New Jersey Announces ‘Bells of Peace’ on Armistice Centennial
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy Calls on all New Jerseyans to Toll Bells in Remembrance of those who Served in World War I
October 1, 2018
TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a proclamation this summer calling on all New Jerseyans, in partnership with other Americans and allies around the world, to toll bells in remembrance of those who served in World War I at 11:00 a.m. on Veterans Day, Sunday, November 11, 2018.
The proclamation serves as New Jersey’s contribution to Bells of Peace, a collaborative program organized through the World War One Centennial Commission, whereby Americans across the country are invited to toll bells twenty-one times as a solemn reminder of the sacrifice and service of veterans of World War I, and all veterans.
November 11, 2018 marks the centennial of the end of World War I with the signing of an armistice agreement between the warring countries. From the United States’ entry into the war in April of 1917 to the conclusion of hostilities, over 141,000 New Jerseyans served, including more than 1,000 women. Eight New Jerseyans were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, two of them posthumously.
New Jersey was also home to Camp Dix, one of the sixteen U.S. cantonments constructed to train troops in 1917 and a predecessor of modern day Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. Hoboken, New Jersey was a major port of embarkation during the war, sending thousands of troops overseas to fight in Europe. Companies, such as Johnson & Johnson, DuPont, Singer, and E.R. Squibb, produced essential munitions, uniforms, and medical supplies in New Jersey that sustained the United States and its allies during the war.
“From the over 141,000 who bravely served abroad to those on the home front who worked tirelessly in factories, hospitals, and munitions depots in support of the war effort, New Jerseyans sacrificed so much for our country during World War I,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “One-hundred years later, I’m proud to honor these sacrifices by calling on the people of New Jersey to toll bells on November 11, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. in acknowledgement of all those who served during The Great War, as well as those who served in the years that followed it, right up to the present day.”
The New Jersey Historical Commission, in partnership with the World War One Centennial Commission, encourages public organizations, cultural institutions, places of worship, schools, town halls, and cemeteries across the state to participate in Bells of Peace. Visit the Bells of Peace Resource Webpage for more information on how to organize a bell tolling ceremony.
Posted October 25, 2018
