The American Infantryman, (sculpture).

The American Infantryman, (sculpture).

Kunst, Ernst, sculptor.

Hermann Noack Bildgiesseri, founder.

The American Infantryman, (sculpture).

Doughboy, (sculpture).

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: bronze; Base: flagstone and stone.

Sculpture: approx. H. 6 ft. 8 in. x W. 23 in.; Base: approx. 44 in. x 7 ft. x 5 ft.

(Bronze base of sculpture, rear right:) Guss H. Noack--Berlin (Plaque on front of bronze base of sculpture:) The model for this statue was/SSG Thomas E. Love/Co B 3rd Bn 3rd Inf Reg 26 Inf Div (Plaque on front of stone base:) U.S. Army/The American Infantryman/This monument stands/as a tribute to our nation's/bravest soldiers/This statue was cast in Berlin, German, 1958/from an original work of sculptor Ernst Kunst./The original statue was raised as a tribute to/the gallant Infantryman of world war II. (Plaque #3:) The six large stones which form/the base of this monument/were once part of the famous/Remagen Bridge over the Rhine River/captured intact by American forces/on 7 March 45 unsigned Founder's mark appears.

A uniformed World War II infantry soldier stands erect holding the barrel of his rifle with his proper right hand. The soldier wears a steel helmet and carries a square pack on his back. His proper left arm bent and tucked behind his pack. The sculpture is mounted on a square base made of flagstone and stones from the Remagen Bridge over Germany's Rhine River. The monument is set in a small, circular plaza, surrounded by low shrubs.

History -- United States -- World War II

Figure male -- Full length

Portrait male -- Love, Thomas E. -- Full length

Occupation -- Military -- Soldier

Dress -- Uniform -- Military Uniform

Outdoor Sculpture -- Georgia -- Fort Benning

Administered by United States Department of the Army, Fort Benning, Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia 31905

Located Fort Benning, NCO Drive, Fort Benning, Georgia

The monument commemorates the American infantryman of World War II. It is a cast of a sculpture titled "Doughboy" that was sited at the U.S. Army's Command Headquarters in Berlin. Interest in obtaining a casting of the sculpture for Fort Benning originated in Dec. 1953, and was at times associated with the building of a "Follow Me Park" for Fort Benning, a project which was never realized. Around 1956, a campaign was begun to raise money for a cast of the sculpture and exclusive copyright to its use, using the "Follow Me Fund." Sgt.

Thomas E. Love was the model for the soldier in the sculpture. The stones used in the lower base of this monument were once part of the famous Remagen Bridge over the Rhine River. The bridge was captured by American forces on March 7, 1945. The sculpture was formerly located in front of Building 35 at Fort Benning. The 1994 SOS! survey reports that the sculpture has been cleaned with a steel wire brush. IAS files contain undated articles from: Leger-Enquirer (Columbus, GA); Bayonet/Leader/Ledger Enquirer.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Georgia survey, 1994.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

Control Number:

Horizon Information Portal 3.25_9382

Powered by SirsiDynix

About | © 2020 Smithsonian | Terms of Use | Privacy | Contact

SIRIS - Smithsonian Institution Research Information System