| | | | August 2021  Special events at the National World War I Memorial in Washington, DC on Monday, September 13 will honor General of the Armies John "Blackjack" Pershing on the date of his 161st birthday. At 5:00 p.m., Daily Taps will be played as usual by a bugler in World War I "Doughboy" uniform. At 6:00 p.m. there will be a wreath-laying ceremony at the statue of General Pershing in honor of his birth on September 13, 1860 in Laclede, Missouri. After the wreath ceremony, "echoing taps" will be sounded in succession by three buglers in World War I "Doughboy" uniforms. At 6:30 p.m. at the Memorial (weather permitting), the U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own" will present a concert created to honor the legacy of General Pershing. The musical selections will focus on influential military music during WWI, as well as music that Pershing may have heard in France that inspired the creation of "Pershing's Own". The program features works by James Reese Europe (Gen. Pershing's favorite band leader and composer), John Philip Sousa, Astor Piazzolla, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The National World War I Memorial is located on Pennsylvania Ave. and 15th Street in Washington, DC. | |  National WWI Memorial and World War I History Come to U.S. Schools this Fall Through New Technology The Doughboy Foundation is bringing the new National WWI Memorial from Washington, D.C. to schools and homes all over America with a new release of the award-winning Augmented Reality App called The WWI Memorial "Virtual Explorer". The "Virtual Explorer" app brings a walk-around-inside-it digital 3D model of the National WWI Memorial to students and educators utilizing iOS or Android tablets, available in many K-12 schools, or the smartphone already in nearly every pocket. Students, teachers, or anyone who cannot come to Washington, D.C. can take a virtual field trip to the National WWI Memorial. More than that, the WWI Memorial "Virtual Explorer" App is filled with interactive and experiential WWI history. Click here to read more, and learn how your school can take advantage of all the great educational resources the updated app offers. Congressional Gold Medal approved for 369th Infantry "Harlem Hellfighters"  U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) announced the introduction of H.R. 4949, a bipartisan bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal—the highest civilian award bestowed by Congress—to over 220 American women who served as telephone operators with the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War I. The "Hello Girls" were the first female soldiers to be deployed to a combat zone and were instrumental in the war effort in France throughout WWI. Their efforts to connect American and French forces on the front lines of battle by helping to translate and communicate command orders were an integral component to the eventual victory for the Allied Powers. Click here to read more, and learn how essential the Hello Girls were to the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. |  When Congress voted on April 6, 1917, to declare war on Imperial Germany, the task before the U.S. Navy was clear: it needed to transport and supply over a million men across the Atlantic despite the Imperial German Navy's ferocious U-Boat campaign, which reached its peak that month, sinking over 874,000 tons of shipping. Indeed, Germany's decision to recommence unrestricted submarine warfare in February was one of the decisive factors driving the United States, into finally joining "the war to end all wars." Click here to read more, and learn how the Navy worked out the countermeasures and weapons need to get American Doughboys across the Atlantic safely, and help bring the Great War to an earlier end. | The Mystery of the Missing Page of
Ellen La Motte's The Backwash of War  The U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division, presented a long-awaited Purple Heart Medal and World War I Victory Medal to the granddaughter and extended family of one of their own, 103 years after he was killed in action in France. "It's overwhelming. It's beyond belief. It's really a miracle it happened," said Kay Beasley Toups, Beasley's granddaughter and his closest living relative. Click here to read the entire article, and see photos of the inspiring presentation ceremony. |  "As I began a new job as a curator, mainly in charge of clothing and textiles, at the Wisconsin Historical Society in the early 1990s, I had no idea that it would lead me to an abiding interest, almost a passion, regarding the history of Wisconsin's home front during World War I," writes Leslie Bellais. Where the new-found passion led her was a Ph.D. dissertation, which in turn led to an important chapter in the new book Home Front in the American Heartland: Local Experiences and Legacies of WWI. Click here to read more about Leslie's work, and the lessons she has drawn from her research into World War I. | The War Nurse: Bringing to Life the Brave Nurses of World War I  A man is only missing if he is forgotten. Our Doughboy MIA this month is Private Edward M. Beneker. The son of Henry and Kathrine Beneker, Edward was a farmer born in South Gate, Indiana on September 20th, 1895. He entered military service on March 28th, 1918, and trained at Camp Taylor, Kentucky before being assigned to Company D, 115th Infantry, 29th Division at Camp McClellan, Alabama. With them he sailed overseas in June 1918 and saw action that summer. Reported WIA on October 23rd, 1918, his status was later changed to KIA, though his grave was never located. Nothing else is known at this time. Want to help us find Private Beneker and others like him? Please consider a donation today. Doughboy MIA is a non-profit, tax-deductible organization--every dime of your money goes toward finding the answers surrounding these boys. Visit www.ww1cc.ord/mia today and be part of the solution! Can you spare just ten dollars? Give 'Ten For Them' to Doughboy MIA and help us make a full accounting of the 4,423 American service personnel still listed as missing in action from WW1. Make your tax deductible donation now, with our thanks. And remember: A man is only missing if he is forgotten. | Merchandise from the Official Doughboy Foundation World War I Store - A Doughboy.shop exclusive!
- High quality, dual-layer, machine washable fabric
- Outer: 100% Cotton jersey knit
- Inner: Polyester 135gsm with Anti-Microbial protection
- Adjustable elastic ear straps for a comfortable fit
- Flexible wire frame over the nose for secure fit
- Width: 9.5" / 24cm x Height: 6" /15.5cm
- Screen printed poppy design "Remember Them" inscription
- One size – fits most adults
Proceeds from the sale of these masks will help build the new National World War I Memorial in Washington, DC. This and many other items are available as Official Merchandise of the Doughboy Foundation. | | | |  Submitted by: Kent Wikarski {nephew} Paul Wikarski (r) was born around 1887, Stanley Wikarski was born around 1891. Paul & Stanley Wikarski served in World War 1 with the United States Navy and United States Army, respectively. Story of Service Brothers Paul & Stanley Wikarski children of Polish immigrants were born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. Paul the older of the two lied about his age and entered the Navy when he was only sixteen and a half years old. Paul served as a Chief Gunners Mate aboard the U.S.S. Ohio as part of the Atlantic Fleet during WW!. Just four years earlier, in 1914, he took part in the invasion of Veracruz while serving on the U.S.S. New Hampshire. Paul died of accidental drowning during his 5th enlistment period in 1922 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Stanley enlisted in the Army and completed basic training at Fort Custer, Michigan as a member of 85th Infantry. Because of his contractor experience, he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion 310th Engineers, a divisional support regiment later assigned to the V Army Corps 1st Army under General Pershing. Records show that the 310th Engineers deployed in support of the Division at various battles. At some, point Stanley was exposed to a poison gas attack. Like many men, he died prematurely due to post war afflictions. He died at the National Home for Disabled & Solders in Milwaukee in 1932. Both Paul and Stanley are buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Detroit Michigan. The Photo was probably taken in 1919/1920 while Paul was on leave.
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