U.S. Soldiers Form American History Symbols in World War I
July 6, 2010 by Sarah Ward
Filed under GI Degree Search
During World War I, two patriotic photographers Arthur S. Mole and John D. Thomas captured images of famous American history symbols such as the Statue of Liberty, U.S. Shield, Liberty Bell, American Eagle, and Uncle Sam using thousands of soldiers in meticulous formations. Originally intended to be part of a campaign to market war bonds, the photographs are now part of the Library of Congress and the Museum of Modern Art.
The photographs were captured from atop a 70-80 foot platform and because of the perspective distortion in the photographs, more soldiers are on the top part of the formations by Mole and Thomas. As an example, 18,000 men participated in the Statue of Liberty photograph, with over 2/3 of the U.S. soldiers constituting the torch, and the remaining 2,000 forming the remainder of the formation.
For soldiers returning home from active duty, GI Degree Search has degrees and subsequent jobs that compliment their GI skillset.
As we celebrate our independence, may we continue to pay respect to the soldiers who risked their lives for our freedoms.
