Iron Mike
Encyclopedia
Iron Mike is the de facto
name of various monuments commemorating servicemen
of the United States military
. The term "Iron Mike" is uniquely American slang
used to refer to men who are especially tough, brave, and inspiring; it was originally a nautical term for a gyrocompass
, used to keep a ship on an unwavering course. Because the use of the slang term was popular in the first half of the 20th century, many statues from that period acquired the Iron Mike nickname, and over the generations the artists' titles were largely forgotten. Even official military publications and classroom texts tend to prefer the nickname to the original titles.
Quantico’s Iron Mike is officially titled Crusading for Right. It depicts a World War I
Marine holding a 1903 Springfield rifle, wearing a pack with a bayonet
.
At the end of the war, US Army General
John J. Pershing
commissioned the French sculptor Charles Raphael Peyre (sometimes Raphael Charles Peyne) to commemorate the service of the US Army’s "doughboy
s". The sculptor, unaware of the differences between the branches of service, used a Marine private as a model and included the Eagle, Globe and Anchor insignia on the helmet. When Pershing saw the finished product, he insisted that the Marine Corps
insignia be removed. The artist would not allow his work to be censored, so the Army declined to buy the statue.
Finally, Marine Corps General Smedley Butler
raised enough money to buy the statue and had it installed in front of the headquarters building at Marine Corps Base Quantico
, Virgina. The statue was begun in 1918 and first exhibited at the Exposition des Beaux Arts of the Grand Palaise des Champs-Élysées, in Paris in May 1919. Marine Officers and Enlisted donated money to purchase the statue, and it was sited in front of the Base Headquarters, Building 1019, in Quantico, Virginia, some 75 miles from DC and a bit off the tourist trail. Three tablets were erected in the memory of the officers and men of the 6th Machine Gun Battalion, 5th Regiment and 6th Regiment, United States Marines, "who gave their lives for their country in the World War in 1918" by the Thomas Roberts Reath, Marine Post No. 186, American Legion
, on November 10, 1921. On December 8, 1921, the statue was dedicated.
Today, a recreation of this statue stands in front of the National Museum of the Marine Corps, outside the Quantico base. On that statue's base is the name "Iron Mike". The original statue remains in front of Butler Hall, home of the Marine Corps Training and Education Command.
The Iron Mike at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial
at Belleau Wood
battlefield is a bronze
relief
on black marble, simply entitled The Marine Memorial. It was sculpted by Felix Weihs de Weldon, the artist who later designed the giant Marine Corps War Memorial
in Washington, D.C. The monument was erected in the heart of the forest to honor the 5th
and 6th Marine Regiments
of the 4th Marine Brigade which fought there for twenty days in June 1918. Below the statue is a commemorative plaque with a large Eagle, Globe, and Anchor
.
The battle was the bloodiest of the U.S. Marine Corps' history at that point, and the 5th and 6th Regiments were awarded the French Fourragère
and Croix de Guerre
. Following the war, the French government renamed the forest "Wood of the Marine Brigade," and this Iron Mike was dedicated there in 1923.
Parris Island's
Iron Mike is depicted carrying a Maxim machine gun over his right shoulder and an M1911 pistol in his raised left hand, created as a memorial to all of the Parris Island graduates who were killed during WWI.
The statue itself is approximately life-sized, standing about 8 feet (2.4 m) high from the heel of his boot to the muzzle of his pistol, and is mounted on a 5 feet (1.5 m) granite base. It was created by Robert Ingersoll Aitken
, the sculptor of the pediment on the United States Supreme Court Building
, and cast in bronze. Officially entitled Monument to U.S. Marines, this Iron Mike was dedicated in 1924 in a ceremony presided over by Commandant John A. Lejeune
. Due to changes and construction around Parris Island, Iron Mike was relocated in 1941 and it now stands in front of the Parris Island Headquarters and Service Battalion Barracks.
The bronze plaque, mounted on the base, reads: "In memory of the men of Parris Island who gave their lives in the World War, erected by their comrades."
