Mackinac Bridge 50th Anniversary Events Coverage
Soldier Sculpture Draws Attention in Parade
By Karen Gould

A group of veterans sits among sand bags, riding with Tom Moran's sculpture of a soldier's head in the bridge's 50th anniversary parade in Mackinaw City. Mr. Moran designed the piece in honor of American soldiers.

Cars slowed and people stopped walking to stare at Tom Moran's sculpture of a soldier's head he unveiled in Mackinaw City Saturday, July 28, for the 50th anniversary bridge parade.

Three hours before the parade was to begin, as he maneuvered into the staging area on the State Dock, a family already was posing with the iron sculpture for a photograph.

Constructed of plate steel up to 1.5 inches thick, the sculpture, he said, was challenging, especially the curved helmet, which he made in pieces. His depiction is of a soldier from World War II through the Vietnam War.

"I tired to make it as generic as I could," he said. "I was looking to compliment as many servicemen as possible."

The sculpture he makes each year is a hobby, he said, not a commercial endeavor. After the parade season, he donates it to a local nonprofit organization to be auctioned as a fundraiser. Last year's sculpture, a 90-inch round atlas, sold for $20,000.

"I like to do patriotic things," he said.

This year's design, which weighs 5,000 pounds, was to portray a proud and strong soldier, although to his surprise, the features of the sculpture change depending on lighting.

"The only statement I meant to show," he said, "was that I am proud to be an American. I'm proud of our soldiers."

The soldier's head is 11.5 feet tall and equally as wide. Once lifted onto the truck, it towers over the parade crowd at 14.5 feet.

Mr. Moran employs 50 people at his company, which specializes in exhaust systems for turbine engines used at power plants, on jet planes, or at steel mills.

While the sculpture is his project, he is helped by employee Tom Crawford, a cutting machine operator, and artist Jill Allen.

"I'm not an artist," he said. "I never even had an art class in high school.

About 90% of the work he does himself. The solider took 900 hours to complete.

While he tried to get various military units to ride on the truck, all had schedule conflicts. He finally located a group of veterans who were happy to participate in the parade.

"It definitely looks better with people," he said.

He has kept one of his sculptures, a head of George Washington, which he keeps in a field by his house. Every so often a group will ask to borrow it for an event. As soon as the head is taken, he gets calls asking where it is and if it will be back.

"When people enjoy it," he said, "it makes it all worthwhile."