The World War II Illinois Veterans Memorial is the official memorial of the U.S. state of Illinois maintained in honor of veterans of the war, as well as those bereaved during the course of the conflict. 987,000 Illinois residents served in uniform during the war, and 22,000 gave up their lives during the campaigns. Planning for the memorial began in 1999, and the memorial was dedicated in 2004. The memorial is in Oak Ridge Cemetery, located on the north side of Springfield, Illinois, the state capital.