107th Infantry Memorial

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107th Infantry Memorial is an outdoor bronze sculpture and memorial by sculptor Karl Illava. The base sits upon a 25-foot wide stepped granite; designed by architects Rogers and Haneman. It is located at the intersection of East 67th Street at Fifth Avenue in Central Park, in Manhattan, New York. It depects a group of seven men with various roles during the fighting in World War I. It was donated by the Seventh Regiment New York 107th United States Infantry Memorial Committee. [1] C.I. De Bevoice was the head of the fund raising for the Memorial Committee. He was the Colonel in charge of the 107th Infantry in 1917.[2]

Inscription[edit]
There is an inscription on the monument. It states &quot;SEVENTH REGIMENT NEW YORK / ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTH UNITED INFANTRY / 1917 IN MEMORIAM 1918&quot;.(Inscription all in capitol letters)
Dedication[edit]

The memorial at night
Over 5,000 people [3] attended the dedication of the monument on September 29, 1927, on the 9th anniversary of the Battle of St. Quentin Canal, an attack on the Hindenburg Line.[4] Speakers included Colonel Hanford MacNider, the Assistant Secretary of War, New York State Senator William T. Byrne, Major General John F. O&#039;Ryan, and General Alexander S. Diven.[4] The presentation address was by Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Engel of the 107th.[4] The sons of two fallen members of the 107th, Captain Clinton E. Fisk of Company D and Captain Fancher Nicoll of Company L., unveiled the monument.[4]
When it was unveiled, many people speculated that the lead soldier was modeled after boxer Gene Tunney, but &quot;[o]fficers of the regiment denied this, saying the sculptor merely had striven to emphasize the characteristic expression of the typical soldier in action&quot;[3] and the sculptor said the figure was based on advertising executive Paul Cornell.[5]
Remembrance Ceremonies[edit]
On Armistice Day 1927. the 107th Infantry Post of the American Legion held a religious service and Rev. Peter E. Hoey placed a floral wreath at the memorial to pay tribute to the war dead.[6]
In October 1973, The Commanding officer, Sir Gregor MacGregor of the Scots Guards, held a wreath laying ceremony at the statue to commemorate the units World War I service with the British Army.[7]