June 19, 2018

The Father of Father’s Day: American Celebration of Fatherhood During WWI

Have you ever wondered about the history of Father’s Day? There was no federally recognized Father’s Day in America during the time of World War I. It was not until 1972, when President Richard Nixon signed a proclamation that the third Sunday in June was to be designated as the official holiday. During World War I, however, various communities in 1917-1918 did celebrate a day dedicated to fathers. WW1CC Intern Joseph Vesper explores how today's salute to America's dad's got its start in WWI, including the push led by The Stars and Stripes newspaper.

"I knew I wanted to dig deeper into this decades-long relationship."

Jenifer Burckett-Picker was going through a small trunk that was “cluttering the basement area” that her husband wanted to use for his hobbies, and found a treasure trove: her dad’s WWI memorabilia. In it was the revolver (with no bullets in the barrel), WWI victory medals attesting to her dad’s participation in both the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne Offensives, old maps of the Western Front in the area of Verdun, the khaki army hat and shirt, her dad’s Army discharge papers, and a small, partially disintegrated, brittle envelope with something inside. What she found inside that old envelope led her to travel to France twice, and to write a book: Dad and Dunk in the Great War. Read how her offhand discovery changed Jenifer's life, and quite literally put her into her dad's WWI footsteps.

PBS/American Experience re-airing The Great War documentary series this week

Great news for the World War I community. The ground-breaking documentary series, THE GREAT WAR, will re-air on PBS stations across the country, with the first episode airing today, April 19.

Here is the replay schedule:

Episode 1 will air on June 19 at 9/8c
Episode 2 on June 26 at 9/8c, and
Episode 3 on July 3 at 9/8c.

All three episodes will be available for free streaming starting June 19 at 9 pm EST through July 30. Read more about the replay of this epic WWI documentary series this week.

Educational Poster Series Tells Story of DHS Agencies' Service in World War I

Even though the U.S. Department of Homeland Security wasn't established until 2002, the department has some real connection to World War I. As part of the ongoing commemoration of the World War I Centennial, the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services History Office and Library has initiated a collaborative Department of Homeland Security project to create an educational poster series, illustrating the roles of DHS’s legacy agencies during WWI. The five free posters in the series aim to raise awareness about the significant history and heritage of DHS while honoring the nation’s participation in WWI. Find out more about these great educational posters, and download your own copies.

Honoring “Detroit’s Own”: Polar Bear Memorial Association’s World War I Centennial Commemoration

Polar bears are known for their ability to survive and thrive in the most adverse conditions, all while being regarded as the tundra's most fierce predator. In a similar fashion, the American North Russia Expeditionary Forces (ANREF) in Russia were revered for being as resilient as polar bears. The men of the ANREF fought the newly formed Red Army while simultaneously battling the Russian winter’s sub-zero temperatures. These men and their stories have nearly been forgotten, but because of the incredible work of the Polar Bear Memorial Association, Americans are beginning to learn more about The United States’ intervention into the Russian Civil War. WW1CC Intern Will Kaiser spoke to Mike Grobbel, President of the Polar Bear Memorial Association, about the WWI Polar Bear Expedition, about his commemoration organization, and about their activities.

WWI and WWII Tourism Marketing Grants are open again -- Up to $10,000 available

Virginia World War I and World War II Tourism Marketing Program Applications are now open! Deadline is Tuesday, August 7, 2018 by 5:00 PM. The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) and the World War I and World War II Commemoration Commission (the Commission) announce that applications are now available for the Virginia World War I and World War II Tourism Marketing Program grants.The grants are intended to help facilitate programs and events that will honor WWI and WWII veterans not only from Virginia, but across the country. Read more about this WWI centennial commemoration grant opportunity here.

WWI Centennial NEWS Podcast

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, Podbean, TuneIn, Stitcher Radio on Demand. Spotify NEW Now listen on Youtube.

