<P> Congress authorized the memorial in 1980, with the stipulation that funding come solely from private contributions . In March 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed Public Law 96 - 199, which authorized the memorial as a part of a larger Department of the Interior bill . </P> <P> Although a number of sites in Washington, DC, were possible, the foundation teamed up with the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation to use Market Square as the site for the memorial . The foundation and the corporation jointly selected Conklin Rossant of New York as architects . </P> <P> By December 1985, the foundation had raised enough funds to warrant a go - ahead approval from the Secretary of the Interior, and construction got underway the following month . (The foundation staff and Board of Directors had raised $18 - million by opening day of the visitors center, and fund raising continues today, to retire remaining construction debt and support educational programs undertaken by the foundation .) </P> <P> By August 1987, Stanley Bleifeld completed work on The Lone Sailor statue as construction of the memorial neared completion at the site . </P>

Where does the water in the fountain come from at the united states navy memorial