Living Statue of Liberty at WWI Camp Dodge in Iowa

Imagine 18,000 soldiers posed to form the shape of the Statue of Liberty. It occurred in 1918 as described thusly in this quote from the Iowa National Guard website:

"On a stifling July day in 1918, 18,000 officers and soldiers posed as Lady Liberty on the parade [drill] grounds at Camp Dodge." [This area was west of Baker St. and is currently the area around building S34 and to the west.] "According to a July 3, 1986, story in the Fort Dodge Messenger, many men fainted-they were dressed in woolen uniforms-as the temperature neared 105 degrees Farenheit. The photo, taken from the top of a specially constructed tower by a Chicago photography studio, Mole & Thomas, was intended to help promote the sale of war bonds but was never used."

"Pay close attention to the way spatial depth and perspective are defied. In the Statue of Liberty, there are twice as many men in the flame of the torch as in the rest of the design."



(Double click to enlarge photo)

Many examples of Mole's patriotic photographs in true perspective still exist, and 7 more photos of the artist's other "works" at naval and army bases can be found on the Iowa National Guard website.