabled people, such as Rhode Island WWII veterans who were senior citizens by 2007, the time of the monument’s creation. Stepping across the threshold via the ramp, visitors meet an engraving in the center of the stone ground. To either side are four contemplative 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 FDR and referenced in the aforementioned engraving placed into the ground. 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 totals 2,560.
Proceeding across the stone surface, the viewer reaches the large, circular stone colonnade, arguably the centerpiece of the space. 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. Inside, the eight columns feature the different theatres 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 material while the water is a marbled grey. Looking closely, one can see small numbers on the map—one through eight—corresponding to the battle locations inscribed on each column. Small 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 are bushes and other greenery upon a low wall that circles the back of the structure. 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, followed by an expression of gratitude that reads. To the right are the seals of the United States Marine Corps, the United States Merchant Marines, and the United States Navy, preceded by an uncredited this quote, which, upon searching, comes from the inaugural address of John F. Kennedy (JFK), which he delivered on January 20, 1961. In between these two statements are the engraved crests of all thirty-nine municipalities throughout Rhode Island from which servicepeople hailed. Under each is the number of people who served from that municipality. Providence has the highest number: 34,115 people. On higher ground to either side, there are stone tablets on either side, one of which thanks the donors who paid for the memorial, and the other of which thanks the committee behind its creation. Behind each of these, encircling the colonnade, are more stone benches. They face the bushes or outward toward the rest of Memorial Park, also inscribed with the names of donors.
Proceeding across the stone surface, the viewer reaches the large, circular stone colonnade, arguably the centerpiece of the space. 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. Inside, the eight columns feature the different theatres 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 material while the water is a marbled grey. Looking closely, one can see small numbers on the map—one through eight—corresponding to the battle locations inscribed on each column. Small 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 are bushes and other greenery upon a low wall that circles the back of the structure. 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, followed by an expression of gratitude that reads. To the right are the seals of the United States Marine Corps, the United States Merchant Marines, and the United States Navy, preceded by an uncredited this quote, which, upon searching, comes from the inaugural address of John F. Kennedy (JFK), which he delivered on January 20, 1961. In between these two statements are the engraved crests of all thirty-nine municipalities throughout Rhode Island from which servicepeople hailed. Under each is the number of people who served from that municipality. Providence has the highest number: 34,115 people. On higher ground to either side, there are stone tablets on either side, one of which thanks the donors who paid for the memorial, and the other of which thanks the committee behind its creation. Behind each of these, encircling the colonnade, are more stone benches. They face the bushes or outward toward the rest of Memorial Park, also inscribed with the names of donors.
Creator
Unknown
Source
Photographs by Edan Larkin
Date
Dedicated: 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;
Professional services:
Paul Cavanaugh;
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
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;
Professional services:
Paul Cavanaugh;
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
Format
JPEG
Language
English
Type
Visual Arts-Sculpture
Alternative Title
WWII Memorial; WWII Monument; World War II Monument; Rhode Island World War II Monument; World War II Monument in Providence; World War II Memorial in Providence
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 IN HIS ADDRESS TO CONGRESS ON JANUARY 6, 1941"
"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 IN HIS ADDRESS TO CONGRESS ON JANUARY 6, 1941"
The 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”
The left granite pylon wall, flanked by two of the four benches is inscribed with approximately half of the 2,560 names of Rhode Islanders who died in WWII.
Underneath the names is a quote:
“NO LAPSE OF TIME • NO DISTANCE OF SPACE • SHALL CAUSE YOU TO BE FORGOTTEN”
The right granite pylon wall, flanked by the other two benches, is inscribed with the remaining names of the 2,560 dead.
Underneath the names is a quote:
“YOURS THE SUFFERING HAS BEEN • THE MEMORY SHALL BE OURS.”
Circling the granite capital and cornice:
“WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL RHODE ISLAND.”
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."
This is followed by three engraved seals: the United States Army, United States Air Force, and the United States Coast Guard
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"
This is preceded by three engraved seals: the United States Marine Corps, the United States Merchant Marines, and the United States Navy.
In the center of the low wall circling the back of the colonnade are the crests of the thirty-nine municipalities in Rhode Island, underneath which is engraved the number of individuals who served from each municipality. For example, below the crest for Providence is the number "34,115"
The eight columns holding up the colonnade are each inscribed with a different theater of the war. The first reads:
"BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC
NORTH ATLANTIC CONVOYS
THE U BOAT WARS
SINKING OF THE BISMARCK
SINKING OF THE USS DORCHESTER
FOUR IMMORTAL CHAPLAINS)"
FOUR IMMORTAL CHAPLAINS)"
The floor of the circular colonnade:
Small metal circles inscribed 1-8 each correspond with the columns. They are engraved on the granite Mercator map on the ground to depict the location of each theater of war. For instance, a small "1" engraved in one of the metal circles pinpoints the Atlantic Theater. The map is granite; the water is a marbled grey and the land is a reddish pink.
There are two stone tablets situated on the green above the monument. To the left:
"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"
The second stone tablet, to the right, is titled, "WW II MEMORIAL COMMITTEE OF RHODE ISLAND"
Beneath this title, there are two columns of text. The first:
"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"
The second:
"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
"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"
The second:
"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
grey granite, pink granite, bronze, lights
Bibliographic Citation
Mooney, Tom. “Daughter asks, 'How can we forget.'” Providence Journal. August 13, 2015. https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/2015/08/14/daughter-asks-how-can-we/33675836007/.
Rights Holder
Renée Ater, Brown University
Geolocation
Collection
Citation
Unknown, “Rhode Island World War II Memorial,” Commemorative Works of Providence, accessed April 27, 2025, https://commemorativeworks.artculturetourism.com/items/show/9.