from The World War One Centennial Commission Act, January 14, 2013
World War One was a watershed in American history. The United States' decision to join the battle in 1917 "to make the world safe for democracy" proved pivotal in securing allied victory — a victory that would usher in the American Century.
In the war's aftermath, individuals, towns, cities, counties, and states all felt compelled to mark the war, as did colleges, businesses, clubs, associations, veterans groups, and houses of worship. Thousands of memorials—from simple honor rolls, to Doughboy sculptures, to grandiose architectural ensembles—were erected throughout the US in the 1920s and 1930s, blanketing the American landscape.
Each of these memorials, regardless of size or expense, has a story. But sadly, as we enter the war's centennial period, these memorials and their very purpose—to honor in perpetuity the more than four million Americans who served in the war and the more than 116,000 who were killed—have largely been forgotten. And while many memorials are carefully tended, others have fallen into disrepair through neglect, vandalism, or theft. Some have been destroyed. Watch this CBS news video on the plight of these monuments.
The extant memorials are our most salient material links in the US to the war. They afford a vital window onto the conflict, its participants, and those determined to remember them. Rediscovering the memorials and the stories they tell will contribute to their physical and cultural rehabilitation—a fitting commemoration of the war and the sacrifices it entailed.
We are building a US WW1 Memorial register through a program called the Memorials Hunters Club. If you locate a memorial that is not on the map we invite you to upload your treasure to be permanently archived in the national register. You can include your choice of your real name, nickname or team name as the explorers who added that memorial to the register. We even have room for a selfie! Check the map, and if you don't see the your memorial CLICK THE LINK TO ADD IT.
 
Inscription: This monument perpetuates the memory of the sons and daughters of Prince George’s County who, true to the traditions of their county and the teachings of their forefathers, served their country in the Great War of 1917-1918. To the spirit of that service tribute is here paid by a grateful people.
The statue was dedicated in memory of the dead from the 38th Infantry Regiment. The sculptor, Roland Hinton Perry, had a national reputation: Before his death in 1941, his work included two memorable statues at Gettysburg and the elaborate Court of Neptune fountain at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
In Syracuse, he carved his name into the base of the statue, directly beneath a sculpted stone on which the soldier firmly plants his foot. That instant is a symbol of purpose and courage that provides the sculpture with its name:
The Rock of the Marne.
A century ago, soldiers with the 38th organized at the State Fairgrounds near Syracuse. They trained there before they left for Europe, where they played a key role in the second Battle of the Marne. A quote on the statue, from Gen. John J. Pershing—commander of American forces during the war—describes the magnitude of their accomplishment: “A single regiment of the Third Division wrote one of the most brilliant pages in the annals of military history,” Pershing recalled, speaking of how the 38th paid a steep price to prevent a German crossing at several key points along the Marne, a river in France.
Will Naylor Smith Plaza runs the full length of the West side of Tobin Center and is the home of the San Antonio Medal of Honor Memorial Monuments Garden Walk. The walkway passes many Memorial plaques to San Antonio related American Service Member who are recipients of Our Nations Highest Award for Valor, including 19 year-old David B. Barkeley, 1899 - 1918, KIA.
This Memorial Monument stands in memory to four
recently returned World War 1 U.S. Army Veterans
slain while peacefully marching in the American
Legion Armistice Day parade, November 11, 1919
Location: George Washington Park
East side of S. Pearl St. between W. Main St. & W. Locust St.
Centralia, Washington 98531
Back Inscription:
TO THE MEMORY OF
BEN CASAGRANDA
WARREN O. GRIMM
ERNEST DALE HUBBARD
ARTHUR MC ELFRESH
SLAIN ON THE STREETS OF
CENTRALIA, WASHINGTON
ARMISTICE DAY, NOV. 11, 1919
WHILE ON PEACEFUL PARADE
WEARING THE UNIFORM OF
THE COUNTRY THEY LOYALLY
AND FAITHFULLY SERVED
Front Inscription:
THE
SENTINEL
IT WAS THEIR DESTINY -
RATHER IT WAS THEIR
DUTY - THE HIGHEST OF US
IS BUT A SENTRY
AT HIS POST
The sides are adorned on each side with bronze relief
pictures of the four soldiers and inspirational sayings.
Pvt. J. Robert Conroy befriended a stray pup as his infantry regiment trained on the Yale University campus in the summer of 1917. Naming the mutt Stubby, Conroy somehow smuggled him to France where he became the regiment's mascot. Stubby participated in 17 battles, was wounded twice, saved countless lives by smelling mustard gas before it arrived, and once captured a German spy by biting him on the butt (Stubby had an uncanny ability to identify Germans). He was renamed "Sergeant Stubby," returned home as a war hero, and met President Woodrow Wilson, who shook his paw.
