Comparing it to planning a house without a zoning permit, critics say the future of the Air Force memorial remains uncertain despite a dedication ceremony.

Earlier this week, a neighborhood group and a New York congressman asked a federal court for an injunction to stop the memorial. Protesters say its proximity to the Iwo Jima Memorial - about 500 feet - ruins the sanctity of the Marine Corps monument."To me, it's hallowed ground," said Herbert Newman, 71, a retired Marine who served at Iwo Jima. "All you have to do is open the door, and they would be putting monuments all over this place."

"None of us are against an Air Force Memorial - just not here," he said.

U.S. District Judge Albert V. Bryan in Alexandria denied the request Wednesday to halt the placing of a small marble marker stating the site was the future home of an Air Force memorial. Bryan decided to wait and collect more information, allowing the dedication to take place as scheduled Thursday, on the Air Force's 50th anniversary.

The ceremony capped a five-year effort to recognize airmen for their service. The monument site is just across the Potomac River from the nation's capital and next to Arlington National Cemetery. Shaped like a star, the three-dimensional aluminum structure would stand 50 feet above the ground near the site of the first military test flight.

Memorial organizers and other Air Force officials said the project - targeted for completion in 2000 - sets the tone for America's future dominance in aviation and defense.

"This is a memorial not only to a golden legacy, but more importantly to a boundless future," said Gen. Ralph Eberhart, the Air Force's acting chief of staff.

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