Due to last night's government shutdown, many federal landmarks are closed as of Tuesday morning.
This is what the WWII Memorial looks like right now. Sad, bc 92 vets are on their way to DC to check it out today.
Sara Van Aernum
@ABC7Sara
This is what the WWII Memorial looks like right now. Sad, bc 92 vets are on their way to DC to check it out today.
The problem is that an Honor Flight of WWII vets were already on their way to the memorial from Mississippi.
This is what hundreds of WWII vets will see when they roll up from "honor flight" to the DC today, via @laurakoran -
Zach Wolf
@zbyronwolf
This is what hundreds of WWII vets will see when they roll up from "honor flight" to the DC today, via @laurakoran -
WW2 vets staring at their memorial from outside.
Bobby Koeth III
@bobbykoeth
WW2 vets staring at their memorial from outside.
As the veterans arrived in D.C. this morning, Leo Shane, a White House and veterans affairs reporter for Stars And Stripes, covered the whole scene on Twitter.
Tons of applause as the WWII vets from Miss. storm their memorial. Park police on the way. #shutdown
Leo Shane III
@LeoShane
Tons of applause as the WWII vets from Miss. storm their memorial. Park police on the way. #shutdown
@replouiegohmert and WW2 vets go into the closed WW2 memorial #shutdown
Bobby Koeth III
@bobbykoeth
@replouiegohmert and WW2 vets go into the closed WW2 memorial #shutdown
So what exactly happened? The veterans knocked over the barriers and went inside.
Honor flight vets just knocked over the barriers at the WWII memorial to get inside, #shutdown or no.
Leo Shane III
@LeoShane
Honor flight vets just knocked over the barriers at the WWII memorial to get inside, #shutdown or no.
Filling the memorial...
The scene at the WWII memorial right now. #shutdown
Leo Shane III
@LeoShane
The scene at the WWII memorial right now. #shutdown
And getting to their tower.
This is where the Mississippi WWII vets wanted to get -- their tower. #shutdown
Leo Shane III
@LeoShane
This is where the Mississippi WWII vets wanted to get -- their tower. #shutdown
Mississippi's veterans after they successfully stormed and occupied their memorial.
Look at that smirk.
Shane also clarified that Republican Rep. Steve King helped distract police officers while the vets stormed their tower.
King told CNN that it was a White House decision to close the memorial.
.@SteveKingIA "This is a White House decision" to close WWII Memorial. #govtshutdown
Jessica Stanton
@jessicarights
.@SteveKingIA "This is a White House decision" to close WWII Memorial. #govtshutdown
Mississippi congressman moves gate and lets 92 WW2 vets see their monument.
Tom Sherwood
@tomsherwood
Mississippi congressman moves gate and lets 92 WW2 vets see their monument.
After the Mississippi veterans cleared a path, more veterans poured in to the area, with police letting everyone enter, unofficially opening the park.
Iowa vets (yellow shirts) now coming into WWII memorial with congressional security guard. #shutdown
Leo Shane III
@LeoShane
Iowa vets (yellow shirts) now coming into WWII memorial with congressional security guard. #shutdown
Made it down to the WW2 memorial. Looks like vets are being allowed to walk down freely.
Lachlan Markay
@lachlan
Made it down to the WW2 memorial. Looks like vets are being allowed to walk down freely.
God bless America.
