Veterans representing all corners of the United States gathered on the National Mall near the Lincoln Memorial on Oct. 24, 2026 for a ribbon‑cutting ceremony that marked the opening of the National Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial. Hundreds of former service members attended the event.
The monument commemorates the 1990‑1991 Desert Shield and Desert Storm operations that led to the liberation of Kuwait, becoming the latest war memorial added to the Mall to honor U.S. Gulf War veterans.