WWI Centennial News - World War I Centennial

Winchester, VA man works to reveal history of city’s WWI markers

By AMY ALONZO
Associated Press

WINCHESTER, Va. (AP) - On Nov. 11, 1924, there was a ceremony near Handley High School commemorating nearly 50 Winchester and Frederick County soldiers who fought and died during or immediately after World War I.

Winchester marker In a July 7, 2016 photo, a bronze plate honoring WWI soldier Charles E. Graber is embedded in the concrete curb on Handley Blvd. near Stewart Street in Winchester in Winchester, Va. On Nov. 11, 1924, there was a ceremony near Handley High School commemorating nearly 50 Winchester and Frederick County soldiers who fought and died during or immediately after World War I. Bronze markers were installed beneath about 50 red oak trees standing along what is currently Handley Boulevard. (Jeff Taylor/The Winchester Star via AP) / Bronze markers were installed beneath about 50 red oak trees standing along what is currently Handley Boulevard, but at the time was dedicated as Memorial Avenue, according to a past article in The Winchester Star.

Just seven of the 49 bronze plaques that were mounted during the Women’s Auxiliary of the American Legion ceremony are still known to exist, Gene Schultz, a Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society board member, said Thursday at the organization’s office on South Pleasant Valley Road.

PBS and American Experience announce “The Great War” to premiere in April 2017

BEVERLY HILLS, CA — At the Summer 2016 Television Critics Association press tour on July 28, PBS and American Experience announced that “The Great War,” a six-hour, three-night event, will premiere in April 2017 in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of America’s entry into the war on April 6, 1917.

“The Great War” is executive produced by Mark Samels and directed by award-winning filmmakers Stephen Ives, Amanda Pollak and Rob Rapley.

Doughboys 1917 Drawing on the latest scholarship, including unpublished diaries, memoirs and letters, “The Great War” tells the rich and complex story of World War I through the voices of nurses, journalists, aviators and the American troops who came to be known as “Doughboys.” The series explores the experiences of African-American and Latino soldiers, suffragists, Native-American “code talkers” and others whose participation in the war to “make the world safe for democracy” has been largely forgotten.

“The Great War” also explores how a brilliant PR man bolstered support for the war in a country hesitant to put lives on the line for a foreign conflict; how President Woodrow Wilson steered the nation through three-and-a-half years of neutrality, only to reluctantly lead America into the bloodiest conflict the world had ever seen, thereby transforming the United States into a dominant player on the international stage; and how the ardent patriotism and determination to support America’s crusade for liberty abroad led to one of the most oppressive crackdowns on civil liberties at home in American history.

It is also a story of little-known heroism and sacrifice (including the deadliest battle in American history) that would leave more than 53,000 men dead on the battlefield and more than 60,000 dead from disease. American fatalities would come at a critical time in the war, but they would be dwarfed by a cataclysm of violence that would ultimately claim 15 million lives.

“On this centennial anniversary, we’re proud to present this in-depth examination of a truly pivotal event in American history from the perspectives of the people who lived through it,” said Beth Hoppe, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming, PBS. “The Great War transformed America and the world, and this series brings that transformation to life through unexpected personal stories.”

A look at Highland’s Navy veterans of World War I

By Roland Harris
for the Highland News Leader

American Expeditionary Forces would arrive in Europe to reinforce the Allies in early 1918 and would turn the tide on the battlefield, but there was also war being waged on the seas.

Because of America’s late entry into the war, there were few ship-to-ship encounters with the German fleet. Most of the U.S. Navy’s involvement focused on bringing troops and supplies to European allies and countering the German’s unrestricted U-boat (submarine) attacks on merchant ships.

There were a few local men who served in the Navy during World War I.

USS Ohio BB 12

USS Ohio (BB-12) in 1918.Robert H. Ammann, the son of Mrs. Anton Ammann of Highland, and Harry C. Breitenbach, the son of Philip Breitenbach, both had enlisted in the Navy in 1907.

Ammann was just 18 and was assigned to the USS Connecticut for active duty. In April 1907, Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, commander of the Atlantic Fleet, had made the Connecticut his flagship, and it would be part of President Teddy Roosevelt’s “Great White Fleet,” a force of 16 battleships that departed New York on Dec. 16, 1907 and would sail around world as a way of demonstrating the naval power of the U.S.

Ammann re-enlisted on Nov. 22, 1911 and assigned to the USS Dixie, a destroyer tender. By 1914, he was sent to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md. He was discharged in 1915, but re-enlisted and remained on active duty.

By May 6, 1917, Ammann was assigned to the USS Ohio as chief gunner’s mate. The Ohio had been recommissioned on April 24, 1917.

WW1, Pershing Park, & Pokémon Go

By Adam Bieniek and Kate Lyons
Staff Writers

Pershing Park in Washington D.C. is home to a statue of World War I General John J. Pershing, although what many people are not aware of is that the Park has recently gained some new residents: Pokémon.

Pershing pokemon At Pershing Park we were able to catch this Pokémon, known as a Sandshrew.On July 6th, video game developer Niantic released Pokémon Go, an augmented reality app that gives Pokémon fans a chance that they have dreamed about for the last twenty years: the ability to catch Pokémon in real life. This Android and iOS app has taken the world by storm over the last few days, and even became the most-downloaded app in the world during the three days following its release. The game is especially popular in urban areas, as the placement of Pokémon is closely tied to pre-established locations where people can find them, such as parks or even national landmarks.

Pokemon The game itself is an ingenious concept in that it allows users to mix the virtual world of Pokémon with reality. Players who download the app can travel the real world in order to find Pokémon, making this game very different from conventional video games. At certain predetermined locations, known as “Pokéstops,” players can attract Pokémon and attempt to capture them. Pokémon will appear on players’ smartphone screens, making it look as if the Pokémon were actually standing in front of them. Pokéstops are often located at landmarks in communities, such as parks or churches. In major cities, such as Washington D.C., national landmarks can also serve as Pokéstops or Gyms, which allow users to collect or battle Pokémon. For instance, both the White House and the Pentagon are gyms.

A few lucky interns had the recent opportunity to visit Pershing Park in Washington, D.C. to see what it held for the Pokémon Go app. We soon discovered that Pershing Park hosts the “John J. Pershing” and “The Bald Eagle” Pokéstops. Here, users can place down lures to attract Pokémon and catch them. Lures are public and can be seen by anyone who plays the game, so within minutes of placing a lure at John J. Pershing, three people approached us asking about the game at 10:00am on a Wednesday. According to fellow players, Pershing Park is actually an excellent Pokéstop for the aspiring Pokémon master.