Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, also known as the First Gulf War, was the first major foreign crisis for the United States after the end of the Cold War. The Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial commemorates the lives of the service people lost in this event. It is located near the Lincoln Memorial and is set to open to the public on October 24th, 2026.
The future site of the Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial
“The mission of the National Desert Storm Memorial Association is to establish a commemorative work on Federal land in the District of Columbia to honor those who, as members of the Armed Forces, served on active duty in support of Operation Desert Shield and or Operation Desert Storm. ”
—National Desert Storm Memorial Association
The shield at the center of the memorial will be a bronze fountain. This is a casting of the center, middle, and outer rings of the Unity Shield.
Courtesy of The National Desert Storm Memorial association.
The goal of the Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial is to create an educational, meaningful and deeply moving sequential experience for visitors that:
- Educates them about the historical events of Desert Shield and Desert Storm;
- Identifies each of the coalition countries and illustrates the historical significance of the forty-one-nation coalition that united to liberate Kuwait;
- Reflects the unique environmental and battle conditions experienced by servicemen and women in this war;
- Leaves visitors with an enduring memory of the historical significance and accomplishments of Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
To learn more about this memorial, please visit The Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial's website.
The National Mall Gateway will feature a site card once the memorial opens to the public in October.
Below are additional photos and video of the construction process.
Watch the video here to see how Robert Eccleston used live eagles and falcons to create the sculptures.
Scott C. Stump, President & CEO of the National Desert Storm Memorial Association recently visited the studio of Robert J. Eccleston. Robert is creating the eagle and falcon sculptures for the memorial in Washington D.C.
Construction workers building the memorial.
Kuwait Foreign Minister, Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, visited the memorial site to get a tour and see the progress in June 2025.
Courtesy of The National Desert Storm Memorial association.
Falcon and Eagle being installed on the memorial. Notice the size of the falcon and eagle, compared to the construction worker.
Courtesy of The National Desert Storm Memorial association.