Elysian Park Memorial - Hoboken, NJ
Posted by: 
Metro2
N 40° 44.903 W 074° 01.522
18T E 582279 N 4511282
This Memorial is located in Hoboken's Elysian Park near the waterfront.
Waymark Code: WMEN3A
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 06/16/2012
Views: 5
This bronze sculpture depicts two soldiers apparently being welcomed home in triumph. A young girl on the left embraces the first soldier. The second soldier holds his hat in the air with his left hand while a dog sits at his side.
The only inscription is a quote from General Pershing:
"TO PERPETUATE THE GLORIOUS
MEMORY OF OUR CITIZEN SOLDIERY
WHO WILLINGLY SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES
THAT CIVILIZATION MIGHT NOT PERISH
WE PLEDGE OUR UNFALTERING PURPOSE
TO UPHOLD FOREVER THE PRINCIPLES
FOR WHICH THEY FOUGHT AND DIED"
The work stands on an approximately 3 foot high white granite plinth...with two sidepieces intended to resemble a ship.
Names of the fallen (about 90) appear on a bronze plaque at the base of the plinth.
The work is listed on the Smithsonian Inventory (
visit link) and informs us that the 1922 piece is also named "Embarkation and Debarkation" is by Charles Henry Niehaus.
Dimensions are listed as "Sculpture: approx. 8 ft. x 4 ft. 1/2 in. x 4 ft. 1/2 in.; Base: approx. 7 x 12 x 8 ft."
The Inventory's description:
"A bronze sculpture depicting a World War I Doughboy and a Marine walking side by side with a young girl and a small bulldog beside them. The young girl holding a doll and a noise maker reaches up to touch the Marine who places his proper right hand on her shoulders. He holds a bouquet of flowers in his proper left hand. The Doughboy waves his hat in his raised proper right hand and carries his overcoat over his proper left arm. A bulldog is seated by his proper left foot. On the ground behind the two soldiers is a cluster of oak leaves and a helmet. The sculpture rests atop a rectangular base adorned with winged female figures on either side."