Fort Bragg
’s The Airborne Trooper is the newest Iron Mike statue. Known as the "Home of the Airborne," Fort Bragg hosts the 82nd Airborne Division
as well as the XVIII Airborne Corps. Sculpted by Leah Heibert in 1960 and 1961, using Sergeant Major James Runyon as a model, the statue depicts a World War II
-era Airborne
trooper with a Thompson submachine gun
at the ready. The vision of former XVIII Airborne Corps Commander, Lt. Gen. Robert F. Sink, the statue was not named for any one man or unit, but rather dedicated to all paratroopers; past, present and future. Omar Bradley
, Matthew Ridgeway, Anthony McAuliffe
, Maxwell Taylor, Thomas Trapnell
, and William Westmoreland
were among the fifteen generals who attended the dedication ceremony. Originally installed at the southern entrance on Bragg Boulevard, the Airborne Trooper was moved to the traffic circle in front of the post headquarters in 1979 to prevent vandalism and increase visibility.
Fort Bragg’s original Iron Mike stood 16 in 4 in (4.98 m) tall from boot heel to the top of his helmet and weighed 3235 pounds (1,467.4 kg). The original statue was made from polyester strips dipped in epoxy
and stretched over a steel frame. Due to deterioration, it was replaced in 2005 with a bronze version. The original was refurbished and was moved to the Airborne & Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville, North Carolina
on June 14, 2010.
A digital model of the original was created and used as a guide for the new version to ensure faithful replication of Heibert's design. A ceremony to dedicate the new version was held September 23, 2005.
President George W. Bush
spoke in front of the statue on July 4, 2006.
, where on June 6–9, 1944 members of 505 Parachute Infantry Regiment and 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, both elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, fought a fierce battle against repeated German attacks. The small stone bridge over the Merderet River was a key point for the Germans to take in order to break up the American landing at Utah Beach, while at the same time being key to the Americans so that they could expand their beachhead in Normandy. Over the course of the battle, the Germans attacked the lightly armed Americans with both infantry and armor but were never able to cross the bridge. The monument was unveiled on June 7, 1997.
The University of Minnesota's
Twin Cities campus also has a statue known as "Iron Mike." Designed by Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson
and installed in 1906, the statue stands in front of the armory at 15 Church Street. Also known as the "Student Soldier Memorial", this Iron Mike is a monument to alumni who served in the Spanish-American War
. The statue is 9 feet (2.7 m) tall and stands on a 6 feet (1.8 m) granite base, depicting a soldier clad in a period uniform with a campaign hat
and a Krag-Jørgensen
rifle.
The actual name of the sculpture is The Hiker. Thirty-nine copies of Kitson's "Hiker" are still in existence, spread across the United States from Deering Oaks Park in Portland, Maine
to Capitol Park in Sacramento, California
. The University of Minnesota's "Iron Mike" is one of the oldest "Hikers" in the U.S., possibly rivaled by one in Allentown, Pennsylvania
.
. While the original statue design itself never received the nickname "Iron Mike", residents of some of the locales in which the copies can be found refer to their local monuments as such.
The U.S. Army Infantry Center at Fort Benning
has a World War II monument entitled Follow Me which is officially called "Iron Mike" by the Infantry School. A replica of the Iron Mike monument of Fort Benning was erected on June 7, 1997 at La Fiere (Sainte-Mère-Église) in Normandy, France, as a tribute to American Airborne soldiers of “D-Day”.
Fort Lewis
, Washington, is home to a statue simply entitled The Infantryman which is sometimes referred to as "Iron Mike". Set with a backdrop of Mount Rainier
, the 18 feet (5.5 m) fiberglass statue was erected in 1964 to memorialize the soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division.
Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow
has a ridge that is used during training that is nicknamed "Iron Mike" due to the steepness of the terrain and determination it takes to run up without stopping. Another running course at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
, Camp Horno, shares the name as well.
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
name of various monuments commemorating servicemen
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
of the United States military
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
. The term "Iron Mike" is uniquely American slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
used to refer to men who are especially tough, brave, and inspiring; it was originally a nautical term for a gyrocompass
Gyrocompass
A gyrocompass is a type of non-magnetic compass which bases on a fast-spinning disc and rotation of our planet to automatically find geographical direction...
, used to keep a ship on an unwavering course. Because the use of the slang term was popular in the first half of the 20th century, many statues from that period acquired the Iron Mike nickname, and over the generations the artists' titles were largely forgotten. Even official military publications and classroom texts tend to prefer the nickname to the original titles.
Quantico, Virginia
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Marine holding a 1903 Springfield rifle, wearing a pack with a bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
.
