The Spirit of the American Doughboy - Gallipolis, OH - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com

The Doughboy is mounted on a simple concrete pedestal. It appears that the rifle in his left had is missing and replaced by an entirely different rifle, and the sculpture shows the effects of aging and the elements. Since the dedication ceremony in 1931, other war memorials have been added. There is a semi-circle of polished granite bearing the names of veterans of World War II, forming a backdrop to the Doughboy. Also around the base is a raised mound of landscaped flowers with several other plaques, including those honoring veterans of the Korean and Viet Nam Wars.

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The E. M. Viquesney "Spirit of the American Doughboy" Database has the following description:

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
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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.

TITLE: The Spirit of the American Doughboy ARTIST(S): Viquesney, E. M. DATE: 1920 MEDIUM: bronze CONTROL NUMBER: IAS 47260079 Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link] PHYSICAL LOCATION: Public Square Gallipolis, Ohio DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH: replaced rifle with missing bayonet weathered appearance

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