The World War I Memorial in Rhode Island, United States, is no ordinary statue. Designed by Pietro Montana, it stands 7.75 feet tall, 2.583 feet wide, and 2.66 feet deep, resting atop a grey granite base that towers an additional 6.33 feet. The statue is modeled on Charles Atlas. Montana, who was Italian-born and studied at the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in Manhattan, New York City, aimed to capture the 'upstanding character and valor' of the U.S. doughboy through this sculpture.
However, the East Providence Memorial Committee found Montana's original design to be too brutal and modified it before it was displayed. The statue was finally dedicated on July 30, 1927, with Major General Charles Pelot Summerall giving an address that acknowledged the handicap placed upon the soldiers by a lack of preparedness. The speech, delivered as the statue was unveiled, highlighted the fighting ideal embodied by Montana's doughboy.
The statue, still standing in its original location, is historically significant and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Friendly Jane
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