Navy Merchant Marine Memorial

This is an astounding piece. It is also known as Waves and Gulls and is located right of of the Mount Vernon Trail. If boarders the Potomac River. It was made in 1934 by Ernesto Begni del Piatta and depicts 7 sea gulls flying over a wave's crest. It stands 35 feet tall and 30 Feet wide. What caught my eye was the full bed of beautiful red flowers surrounding the statue. There were many people there taking photos. It is very picturesque. As a bonus, you do get a great view of the DC skyline from here. Just be careful of the bicyclist zooming around the corner past the statue. They are going full speed and will seriously hurt you.

This memorial is worth a brief stop if you are going by. There is no nearby parking that I saw and I only stumbled upon it because I was walking the trail. I suggest you either walk, bike or scooter here.

The Navy Merchant Marine Memorial is a memorial on Columbia Island that many recognize by driving along the George Washington Memorial Parkway, but few have stopped to visit it. Here's why it's worth your time:

1) Story: It's the first memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives in the Navy and Merchant Marines. It took almost twenty years to go from ideation to opening due to lack of funds. Given the amount of trash nearby and the decay on the memorial, it's still neglected.

2) Memorial: It's one of the most unique memorials in the city and weirdly beautiful. You can also climb into the wave or use it as a place to read a good book.

3) Views: It's on an island in the Potomac River with stunning views of the National Mall.

If you want to visit, you can access it via foot or bike along the Mt. Vernon Trail or you can drive. The parking lot near the marina gives you three hours of free parking. It's a short walk from the parking lot.

Great memorial right on the water to pay respects to Navy and Marine soldiers lost at sea. There is a spiral walk up as well as stairs. A few benches around it where you can sit.

On the GW Parkway, the Navy Merchant Marine Memorial is located on Lady Bird Johnson Park. It's a memorial commemorating the sailors of the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Merchant Marine who served during WWI. Nicknamed Waves and Gulls, the statue depicts 7 seagulls on top of a wave. There's a concrete plaza around the memorial and two flagstone walks that lead up to it. In my opinion, it's a very intricate and well-designed memorial.

During the spring, gorgeous tulips blossom around the memorial. Coupled with views of the Potomac River and the Washington Monument across the river, this is an idyllic and very photogenic spot. I usually stop by on my runs along the Mount Vernon trail. It's a beautiful but overlooked landmark in D.C.

This memorial is a nice spot to pull off on the Mt. Vernon Trail to relax and take in the scenery. The memorial sits within a field of flowers with beautiful views of the Potomac River. The curvatures in the memorial also allow a place to curl up and take respite during the heat of the summer. Right across from the memorial, you also have an excellent view of the Washington Monument. From my experience, the memorial is not one of the more visited ones, as it is off the beaten path, but the attention to detail is quite remarkable, so I'd suggest taking a few minutes if you can and take a peek at it!

It is a memorial dedicated to the Navy and Merchant Marines from the first World War. The memorial itself is made of aluminum, and sits on green granite. It was designed in 1992, sculpted, and dedicated later in 1934.

It's a nice detailed memorial that could often be overlooked. I highly doubt many people are certain of what it is until they read about since the marker that is situated in front of it provides vague details about its existence.

The memorial is located in the Lady Bird Johnson Park that is part of the Mount Vernon Trail.

This memorial honors U.S. Navy and Merchant Marine sailors who died at sea during World War I. It's almost hidden in plain sight in Lady Bird Johnson Park and you pass right by it on the Mount Vernon Trail. It's one of the most interesting memorials in the DC area with the ocean waves and seagulls as a opposed to a normal statue. Take a few minutes to check it out and remember those who never came home, definitively worth the time.

A nice stop along the Mount Vernon path. Great memorial and good views across the Potomac of the Washington Monument.

A beautiful memorial tucked away at Lady Bird Johnson Park in Arlington. The sculpture is well done with fine details. A great surprise to see as you are walking along the Mount Vernon trail.

This is a beautiful memorial right along the Potomac. Also provides great views of the Monument across the river and is perfect in the springtime weather.