At first glance it just looks like a drawing of the Statue of Liberty. When you look closer, what you see is amazing and the story behind it is as well.

Mole and Thomas (Arthur S Mole/John D. Thomas) were famous for their photo's, just like the one you see here, to raise money for war bonds but was never used. You can see many more photo's just like this one by clicking the link below from not only Mole and Thomas but others as well. Amazing stuff.

Perspective of the total length for the human Lady Liberty - Library of Congress
Perspective of the total length for the human Lady Liberty - Library of Congress
loading...

The photo was taken in Iowa at Camp Dodge/163rd Depot Brigade on a very hot day. Story goes it was at least 105 in the shade and of course the 18,000 officers and soldiers are all dressed in heavy wool uniforms. Many passed out from heat stroke and even some of the ones we see that are standing are only doing so because they are being held up by others around them.

Go team!

The picture was shot from atop a huge platform that was specifically built on the parade grounds just for this shot.

To give you a bit of perspective, since you can't really tell distance from the picture, the soldiers stretch 1/4 of a mile in total length from the tip of the torch to the base. Out of the 18,000 soldiers, it took 16,000 to do the torch alone, the other 2000 comprise the rest.

The entire outline was first done with miles of white tape to which the soldiers would march to their required positions. From the position nearest the camera in the front row is Colonel William Newman and his staff.

Crop circles? Please...that is just child's play compared to what was being done 100 years ago. Fascinating stuff; the pictures, not crop circles!

More From K99