Did You Know? The Famous Doughboy Statue Has a Powerful Story in South Dakota

When one hears the name “Doughboy,” the image that most often comes to mind is the chubby white mascot for the Poppin’ Fresh brand of biscuits dating back to the 1960s. The advertisements were known for the giggle expressed by the “doughboy” when poked in the belly by a human hand. There are statues located throughout the country devoted to the “American doughboy”…but they don’t pertain to the lovable biscuit mascot. The statues were created by American sculptor E.M. Viquesney beginning in the 1920s to pay homage to the heroic “doughboys” of that era: American military infantrymen. About 140 statues were created to honor the soldiers who served and died in World War I, and they still remain in 38 states. One of these statues still stands in a quiet community in South Dakota – in Rock Creek (Bullhead) on the Standing Rock Reservation, just 15 miles south of the North Dakota border.

The official moniker for these life-size statues created by Viquesney is The Spirit of the American Doughboy. The original sheet-bronze sculpture features an American soldier charging forward with a raised right hand holding a hand grenade and a bayonetted rifle in the left hand at his side. Hundreds of replicas were mass-produced, but a significant number have been lost to history due to weather, accidents, and/or vandalism. The statue that still stands in Veterans Memorial Park in Bullhead was a version of the statue created in 1934. It is made of cast zinc and stands on a base bearing a plague that reads “Dedicated to the memory of those who made the supreme sacrifice and honor of those who served in the World War, 1917-18.” Also included directly below that dedication created by Viquesney is its true call to honor: “Presented by the Hunkpapa band of Sioux Nation, June 29, 1935.” The plaque affixed to the base of the statue on the rear side includes an inscription of those whose lives were lost and who are honored on this site – a list of sixty-one specific names for service across four causes/considerations – including Honor Roll (eight names, with stars); Died from Effect of War (ten names); Service Overseas (twelve names); and Service with the Flag (twenty-one names).

The Doughboy statue located in Bullhead, however, is somewhat unique: it shares a particular distinction with only two other locations. The Bullhead Doughboy monument is one of only three Viquesney Doughboy statues to specifically recognize the service and sacrifice of Native Americans in World War I, shared only with statues located in Muskogee, Oklahoma and Kingman, Arizona. It is important to note that there are similar-looking replica statues that exist across the nation, including the statue in Tripp County by John Paulding. The designs are quite similar in nature, perhaps because Viquesney’s depiction of the American doughboy is the most famous and widely reproduced World War I memorial statue in the United States after the Statue of Liberty.

Every year in early August, the Hunkpapa Sioux hold a V-J Day (Victory Over Japan) Powwow at the Doughboy monument in Rock Creek (Bullhead). It is a three-day traditional Lakota wacipi honoring the end of World War II, focusing heavily on honoring and respecting U.S. and Native American veterans. This year’s event – scheduled for August 14-16, 2026 – is free and open to the public, and will feature traditional dancing, singing, grand entries, and honoring ceremonies.

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