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The Secretary of the Navy who saved America's Christmas in World War I
Josephus Daniels, one of the most prominent North Carolinians of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, played a key role in a story that often circulates around Christmastime. He’s not exactly its hero, but in the end Daniels makes the right call — and thus helps to save the celebration of Christmas during wartime. While serving on the Council of National Defense, a federal panel which, among other things, supervised private industry’s contribution to the war effort. Daniels had a decision to make when the Council staff drafted a rule to limit the production of Christmas gifts. Read more here about how Daniels saved the Christmas season.
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In 1917, N.Y. Guard soldiers celebrated Christmas before a legendary march
By Christmas 1917, the 42nd division's elements were located in a number of villages northeast of the city of Chaumont, about 190 miles east of Paris. By all accounts, most had a warm and well-fed Christmas. But after Christmas, Division elements marched through the snowy French countryside in what became known as the "Valley Forge Hike", 100 kilometers in the snow from the Vaucouleurs to Rolampont France. Today you can drive the route in an hour. In 1917 it took the Soldiers four days to get there. Read more here about the December hike that "made Napoleon's retreat from Moscow look like a Fifth Avenue Parade."
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Last week, Commander Zoe Dunning, USN (Ret.) was sworn in as a new member of the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission. The ceremony took place prior to the Centennial Commission's quarterly meeting in Washington DC. "I am honored to be part of this commission" Dunning said. "As a veteran, I will do everything I can to ensure that the Centennial Commission's activities ring loudly, in the name of all of America's veterans." Read more about the newest World War I Centennial Commissioner here.
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Our friend David O'Neal has an interesting specialty -- he restores artifacts from World War I. His latest project is certainly one of his most unique -- it is the ground-up recreation of one of the most extraordinary weapons from World War I -- a Mauser Tankgewehr anti-tank rifle. This enormous rifle was designed to shoot at allied tanks and armored cars, with a huge bullet that could penetrate even their thickest steel hulls. The full story of his restoration, which is still underway, can be followed at http://www.ww1history.com/parking-lot.html. David came across a collection of parts from one such rifle, and accepted the challenge of restoring it for museum use. We spoke to David to hear about the challenges that he has faced to bring his vision to reality.
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Sculptor Sabin Howard has provided us with a great present for the Holidays -- a video that provides an update on his incredible work on America's World War I Memorial. This new video shows, in great detail, a small-scale maquette for the memorial's sculptural element, and also provides a great explanation on Sabin's choices for the artistic vision, narrative, and symbolism, of the ultimate piece. Click here to watch the new Memorial video.
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When the early Chicago train pulled into a Quincy, IL train station on Feb. 25, 1919, it was met by both a band and a cheering crowd. The Daily Whig paper reported that hundreds "of men and women of his own race and all the other citizens of Quincy" had come out to welcome Sgt. Emmett Thompson home from the World War. The Daily Herald recorded that "when Thompson swung down from the coach he was caught up by many willing hands." For conspicuous bravery in France, Thompson, an African-American, had been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the U.S. military's second highest medal for valor, the first soldier from Quincy to have this honor bestowed on him. Read more about Thompson, and how the all-black Eighth Illinois National Guard Infantry earned its fearsome fighting reputation in France during World War I.
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The Pentagon, home to the U.S. Department of Defense, is in many ways, a city-like community all unto itself. The Pentagon structure is huge, considered the largest low-rise office building in the world, with some 25,000 people working there ever day. Over the past dozen or so years, there has been a significant effort to build the sense of community among the people in the Pentagon -- by using its endless hallways as exhibit space, in order to tell stories from the Defense Department's remarkable history. The latest Pentagon hallway exhibit has a World War I theme, and centers on the story of America's activities in Italy during the war. The exhibit was curated by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and presented through the Embassy of Italy. We spoke to Defense Department Historian Tom Christianson about the exhibit, and its stories.
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The WW1 Centennial News Podcast is about WW1 THEN: 100 years ago this week, and it's about WW1 NOW: News and updates about the centennial and the commemoration.
Available on our web site, iTunes, Google Play, and TuneIn
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Episode #50
Highlights:
The role of coal in WWI America - Dr. Sean Adams | @ 03:00
Coming Attractions - Preview of podcasts | @ 09:50
The Halifax Explosion - Mike Shuster | @ 11:10
Commissioner Zoe Dunning is sworn in | @ 16 :00
Gold Star Mothers special tour - Candy Martin | @ 16:55
Speaking WWI - "Chatting" - A lousy deal | @ 23:50
New issue “Understanding The Great War” Education Newsletter | @ 25:00
100C/100M - Portland, Maine - Brandon Mazer | @ 25:50
Sgt. Stubby new trailer | @ 30:40
Horse Heroes - BrookeUSA - Jo Ellen Hayden | @ 32:25
WWrite Blog - What if there had been no Balfour Declaration | @ 39:30
Buzz - Signal Corp & drip rifles - Katherine Akey | @ 40:15
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COMING ATTRACTION - Podcast Holiday Special
Available starting this coming Friday, 12/22, 2017
For our Holiday Special episode we have created a period 1917 holiday music mixtape. Put on the podcast for a WWI holiday ambiance in memory of those who spent Christmas 1917 apart from their loved ones!
It includes a special message from Rear Admiral Margaret Kibben, Chief of Navy Chaplains, as we send words of thanks and prayers from us here today, back to 1917 in recognition and appreciation for the service and sacrifice that is the legacy from the war the Changed the world!
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White Ceramic Mug
You can get these in time to ring in the new year. Get a whole set of WHITE CERAMIC COMMEMORATION MUGS ($12/ea.)
Then... add some strong fresh brew coffee, some heated egg nog, and maybe a nice generous splash of Amaretto.
Get mugs for the whole team, the post, the office or just the family and help build America's WWI Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington DC.
This and many other items are available as Official Merchandise of the United States World War One Centennial.
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Daniel Sylvester Carroll
Submitted by: Natilie
Daniel Sylvester Carroll served in World War 1 with the United States Marine Corps. The dates of service are: Known January 1918-December 1918.
Daniel Sylvester Carroll was a member of the United States Marine Aviation Force, Northern Bombing Group, Foreign Service, Field D., France.
Daniel Sylvester Carroll’s War Experience as told by his daughter, Doris Carroll Simper:
Dad was inducted in Vernal - He went instead of Uncle Roy because one of them had to stay home and run the farm. Dad said he would rather die than be stuck on that farm. He was sent from Vernal to Salt Lake City where he was sent to Vallejo, California for his Basic Training. From there he was sent to Miami, Florida where he trained to be a mechanic and machine gunner in the first planes ever used in combat.
He was then shipped directly to France. Upon arriving there because of the shortage of planes he was assigned to be a motorcycle dispatch rider. During this assignment he had five cycles blown up. Two while he was on them. He was not critically injured or so they thought at the time but a small fragment of shrapnel somehow had become lodged in his head. It travelled around doing its thing and caused all kinds of problems for a long time.
Read Daniel Sylvester Carroll's entire Story of Service here.
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