War Memorial - Gallipolis, OH
Posted by: 
silverquill
N 38° 48.409 W 082° 12.308
17S E 395360 N 4296029
This edition of Viquesney's "The Spirit of the American Doughboy," dedicated in 1931, is part of the historic war memorial located in the Public Square.
Waymark Code: WME8GJ
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 04/18/2012
Views: 1
There are actually several war memorials here added at different times, and the NRHP registration form mentions that there two war memorials, but specifies only Viquesney's "The Spirit of the American Doughboy," dedicated in 1931. It is also listed in the Smithsonian Sculpture Database.
Here is a description of the Doughboy from
The E. M. Viquesney "Spirit of the American Doughboy" Database:
The inscription on the plaque reads:
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF
THE VALIANT SONS OF GALLIA COUNTY
WHO SERVED IN THE WORLD WAR
1917 --- 1918
----------------
ERECTED BY
AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY
TO LAFAYETTE POST NO. 27
MAY 30, 1931
“GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS,
THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.”
ST. JOHN 15:13
The presentation of the Doughboy at the dedication ceremony was performed by Mrs. James Oliver, whose son, Johnny, had joined the service while still in high school. When his class graduated from high school in 1918, an empty chair had been draped with a flag to honor him and Mrs. Oliver accepted his diploma for him. He was later killed in the Meuse-Argonne Campaign in the Argonne Forest.
In the past, the Doughboy lost his left hand, rifle and bayonet, and was painted in acts of vandalism. The left hand and rifle have been replaced, and the paint has been removed, but the bayonet is still missing. The sculpture has some discoloring and could again benefit from restoration work.
The replaced rifle is not a replica of the Springfield 1903 found on most other Viquesney Doughboys, and looks quite different from them.