How many times have they stood up Appleton’s ‘Doughboy’ statue? Here’s the history

“The Spirit of the American Doughboy” statue has stood on Memorial Drive in honor of Appleton veterans killed in World War I since 1934, though has gone through repairs and even a replacement over the years. Here’s what we found about the statue in The Post-Crescent’s archives.

American Legion Post 38 sold stamps bearing a likeness of the monument to raise money to erect the bronze statue, as well as beautification of Memorial Drive. The statue was designed and executed by E.M. Viquesney of Spencer, Indiana.

Hundreds braved chilly weather on Nov. 12, 1934 to witness the unveiling and dedication of the statue.

Fifty-two years later, the statue was felled in November 1986 by a 23-year-old Appleton man who fell asleep behind the wheel. It was restored to its pedestal a month later, after the man’s insurance paid for the repair.

Appleton’s “Spirit of the Doughboy” statue was broken by a 23-year-old Appleton man who fell asleep behind the wheel of his vehicle. Post-Crescent File Photo

Craftsmen at Appleton Lamplighter soldered together the shattered pieces of zinc-alloy pot metal, filled in or recast pieces which were damaged beyond repair, added concrete, dulled pockmarks in the copper, and sprayed on a new coat of copper.

Kevin Weisshahn, left, and Bob Kiefer, position the repaired doughboy, published in the Dec. 24, 1986 edition of The Post-Crescent. Post-Crescent File Photo

Other repairs were made including replacing the bayonet, broken off by vandals years before, so it is now an accurate reproduction of the gun issued to doughboys at the time.

In 2006, the statue was once again refurbished and was rededicated on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

The Post-Crescent reported on the deteriorating condition of the statue in 2005, and soon launched a “Save the Doughboy” campaign to restore the statue.

The newspaper, joined by Post 38, members of including Auxiliary Unit 38 and Sons of the American Legion Squadron No. 38, raised about $25,000 to have the Doughboy fully restored and to add lighting and repair a nearby flagpole. It was returned to its base Sept. 11, 2006.

The 2006 article also included a note on “What is a doughboy?” Theories vary about the origins of the term “doughboy,” given to U.S. infantrymen. They range from the soldiers’ fondness for doughnuts in France to the way they cooked their rations to the similarity of buttons on their uniforms to doughboy dumplings.

For more on doughboys, visit The Doughboy Center, part of the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Program, at worldwar1.com/dbc.

⇒ Read the entire article on the Appleton Post-Crescent website here:

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