WWI Veteran Memorial Finally Being Built

One of the great advantages I’ve had over the dozen years or so that I’ve written for the two publications I’ve had the privilege to scribble the various thoughts I’ve had come into my mind would deal with some of the great pieces of information you have brought to my attention. 

This morning, a gentleman called me to make me aware of a new memorial that has been commissioned to pay tribute to our brave veterans who participated in World War I. This new tribute to American troops would be placed as a centerpiece in Pershing Square in Washington D.C., across from the White House later this year. The memorial itself will consist of 38 bronze sculptures created by sculptor Sabin Howard. 

At the outset of when America entered the conflict on April 6, 1917, we had a standing army of 127,500. By the end of the conflict, we had four and a half million military personnel serving in the United States Army, and another 800,000 served in other branches of military service.

If you were surprised with these numbers, so was I. I was equally surprised by the unprepared nature of our nation prior to its entrance into the conflict. I was shocked to understand how poorly prepared to move troops and equipment to the European Theatre to assist England and France, who had been engaged since August of 1914, and how desperately in need of the American troops and support they were.

Much has been written over the years about the American Expeditionary Forces and their gallantry, as displayed throughout the war. It would serve as the foundation for the modern day, combat-tested army of the future for the United States. We would also vow to never again be left in that position.

In total, the United States sustained 320,000 casualties in World War I, including over 53,000 killed in action, over 63,000 non-combat related deaths, mainly attributed to the influenza pandemic of 1918, and 204,000 wounded.

My grandfather on my mother’s side of our family was Walter Hogle, and he had been a proud Irishman who had immigrated here from overseas. I had become aware of that only a few years ago when, on one of my trips back to my home state of New Hampshire, I visited his and my grandmother’s gravesite in Concord to place flowers. My grandmother was herself from St. Nicholas, Belgium, and I’m sad to say we don’t know much about either of them, and that is sad in itself. 

I mention that because on the gravestone, it mentions he was a U.S. Army Veteran of World War I, but he passed when I was quite young in the 1950s, and I unfortunately never got the privilege to know him.

We owe a great deal to those men and women who have done so much for this great nation. Not only those who have given the ultimate sacrifice but also those that have come back from service and have suffered from other terrible disabilities and mental ailments that have rendered them without the ability to function at less than 100% capacity. To find our veterans living in squalor due to their inability to function at a 100% capacity is wrong. 

My grandfather built a small but successful business repairing automotive electrical systems until that small business was lost to the Hurricane of 1936. It was then that he would become employed by the State of New Hampshire in the state shops applying his trade of repairing automotive electrical systems until he passed in the early 1950s. 

I continue to be disappointed and frustrated to see how some families of veterans are living below the poverty level while their husbands or wives are deployed overseas while placing their lives on the line for all of us. We owe those families and their dependents much more than that and must immediately apply ourselves to making those changes.

We are finally moving forward to honor their service to their nation with a memorial that is fitting to honor that service. It is sad to remember that service was stained due to the shoddy way they were treated regarding the long battle waged between Congress and the White House concerning how it would be paid.

I promise to keep you all updated on the progress of this great honor being bestowed on our grandfathers and great-grandfathers and hope you’ll honor their sacrifices with a visit to this future memorial.

The final surviving American Veteran of World War I passed on Sunday, February 27, 2011. Frank Buckles of West Virginia died at his home at the age of 110. Thank you, sir, for your service.