Somewhere among the more than 41 million names scrolling across towering digital American flags is a story that belongs to your family. Maybe it’s your grandfather who stormed Normandy. Your mother who served in Desert Storm. Your spouse who was a Naval aviator. Or even yourself.
Through August 23, visitors to the National Mall can search for those names at USAA’s National Military Monument, a temporary digital installation on the Lincoln Memorial Plaza. It honors Americans who have served in conflicts from the Revolutionary War to the present day.
Unlike Washington’s many war memorials, which commemorate individual conflicts, this monument attempts to recognize every American who has worn a military uniform.
“For 250 years, service has been the thread that connects our country’s history,” says Christian Bove, lead communications director for USAA. “Every freedom we celebrate is built on generations of Americans who stepped forward to serve.”
A Monument That Moves
The installation consists of two massive digital displays, each 18 feet tall and 108 feet long, designed to resemble rippling American flags in the wind. Instead of stars and stripes, however, thousands of names continuously flow across the screens. Every 45 seconds, roughly 6,000 names give way to the next wave.
George Washington was the first name shown when the monument opened July 28. The Unknown Soldier will be the last. Together, the installation honors more than 41 million veterans and active-duty service members.
“Forty-one million is an abstract number until you render it as names, shown one after another,” Bove says. “Turning that volume into something personal and searchable was a labor of love.”
Find Your Family
The experience becomes deeply personal when visitors search for someone they love.
“I wasn’t aware of this incredible monument until a dear friend told me my grandfather’s, father’s, and husband’s names were on it,” says Herndon resident Amy Zettler. “It’s such a wonderful way to honor our brave service members.”
At the monument, guests scan a QR code or use an interactive kiosk to search a veteran’s name. Once located, USAA staff can cue that name to appear across the digital flags, allowing families to photograph the moment.
“Seeing that name appear across two towering digital American flags — one name among millions — really turns something abstract into something deeply personal,” Bove says.
For those who can’t make the trip, the searchable database is also available online, allowing users to confirm whether a loved one’s name has been included.
“The idea of being able to search for a loved one’s name and actually see it projected on the monument is incredibly meaningful to my entire family,” says Alexandria resident Melissa Hauser. “My brother-in-law flew in from Texas just to photograph his name there. Seeing a name that might otherwise feel small on a list displayed across the monument makes you stop and think about the person behind it — and the people who love them.”
Not Every Name Is There — Yet
Because no complete record of every American who has served exists, organizers assembled the database using multiple sources, including National Park Service records, World War II enlistment files, Department of Veterans Affairs data, prisoner-of-war lists, veteran organizations, and participating USAA members.
Compiling the database was especially challenging because a 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center destroyed millions of military personnel files, leaving gaps that organizers continue working to fill.
If a veteran’s name doesn’t appear, families can submit it for verification and future inclusion.
“The Monument is a living tribute,” Bove says. “Names are reviewed, verified, and then eventually added, so the database keeps growing.”
Although the monument is currently scheduled to close August 23, USAA says it is in discussions with the National Park Service about extending its stay on the National Mall.
Bove hopes visitors leave with more than a photo.
“We hope they feel that their loved one’s service is seen, both personally, and as part of something much larger than themselves,” he says. “One name among 41 million is a reminder that every one of those names was a person who left their home and family for something larger.”
Know Before You Go
Where: Lincoln Memorial Plaza, Washington, D.C.
When: Daily, 10 a.m.–10 p.m., through August 23
Cost: Free
Search names: Use the on-site QR code or searchable database online.
Feature image courtesy USAA National Military Monument
