Spirit of the American Doughboy - Mount Pleasant, Utah
Posted by: 
Lord Mot
N 39° 32.814 W 111° 27.307
12S E 460895 N 4377568
Located on the NE corner of the intersection of State and Main
Waymark Code: WMBGY8
Location: Utah, United States
Date Posted: 05/21/2011
Views: 10
The Spirit of the American Doughboy is a pressed copper sculpture by E. M. Viquesney, designed to honor the veterans and casualties of World War I. Mass produced during the 1920s and 1930s for communities throughout the United States, the statue's design was the most popular of its kind, spawning a wave of collectible miniatures and related memorabilia as well as numerous copies by other artists. Its title is often shortened to "The Doughboy", and in some locales it is nicknamed Iron Mike.
The inscription on the plaque reads:
LIST OF SOLDIERS FROM MT. PLEASANT, UTAH
WHO SERVED IN THE WORLD WAR 1917-1918
(followed by four columns of names)
A lower engraving on the base reads:
ERECTED BY
SERVICE . STAR . LEGION
1926
This statue suffered damage when incidents of vandalism in 1995 and 1997. The bayonet had been stolen and the rifle broken off. A new rifle and bayonet were made by Danny Oldroyd and replaced in August of 2008, but the bayonet and rifle strap were gone again by the time Doughboy Searcher Les Kopel took the photo on the right in July of 2010.
The roofed structure behind the Doughboy contained an impressive honor roll dedicated to all those who served from Sanpete County, but due to vandalism it was moved indoors to the foyer of the Memorial Hall Recreation Center (the building behind the Doughboy in the right photo). It includes five panels on both sides with many columns of names listed by town and by war or conflict.
The Doughboy was originally dedicated in the middle of the intersection of State and Main Streets. When State Street was rerouted in 1946, the Doughboy was moved to a location on the grounds of the nearby National Guard Armory. Then when a volunteer group erected the Veterans Memorial with the pictured honor roll in 1982, the Doughboy was moved to its current location on the NE corner of the intersection of State and Main, standing on a low, flat base shared with the former honor roll. When the honor roll was moved indoors, its portion of the shared base was removed also, and replaced with lawn.
Where is this statue located?: Other
Which branch of the Military does this statue depict?: Army
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