At the end of the war, US Army General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
John J. Pershing
John J. Pershing
John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, GCB , was a general officer in the United States Army who led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I...
commissioned the French sculptor Charles Raphael Peyre (sometimes Raphael Charles Peyne) to commemorate the service of the US Army’s "doughboy
Doughboy
Doughboy is an informal term for an American soldier, especially members of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. The term dates back to the Mexican–American War of 1846–48....
s". The sculptor, unaware of the differences between the branches of service, used a Marine private as a model and included the Eagle, Globe and Anchor insignia on the helmet. When Pershing saw the finished product, he insisted that the Marine Corps
Marine corps
A marine is a member of a force that specializes in expeditionary operations such as amphibious assault and occupation. The marines traditionally have strong links with the country's navy...
insignia be removed. The artist would not allow his work to be censored, so the Army declined to buy the statue.
Finally, Marine Corps General Smedley Butler
Smedley Butler
Smedley Darlington Butler was a Major General in the U.S. Marine Corps, an outspoken critic of U.S. military adventurism, and at the time of his death the most decorated Marine in U.S...
raised enough money to buy the statue and had it installed in front of the headquarters building at Marine Corps Base Quantico
Marine Corps Base Quantico
Marine Corps Base Quantico, sometimes abbreviated MCB Quantico, is a major United States Marine Corps training base located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly in southern Prince William County, northern Stafford County, and southeastern Fauquier County...
, Virgina. The statue was begun in 1918 and first exhibited at the Exposition des Beaux Arts of the Grand Palaise des Champs-Élysées, in Paris in May 1919. Marine Officers and Enlisted donated money to purchase the statue, and it was sited in front of the Base Headquarters, Building 1019, in Quantico, Virginia, some 75 miles from DC and a bit off the tourist trail. Three tablets were erected in the memory of the officers and men of the 6th Machine Gun Battalion, 5th Regiment and 6th Regiment, United States Marines, "who gave their lives for their country in the World War in 1918" by the Thomas Roberts Reath, Marine Post No. 186, American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
, on November 10, 1921. On December 8, 1921, the statue was dedicated.
Today, a recreation of this statue stands in front of the National Museum of the Marine Corps, outside the Quantico base. On that statue's base is the name "Iron Mike". The original statue remains in front of Butler Hall, home of the Marine Corps Training and Education Command.
Belleau, France
Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial
The Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial is a World War I cemetery in Belleau, Northern France. It is at the foot of the hill where the Battle of Belleau Wood was fought, with many American fatalities...
at Belleau Wood
Battle of Belleau Wood
The Battle of Belleau Wood occurred during the German 1918 Spring Offensive in World War I, near the Marne River in France. The battle was fought between the U.S...
battlefield is a bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
relief
Relief
Relief is a sculptural technique. The term relief is from the Latin verb levo, to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is thus to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane...
on black marble, simply entitled The Marine Memorial. It was sculpted by Felix Weihs de Weldon, the artist who later designed the giant Marine Corps War Memorial
USMC War Memorial
The Marine Corps War Memorial is a military memorial statue outside the walls of the Arlington National Cemetery and next to the Netherlands Carillon, in Arlington, Virginia, in the United States. The memorial is dedicated to all personnel of the United States Marine Corps who have died in the...
in Washington, D.C. The monument was erected in the heart of the forest to honor the 5th
U.S. 5th Marine Regiment
The 5th Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the most highly decorated regiment in the Marine Corps and falls under the command of the 1st Marine Division and the I Marine Expeditionary Force...
and 6th Marine Regiments
U.S. 6th Marine Regiment
The 6th Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The regiment falls under the command of the 2nd Marine Division of the II Marine Expeditionary Force. the 6th Marines combat history dates back to World War I...
of the 4th Marine Brigade which fought there for twenty days in June 1918. Below the statue is a commemorative plaque with a large Eagle, Globe, and Anchor
Eagle, Globe, and Anchor
The Eagle, Globe, and Anchor is the official emblem and insignia of the United States Marine Corps. The current emblem traces its roots in the designs and ornaments of the early Continental Marines as well as the British Royal Marines. The present emblem, adopted in 1966, differs from the emblem of...
.
The battle was the bloodiest of the U.S. Marine Corps' history at that point, and the 5th and 6th Regiments were awarded the French Fourragère
Fourragère
The fourragère is a military award, distinguishing military units as a whole, that is shaped as a braided cord. The award has been firstly adopted by France, followed by other nations such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal.- History :...
and Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
. Following the war, the French government renamed the forest "Wood of the Marine Brigade," and this Iron Mike was dedicated there in 1923.
Parris Island, South Carolina
Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island
Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island is an military installation located within Port Royal, South Carolina, approximately south of Beaufort, the community that is typically associated with the installation. MCRD Parris Island is used for the training of enlisted Marines...