Episode #76
Highlights: The Battle of Belleau Wood

The Battle of Belleau Wood - Mike Shuster | @02:15

June 11 Breakthrough at Belleau Wood - Dr. Edward Lengel | @06:00

The birth of the modern US Marine Corps - Alan Axelrod | @10:05

War in The sky: The Ace who ran Pan Am | @16:45

Historian Corner: The Dept. of State in WWI - Thomas Faith | @18:25

100 Cities / 100 Memorials: San Francisco - Ken Maley | @25:55

Speaking WWI: Boot Camp | @32:00

WWI War Tech: Submarine | @34:00

Articles & Posts: Weekly Dispatch Highlights | @37:50

Social Media - Katherine Akey | @43:50

Wwrite Blog Post This Week

The Roots of Contemporary War Literature in James Joyce’s Ulysses

What do contemporary war writers discuss when they talk about WWI? James Joyce's epic work, Ulysses,of course. This week on WWrite, Afghanistan veteran, Peter Molin, lets us listen in on a conversation among some of the most important voices in war writing today. Not to miss!

Doughboy MIA for week of June 18

A man is only missing if he is forgotten.

Monday's MIA this week is Pvt. Frederick Bullers, born in What Cheer, Iowa in March, 1894 and enlisted at Jarbridge, Nevada on 7 September 1917. He trained as part of the 362nd Infantry, 91st Division. Thereafter he was then transferred to the 164th infantry, 41st Division with whom he went to France in December, 1917. In France the 41st Division was used a replacement pool and Private Bullers was sent to Company D, 26th Infantry, 1st Division. He saw considerable action with the 26th throughout all of 1918, including that famous first fight at Cantigny and the St. Mihiel Offensive. Going into combat with them again on 1 October 1918, this time into the Meuse-Argonne to replace the wrecked 35th Division, Private Bullers was Killed in Action two days later in the heavy fighting northeast of the little town of Apremont. The army was unable to locate any relatives of his save for one brother, Charles. Nothing further is known at this time.

Would you like to help solve the case of Private Bullers? 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.

Official WWI Centennial Merchandis

Inspired by the iconic image of a U.S. Doughboy, you can wear your American pride with this Made in the USA hat. The poignant lone silhouette of a soldier in trench warfare serves as a reminder of those who sacrificed so much one century ago. The Navy hat with white Doughboy embroidery is a 100% cotton, structured with contrasting pancake visor, sweatband and taping, and pre-curved bill. The velcro closure features U.S. flag emblem. A Certificate of Authenticity as Official Merchandise of the United States World War One Centennial is included. Order your Doughboy Commemorative hat here.

This and many other items are available as Official Merchandise of the United States World War One Centennial . Proceeds from the Official WWI Centennial Merchandise help to fund the building of the national World War One Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Take advantage of the
Matching Donation by the
Pritzker Military Museum and Library

Etienne Dufau was a Sergeant in the U.S. 303rd infantry regiment in WWI. He was also a Frenchman, a violin player, a poet, and had “an American godmother of war” who lived in Philadelphia, with whom he corresponded regularly during WWI. Margeurite De Joux, with an assist from Yael Rosen of the WW1CC, tells the fascinating story of "Etienne Dufau, My great-great grandfather" during WWI.

Pershing Sponsors

Founding Sponsor

Douglas Mellen Burckett

A Story of Service from the Stories of Service section of ww1cc.org

Submitted by: Jenifer Burckett-Picker {daughter}

Douglas Mellen Burckett born around 1895, Douglas Burckett served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1919.

Story of Service

My father, Douglas Mellen Burckett, was born in Brooklyn in 1895 and grew up in Montclair and Somerville, New Jersey. After finishing high school, plus a couple of years of military academy, he enrolled in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the fall of 1915 to study electrical engineering.

After his sophomore year, in the fall of 1917, he enlisted in the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). He was in Wagon Company #3 of the 23rd Engineers Regiment and spent his first almost five months at various training camps in Maryland (Camp Meade, Camp Glen Burnie, and Camp Laurel). At Camp Meade, he met his lifelong friend, George W. Duncan “Dunk”, from Missoula, Montana.

Dad and Dunk shipped over from Hoboken, NJ to Brest France in early April 1918 on the U.S.S. George Washington. They spent just over a week in Brest at Camp Pontanezen, before entraining to Nevers in central France, where they spent the next almost four months working on the most important American railroad project in France in WWI – unheard of and forgotten today, but of vital strategic importance to the war effort – the Nevers Cut-Off (or as the French called it “La ligne americaine”).

Read Douglas Mellen Burckett's entire Story of Service here.

Submit your family's Story of Service here.