On Memorial Day 2018, this life-size bronze statue of Sgt. Stubby was unveiled in his home state of Connecticut. The sculpture by Susan Bahary depicts Stubby giving a salute, a trick that endeared him to Conroy's commanding officer. He wears a vest that was made by the grateful women of France, to which were pinned Stubby's many medals. Stubby was the most decorated dog of World War I.
The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium is a historic performance hall in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Built between 1922 and 1924 by John Parks at a cost of $700,000 and designed by noted architect R. H. Hunt, who also designed Chattanooga's lavish Tivoli Theatre, the theater honors area veterans of World War I.
In 1924 the Soldiers' and Sailors' memorial, also known as "Youth Triumphant", was erected. The monument was carved from Barre granite by local artists Gino Enrico Tosi, Enrico Mori and John Delmonte from a model created by New Your sculptor C. Paul Jennewein. The figure of a noble young warrior supplicating for peace soon became a trademark of Barre and was adopted as the city seal.
The warrior sits atop a Barre granite base inscribed with verses from poet Laurence Binyon's "Ode for the Fallen". A graceful, sweeping granite bench completes the memorial. Created by John Mead Howells, the bench is often referred to as the "whispering wall" because the graceful curve "carries" sound from one end of the bench to the other.
DEDICATED TO THE PATRIOTIC SPIRIT AND SACRIFICE OF OUR COUNTRY'S YOUTH
THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD AS
WE THAT ARE LEFT GROW OLD
AGE SHALL NOT WEARY THEM
NOR THE YEARS CONDEMN
AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE
SUN AND IN THE MORNING WE
WILL REMEMBER THEM
(Metal plaque on base reads:) SPIRIT OF THE/AMERICAN DOUGH(illegible)Y/COPYRIGHTED/E.M. VIQUESNEY SCULPTOR/SPENCER, INDIANA (Plaque on front of stone base, with eagle on top:) Spalding County/Dedicates this memorial as a/perpetual evidence/of her Gratitude for the/Brave, Loyal and Patriotic service/rendered by/Her Sons and Daughters/in 1917-The World War 1918 unsigned
(Center of base:) ERECTED BY/HENRY WALTON CHAPTER/DAUGHTERS OF/THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION/IN MEMORY OF/THE BOYS FROM/MORGAN COUNTY, GEORGIA/WHO FOUGHT IN THE WORLD WAR/APRIL 6, 1917-NOV. 11, 1918 unsigned
(On front of base:) IN MEMORIAM/WORLD WAR VETERANS/OF CHATOOGA (sic) COUNTY/GEORGIA/1917-1918/ERECTED 1934/BY CITIZENS AND FRIENDS/OF CHATOOGA (sic) COUNTY/FOSTERED BY/THE TRION COMPANY/B.D. RIEGER, PRES. & TREAS./N.B. MURPHY, VICE PRES.,/A.D. ELLIOT (Back and sides of base have 4 metal plaques listing 475 veterans) unsigned
(On plaque on base:) That the memory of the boys who gave their lives and their services in the defense of their country and to perpetuate its ideals shall live as an inspiration to courage and patriotism unsigned
Commissioned by the East End Improvement Association and dedicated on November, 11, 1922, Alton's original E. M. Viquesney "Doughboy" statue was originally at the intersection of Henry and 5th street. The statue was moved in 1942 to Riverside (now Riverfront) Park and moved once again and rededicated in 1975 to 445 Alby Street in front of VFW Post 1308. E. M. Viquesney was a sculptor who produced a series of World War I statues in honor of fallen soldiers called "Spirit of the American Doughboy." The sculptures depict a young WWI soldier in full uniform, his fist raised triumphantly in victory. Viquesney's war statues were the first mass-produced memorials on record and were made using a design copyrighted in 1921 using 75 thin sheets of sheet bronze that were mechanically pressed and welded together over an internal frame.
The memorial in Alton has several commemorative plaques. The front reads: This memorial is erected to commemorate the patriotism and devotion of our citizens who answered our country's call and served in the World War. The plaque on the right has a list of engraved names of soldiers who gave their lives in WWI. The left plaque has a quote by Abraham Lincoln and the back of the statue has a list of 13 WWI battle sites. A nearby plaque was dedicated to those who lost their lives in WWII and the Korea and Vietnam Wars.