Iron Mike is depicted carrying a Maxim machine gun over his right shoulder and an M1911 pistol in his raised left hand, created as a memorial to all of the Parris Island graduates who were killed during WWI.
The statue itself is approximately life-sized, standing about 8 feet (2.4 m) high from the heel of his boot to the muzzle of his pistol, and is mounted on a 5 feet (1.5 m) granite base. It was created by Robert Ingersoll Aitken
Robert Ingersoll Aitken
Robert Ingersoll Aitken was an American sculptor.Born in San Francisco, California, Aitken studied there at the Mark Hopkins Institute of Art with Douglas Tilden. From 1901 until 1904 he was an instructor at the Institute. In 1904 he moved to Paris where he continued his studies...
, the sculptor of the pediment on the United States Supreme Court Building
United States Supreme Court building
The Supreme Court Building is the seat of the Supreme Court of the United States. It is situated in Washington, D.C. at 1 First Street, NE, on the block immediately east of the United States Capitol. The building is under the jurisdiction of the Architect of the Capitol. On May 4, 1987, the Supreme...
, and cast in bronze. Officially entitled Monument to U.S. Marines, this Iron Mike was dedicated in 1924 in a ceremony presided over by Commandant John A. Lejeune
John A. Lejeune
Lieutenant General John Archer Lejeune, was the 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps. Known as the "greatest of all Leathernecks" and the "Marine's Marine", he served for nearly 40 years. His service included commanding the U.S...
. Due to changes and construction around Parris Island, Iron Mike was relocated in 1941 and it now stands in front of the Parris Island Headquarters and Service Battalion Barracks.
The bronze plaque, mounted on the base, reads: "In memory of the men of Parris Island who gave their lives in the World War, erected by their comrades."
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
’s The Airborne Trooper is the newest Iron Mike statue. Known as the "Home of the Airborne," Fort Bragg hosts the 82nd Airborne Division
U.S. 82nd Airborne Division
The 82nd Airborne Division is an active airborne infantry division of the United States Army specializing in parachute landing operations. Based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the 82nd Airborne Division is the primary fighting arm of the XVIII Airborne Corps....
as well as the XVIII Airborne Corps. Sculpted by Leah Heibert in 1960 and 1961, using Sergeant Major James Runyon as a model, the statue depicts a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
-era Airborne
Airborne forces
Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
trooper with a Thompson submachine gun
Thompson submachine gun
The Thompson is an American submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in 1919, that became infamous during the Prohibition era. It was a common sight in the media of the time, being used by both law enforcement officers and criminals...
at the ready. The vision of former XVIII Airborne Corps Commander, Lt. Gen. Robert F. Sink, the statue was not named for any one man or unit, but rather dedicated to all paratroopers; past, present and future. Omar Bradley
Omar Bradley
Omar Nelson Bradley was a senior U.S. Army field commander in North Africa and Europe during World War II, and a General of the Army in the United States Army...
, Matthew Ridgeway, Anthony McAuliffe
Anthony McAuliffe
General Anthony Clement "Nuts" McAuliffe was the United States Army general who commanded the 101st Airborne Division troops defending Bastogne, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II...
, Maxwell Taylor, Thomas Trapnell
Thomas J. H. Trapnell
Thomas John Hall "Trap" Trapnell was a United States Armygeneral. Trapnell survived the Bataan Death March and the sinking of two transportation ships during...
, and William Westmoreland
William Westmoreland
William Childs Westmoreland was a United States Army General, who commanded US military operations in the Vietnam War at its peak , during the Tet Offensive. He adopted a strategy of attrition against the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam and the North Vietnamese Army. He later served as...
were among the fifteen generals who attended the dedication ceremony. Originally installed at the southern entrance on Bragg Boulevard, the Airborne Trooper was moved to the traffic circle in front of the post headquarters in 1979 to prevent vandalism and increase visibility.
Fort Bragg’s original Iron Mike stood 16 in 4 in (4.98 m) tall from boot heel to the top of his helmet and weighed 3235 pounds (1,467.4 kg). The original statue was made from polyester strips dipped in epoxy
Epoxy
Epoxy, also known as polyepoxide, is a thermosetting polymer formed from reaction of an epoxide "resin" with polyamine "hardener". Epoxy has a wide range of applications, including fiber-reinforced plastic materials and general purpose adhesives....
and stretched over a steel frame. Due to deterioration, it was replaced in 2005 with a bronze version. The original was refurbished and was moved to the Airborne & Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
on June 14, 2010.
