WASHINGTON (7News) — The Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial will open Saturday in Washington, D.C., honoring American service members who served in the operations that helped liberate Kuwait, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced.
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A public dedication ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. Oct. 24 at the southwest corner of 23rd Street and Constitution Avenue NW, near the Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
The memorial commemorates the U.S. response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. Operation Desert Shield began that month, followed by the U.S.-led coalition’s Operation Desert Storm in January 1991. A ceasefire took effect in February 1991 after coalition forces liberated Kuwait.
The project has been in the works for years. Congress authorized the memorial in legislation signed by President Barack Obama in 2014. President Donald Trump signed legislation in 2017 authorizing its location near the National Mall, and the memorial association received approval in 2018.
Drivers should expect road closures near the ceremony. U.S. Park Police said 23rd Street NW between Constitution Avenue and Lincoln Memorial Circle, along with Henry Bacon Drive NW, will close from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Constitution Avenue NW between 17th and 23rd streets will close beginning at 9 a.m.
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The ceremony is expected to conclude around 2 p.m. Additional closures associated with a separate Turnstile event near the Washington Monument will continue into the afternoon, with all affected roads expected to reopen by 6 p.m. Police said closure times could change for public safety or law enforcement needs.
This post was originally published on Fox 45 by Sinclair Media Group.
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