The left photo was taken at the former Herrin City Park location Northeast of the center of town. The Doughboy was moved in October of 2002 and rededicated the following November 11 at the new location shown on the right in a small downtown plaza area across from City Hall at the corner of North Park Avenue and West Adams Street. A major portion of the move was handled by the National Guard. The plaques honoring veterans were also moved and placed on the wall behind the Doughboy.
(Proper right side of self base:) Spirit of the American Doughboy/copyrighted by E.M. Viquesney, sculptor (Bronze plaque on front of base:) (eagle with wings spread) ERECTED 1927 BY/FRANCIS M. DODGE/WILBERT M. ALLEN/AND OTHER CITIZENS/IN GRATEFUL RECOGNITION/OF THE PATRIOTIC SERVICE/RENDERED BY/FOUNTAIN COUNTY/MEN AND WOMEN/DURING THE WORLD WAR/1917-1918 (Rear of base:) FOR GOD AND COUNTRY signed
On base:) SPIRIT OF THE AMERICAN DOUGHBOY/COPYRIGHTED BY E.M. VIQUESNEY/SPENCER INDIANA
(On bronze base of sculpture:) SPIRIT OF THE/AMERICAN NAVY/COPYRIGHTED BY/E.M. VIQUESNEY SCULPTOR/SPENSER, INDIANA (On front of archway:) LOYALTY COURAGE SACRIFICE VICTORY ALLEN COUNTY AND FORT WAYNE/THEIR TRIBUTE/TO THE GLORY OF THEIR SONS (On plaque on inside of archway:) HONOR ROLL/1917-1918/THOSE WHO MADE THE SUPREME/SACRIFICE IN THE WORLD WAR/FROM ALLEN COUNTY AND FORT WAYNE (list of names) (On plaque on north side of archway:) ERECTED IN 1928 BY THE CITIZENS OF/ALLEN COUNTY AND FORT WAYNE/UNDER THE AUSPICES OF COMMITTEES/(list of names)
(On bronze base of sculpture:) SPIRIT OF THE/AMERICAN DOUGHBOY/COPYRIGHTED BY/E.M. VIQUESNEY SCULPTOR/SPENSER, INDIANA (On front of archway:) LOYALTY COURAGE SACRIFICE VICTORY ALLEN COUNTY AND FORT WAYNE/THEIR TRIBUTE/TO THE GLORY OF THEIR SONS (On plaque on inside of archway:) HONOR ROLL/1917-1918/THOSE WHO MADE THE SUPREME/SACRIFICE IN THE WORLD WAR/FROM ALLEN COUNTY AND FORT WAYNE (list of names) (On plaque on north side of archway:) ERECTED IN 1928 BY THE CITIZENS OF/ALLEN COUNTY AND FORT WAYNE/UNDER THE AUSPICES OF COMMITTEES/(list of names)
|
E.M. Viquesney sculpted this life-size bronze WWI infantryman in No Man's I.and, carrying a rifle and grenade. It was cast in 1923 and honors the memory of the men of Crisfield who served in WWI. A roll of honor is on a plaque attached to the granite base.
This is a full-sized bronze figure of a World War I infantryman advancing through the barbed wire and stumps of No Man's Land, holding a rifle and a hand grenade. It was sculpted by E.M. Viquesney and erected to honor Bethel's war veterans.
The Village of Swanton is a small town outside of Toledo, Ohio. Its prized landmark is The Spirit of the American Doughboy statue. The statue was a gift from the French people, the only one donated to a city in the United States by the Republic of France, in gratitude for the sacrifice of Swanton, which had an exceptionally large number of victims, during the war. It is a copper alloy statue of a World War I infantryman carrying a rifle and grenade as he advances through the barbed wire and stumps of No Man's Land. It is mounted on a base of marble chunks and mortar, and a lower base of fieldstone chunks and mortar. The Swanton Doughboy was dedicated on July 5 1926 and, following years of deterioration, was restored and rededicated on Memorial Day 2015.
Plaque: DEDICATED TO/THE MEMORY OF OUR COMRADES/WHO ENTERED THE SERVICE/OF THEIR COUNTRY/FROM WARE COUNTY/AND WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/IN THE WORLD WAR/..../SPONSORED BY/WARE CO. POST NO. 10, AMERICAN LEGION/NOVEMBER 11, 1935
Rear, inscribed below American Legion symbol: Ware County Post No. 10/Nov. 11, 1935/Dr. Paul K. McGee post Com./Doughboy Committee/Dr. Henry J. Carswell Chr./Walter E. Lee. Karl R. Porter/J.A. Rollison. W.D. Waldron./Geo. U. Gates. Clem Hardy./Mrs. Paul K. McGee. Ira Thomas./Mrs. Witherspoon Daniel. signed