American Legion Soldier
American Legion Soldier is a public sculpture by German-born American artist Adolph Wolter, installed on the American Legion building on K Street NW in Washington, D.C., in 1951. The statue shows a male soldier in a mix of World War I and World War II battle gear. His shirt is unbuttoned, dogtags hang from his neck, a rifle is slung over his right shoulder, and he holds a grenade in his left hand. He wears a helmet and his pants are tucked into his boots. He steps on a snake with his right foot, symbolizing the enemy. The piece sits on a small ledge about forty feet above the sidewalk on the building façade.
The sculpture was modeled after Lt. Hulon B. Whittington, a World War II Medal of Honor recipient, and carved by Frank Bowden in Wolter's Indianapolis studio in 90 days. It cost $5,200 to produce and erect and was dedicated on August 14, 1951, with President Harry S. Truman speaking at the ceremony. The sculpture was surveyed as part of the Smithsonian's Save Outdoor Sculpture! program in 1993.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 12:34 (CET).