Father of the National World War II Memorial

On April 22nd, this year, one of my best friends died: Ambassador F. Haydn Williams of San Francisco.

In a prior posting, I wrote about the incredible life of Senator Robert Dole and his commitment to the Memorial and being co-chair of the campaign to raise the money to build it. Haydn Williams, also a World War II veteran, though not as well-known as Senator Dole, was the driving force behind finding the site, developing the design and then shepherding the whole idea of a national memorial through the myriad of approving agencies necessary to see it built. As one who served on his World War II Committee at the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC,) I witnessed the profound impact that Haydn had in seeing the World War II Memorial become a reality.

Haydn and Rolly reviewing architectural models of the WWII Memorial in Washington, DC

Starting in 1995 and, over the course of six years, this committee (also called the Site and Design Committee of the ABMC) met one week-end every 4 to 6 weeks in Washington, D.C. Haydn would fly in from San Francisco two or three days before the meeting to prepare for it, and then would stay on in the District for another few days after these meetings to follow through with decisions that had been made. He was a “task-master” in the best sense of the word, and would never accept anything but the best when it came to the World War II Memorial. On the occasion of a celebration of his life in May at the Memorial, many of those with whom he was associated came to pay their respects and voice their gratitude for what this remarkable man had accomplished. (Video of the service and reception in his honor, is available by going to the website of Friends of the National WWII Memorial at: www.wwiimemorialfriends.org.)

“Here, on the east-west axis of the Mall is where the Memorial should be. World War II was the defining event of the 20th century for our country. It should stand here between Lincoln and Washington, marking similar events in the 18th and 19th centuries.”  

Early in the site-selection process, our committee made a visit to 7 or 8 possible sites for the Memorial. It was raining and at the end of a day of visiting these sites in March, 1995 when Haydn stopped us as we walked around the old Rainbow Pool at the eastern end of the Reflecting Pool on 17th Street. “Here, on the east-west axis of the Mall” he said, “is where the Memorial should be. World War II was the defining event of the 20th century for our country. It should stand here between Lincoln and Washington, marking similar events in the 18th and 19th centuries.” At the time he said that, the old Rainbow Pool was not on the list of possible sites that had been given to us by the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA.)

After that meeting, Haydn went to see J. Carter Brown, Chairman of the CFA. Shortly thereafter, the Rainbow Pool was added as a potential site and was subsequently chosen by the ABMC to be the site of the National World War II Memorial. There was vehement opposition to this decision and at nearly every regulatory hearing (of which there were some 22 over the next 5 years) on approving design elements… opponents would come to try to derail the site selection. Haydn stood firm in spite of this opposition and would say when the Memorial was finally under construction: “When I look back on what happened, I think that perhaps my biggest contribution was in getting and keeping the site.”

The World War II Memorial stands there now, a testament to this man’s vision and tenacity of spirit. When he came to the Memorial for the last time in 2014 to celebrate its 10th year anniversary, he described the Memorial as “quietly taking its place as one of the historic icons on the National Mall…becoming, in a way, Washington’s village square, the town green on the Mall…a place to linger, to stroll, to listen and to share memory and meaning…. Nestled between Lincoln and Washington, the WWII Memorial stands as the singular most important event of the 20th century.”

There are few times in life when so much can depend on the vision and leadership of one man.  Ambassador F. Haydn Williams was one of those few without whom the National World War II Memorial would not be where it is, or be the magnificent memorial it has become.  More information on the life and service of Ambassador Williams can be found in his obituary printed in the Washington Post:  Haydn Williams Obituary.

Rolland E. Kidder