The Spirit of the American Doughboy
The “Spirit of the American Doughboy” is memorialized in this statue by Ernest M. Viquesney.
Following The Great World War patriotism was very high in Monroe County. In Columbia, Illinois Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, had been observed by members of the Grand Army of the Republic [ G.A.R.] since it’s inception during the late 1860’s. By 1920 the ranks of the G.A.R. were nearly depleted. As a result, the newly formed American Legion Post 581 began organizing the Memorial Day ceremonies. It was felt that a fitting monument should be erected to commemorate the sacrifices made by our local veterans. While the focus of the statue was on the Doughboy of the Great War [ World War One ] the monument was dedicated to “Our Sons and Daughters who served there nation in freedoms cause” during the Six Great Wars. Those being;
- The Revolutionary War 1775 – 1781
- The Civil War 1861 – 1865
- The War of 1812 – 1814
- The Spanish American War 1898
- The Mexican War 1846 – 1847
- The Great World War 1917- 1918
Since the monument was first placed in a small plaza at the intersection of Main Street and Legion Avenue, it has been moved twice. The first relocation found the monument facing the old Legion building at the intersection of Legion Avenue and Metter Avenue in Columbia.
A few years later it was again relocated because that site was needed for construction of the new Public Library in Columbia. Since that time the “Doughboy” has stood on the grounds of Post 581’s Legion Park. During the existence of the memorial, another plaque has been added to the side. As a testament to the continuing struggle for freedom, three more wars have been added;
- World War II 1941 – 1945
- Korean War 1950 – 1953
- Viet Nam 1960 – 1975
- Lebanon/Grenada 1982 – 1990
- Operation Just Cause Panama 1989 – 1990
- Desert Shield/Desert Storm 1990 – Today
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Post 581’s Doughboy Statue has its’ own Smithsonian Institution Art Inventory Control Number 47260022
Locate Doughboys from the Columbia area here:
http://doughboysearcher.weebly.com/columbia-illinois.html
