The paper this morning has a preview of activities and ceremonies for Memorial Day. Not much mentioned is World War I.
A century ago it was all too fresh. Back in the first week of May in 1924 Salemites formalized plans to fund the World War I "Doughboy" Memorial.
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| Salem Library Historic Photos |
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| May 6th, 1924 |
The statue would be one identical to one in McMinnville, except it would have a grenade, which those in McMinnville decided to edit out.
Left apparently a little understated was that it was in fact one in an edition of many!
Wikipedia lists the sculptor, John Paulding, as having installed, sold, or authorized 34 of them around the country.
Salem also appended "to Victory" to the shorter name "Over the Top," which most cities seem to have adopted without the added "victory."
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| Nov. 12th, 1924 |
It was installed later that year in November at the Courthouse (image at top).
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| At ODVA (via Shineonsalem) |
It has since been moved to the small sculpture and memorial park by the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs.
As its 100th anniversary approaches in November maybe there will be more to say.
Previously:
- On Waldo Park as an immediate predecessor, but abandoned for the statue, "More on Origins of Waldo Park: American War Mothers, the Bush Family, and Formal Establishment in 1936"
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