‘Speak from the Heart’: Supporters launch video campaign to honor WWII monument after it was vandalized

WASHINGTON — Jim Perrus, whose five uncles fought in World War II, was the first person to record a short video for the Friends of the National World War II Memorial about what the monument means to him.

The nonprofit organization, which has a mission to preserve the memorial, asked people this week to upload videos 30 to 90 seconds long that can be shared on social media about the importance of the monument to them.

“Your story might be about a World War II veteran you love. An Honor Flight. A visit to the Freedom Wall. A ceremony you attended,” the invitation states. “There is no right answer and no script. Just speak from the heart.”

The campaign, which will continue for several weeks, is a response to vandalism last week at the site, said Scott Warner, spokesman for Friends of the National World War II Memorial.

The memorial honors American troops who served in World War II — including more than 400,000 people who died — as well as millions of others who supported the war effort at home.

“I visit the memorial to connect with my dad and his brothers, who all served overseas,” Perrus said. “For me, the memorial is a place I go for reflection and to connect with my past.”

Graffiti at the National World War II Memorial, shown here, was cleaned up in the hours after it was reported on Aug. 13, 2026. The site, at the National Mall, re-opened the following day. An advocacy group has launched a campaign to celebrate the memorial as a response to the vandalism. (The White House)

A federal judge on Monday ordered Melissa Farris, 41, of Kentucky, released from custody following her arrest Friday on federal felony charges involving vandalism of the site. The monument was hit with several colors of spray paint, and soap was poured into its fountains.

Surveillance cameras showed Farris at the site.

Farris was ordered to stay away from the memorial as a condition of her release. She also must undergo a mental health screening.

She is due back in court on Sept. 3 for a preliminary hearing at the federal courthouse in Washington, D.C.

“When I first heard about the vandalism and what happened, I was very angry. Why would anyone do something like that?” said Perrus, who recalled attending the memorial’s opening in 2004, with his father and an uncle who was a World War II veteran.

A special page appeared Monday on the Friends of the National World War II Memorial website, as a response to the vandalism. It invites people to upload their short videos as personal tributes.

Submitted videos will be shared across social media channels and included among remembrances the group has collected since the memorial opened.

Perrus, who is a director at the University of Maryland Alumni Association, filmed a personal tribute from his home in Washington, D.C., where he talked about his own visits to the site and his family’s connections to the memorial and the war itself.

Each of his five uncles fought in World War II. None are alive today.

His father Harry Perrus, who died in 2023 at age 100, worked as a Merchant Marine during World War II.

His uncles include Army soldier Louis Perrus, who served under Gen. George Patton and was killed in action in March 1945 in Germany.

Friends of the National World War II Memorial launched a campaign inviting the public to share personal videos about the monument and what it means to them. Jim Perrus was the first person to respond. He discussed his five uncles, including Louis Perrus, shown here, who fought overseas during the conflict. Louis was killed in action. (Jim Perrus)

Louis Perrus had a daughter whom he never met. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Jim said.

Constantine “Gus” Perrus, another uncle, served in the Army and was captured by enemy forces on Feb. 17, 1943, in Northern Africa.

He was a prisoner of war for 26 months and was forced to repair railroads bombed by Allied forces, Jim said.

Constantine “Gus” Perrus, who served in World War II, was captured by enemy troops in World War II, but released by the end of the conflict, according to his nephew, Jim Perrus. (Jim Perrus)

He was liberated by Russian troops on April 25, 1945.

About 5 million people visit the National World War II Memorial each year.

The National Park Service removed the spray paint from the monument and cleared bubbles from the fountains in a matter of hours, Warner said. The memorial reopened a day after closing for an investigation and cleanup.

“There are many places in our country for expression, debate, and disagreement. A national memorial honoring those who served and those who never returned home should never be used as a canvas for vandalism,” the Friends of the National World War II Memorial said in a written statement after the vandalism was discovered on Aug. 13.

Warner said that his organization has since heard from dozens of veterans and their families who saw the news coverage on the vandalism. They expressed concern and support.

“We were inspired by those messages and wanted to turn a negative event into something positive for the public and the memorial itself,” Warner said.

Jim Perrus, of Washington, D.C., inherited this Purple Heart, which honored his uncle, Louis Perrus, killed in action in World War II. Jim, who lives in Washington, D.C., said he frequently visits the National World War II Memorial to connect with his ancestors. (Jim Perrus)