View of reliefs depicting "Naval Aviation - First Shipboard Takeoff" (left) and "Inland Naval Engagements" (center); Congress authorized the Memorial in 1980, with the stipulation that funding come solely from private contributions. The United States Navy Memorial is home to the Memorial Plaza, which features Stanley Bleifield's statue, The Lone Sailor. The Lone Sailor, a tribute to all personnel of the sea services, overlooks the Granite Sea, an exact replication of the world's oceans. Surrounding the Granite Sea are two fountain pools, honoring the personnel of the American Navy and the other navies of the world. The southern hemisphere of the Granite Sea is surrounded by 26 bronze bas-reliefs commemorating events, personnel, and communit...