At the highest point in Memorial Park stands the World War II Memorial Shrine, honoring the Douglas County, Nebraska, men and women who lost their lives while serving in the war. The shrine is a semi-circular colonnade of seven arches, with a circular bas-relief sculpture above each arch portraying a branch of the United States military. Bronze plaques on the columns list the names of over 900 Douglas County men and women who died in combat and non-combat roles during World War II. An American flag stands in the center of a circular planting bed that originally was a reflecting pool, while an expansive lawn, tree plantings, and formal rose garden enhance the setting. The shrine was created as a permanent memorial expressing gratitude for military veterans, past, present, and future. Memorial Park was dedicated on June 5, 1948, during a ceremony featuring President Harry S. Truman, who said that those who gave their lives did so because they believed in an ideal of peace in the world for all of the world. The seven military branches portrayed in the bas-reliefs are the US Navy, Airborne Corps, US Army Infantry, US Marine Corps, US Army Medical Corps, US Army Field Artillery, and US Navy Aviators. The architect for Memorial Park was Leo A Daly Company, an Omaha architecture and engineering firm, and the shrine, rose garden, trees, and open spaces continue to attract visitors year-round.