The National World War II Memorial is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It honors the 16 million people who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II. The memorial features a large plaza, a central fountain, and 56 granite pillars representing the states and territories of the United States at the time. Dedicated in 2004, the memorial is designed to celebrate the unity and sacrifice of the American people during the war. It includes inscriptions of quotes from leaders and a wall of stars, each star symbolizing 100 American lives lost in the conflict.