A digital model of the original was created and used as a guide for the new version to ensure faithful replication of Heibert's design. A ceremony to dedicate the new version was held September 23, 2005.
President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
spoke in front of the statue on July 4, 2006.
La Fiere replica
A replica of "The Airborne Trooper" stands above the bridge at La Fiere in NormandyNormandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, where on June 6–9, 1944 members of 505 Parachute Infantry Regiment and 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, both elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, fought a fierce battle against repeated German attacks. The small stone bridge over the Merderet River was a key point for the Germans to take in order to break up the American landing at Utah Beach, while at the same time being key to the Americans so that they could expand their beachhead in Normandy. Over the course of the battle, the Germans attacked the lightly armed Americans with both infantry and armor but were never able to cross the bridge. The monument was unveiled on June 7, 1997.
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
Twin Cities campus also has a statue known as "Iron Mike." Designed by Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson
Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson
Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson , also known as Tho. A. R. Kitson, was an American sculptor.Kitson was born in Brookline, Massachusetts. As a young child she displayed artistic talent, but when her mother attempted to enroll her in the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, she was informed that she...
and installed in 1906, the statue stands in front of the armory at 15 Church Street. Also known as the "Student Soldier Memorial", this Iron Mike is a monument to alumni who served in the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
. The statue is 9 feet (2.7 m) tall and stands on a 6 feet (1.8 m) granite base, depicting a soldier clad in a period uniform with a campaign hat
Campaign hat
A campaign cover is a broad-brimmed felt or straw hat, with a high crown, pinched symmetrically at the four corners .It is associated with the New Zealand Army, the Royal Canadian...
and a Krag-Jørgensen
Krag-Jørgensen
The Krag-Jørgensen is a repeating bolt action rifle designed by the Norwegians Ole Herman Johannes Krag and Erik Jørgensen in the late 19th century. It was adopted as a standard arm by Denmark, the United States of America and Norway...
rifle.
The actual name of the sculpture is The Hiker. Thirty-nine copies of Kitson's "Hiker" are still in existence, spread across the United States from Deering Oaks Park in Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
to Capitol Park in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. The University of Minnesota's "Iron Mike" is one of the oldest "Hikers" in the U.S., possibly rivaled by one in Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
.
Others
There are many other similar statues throughout the United States, most of them World War I monuments. The most well-known is a sculpture by Ernest Moore Viquesney entitled Spirit of the American DoughboySpirit of the American Doughboy
The Spirit of the American Doughboy is a pressed copper sculpture by E. M. Viquesney, designed to honor the veterans and casualties of World War I...
. While the original statue design itself never received the nickname "Iron Mike", residents of some of the locales in which the copies can be found refer to their local monuments as such.
The U.S. Army Infantry Center at Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
has a World War II monument entitled Follow Me which is officially called "Iron Mike" by the Infantry School. A replica of the Iron Mike monument of Fort Benning was erected on June 7, 1997 at La Fiere (Sainte-Mère-Église) in Normandy, France, as a tribute to American Airborne soldiers of “D-Day”.
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
, Washington, is home to a statue simply entitled The Infantryman which is sometimes referred to as "Iron Mike". Set with a backdrop of Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located southeast of Seattle in the state of Washington, United States. It is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of . Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most...
, the 18 feet (5.5 m) fiberglass statue was erected in 1964 to memorialize the soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division.
Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow
Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow
Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow is a United States Marine Corps supply and maintenance installation located east of Barstow, California. Its mission is to rebuild and repair ground-combat and combat-support equipment and to support installations on the West Coast of the United States...
has a ridge that is used during training that is nicknamed "Iron Mike" due to the steepness of the terrain and determination it takes to run up without stopping. Another running course at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base...
, Camp Horno, shares the name as well.
See also
- The Three SoldiersThe Three SoldiersThe Three Soldiers is a bronze statue, on the Washington, DC National Mall commemorating the Vietnam War. It was created and designed to complement the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, by adding a more traditional component to the Memorial.- Sculpture design and symbolism :This well-known sculpture by U.S...
(Vietnam War) - Korean War Veterans MemorialKorean War Veterans MemorialThe Korean War Veterans Memorial is located in Washington, D.C.'s West Potomac Park, southeast of the Lincoln Memorial and just south of the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall...
- Spirit of the American DoughboySpirit of the American DoughboyThe Spirit of the American Doughboy is a pressed copper sculpture by E. M. Viquesney, designed to honor the veterans and casualties of World War I...
(World War I) - Marine Corps War Memorial