Dispatch Newletter

The WWI Centennial Dispatch is a weekly newsletter that touches the highlights of WWI centennial and the Commission's activities. It is a short and easy way to keep tabs on key happenings. We invite you to subscribe to future issues and to explore the archive of previous issues.

Franco-American Cooperative Agreement Signed

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November 23, 2015

First Bilateral Agreement Signed
Washington, DC -
WASHINGTON, DC: On Thursday, 19 November in a ceremony at its Washington offices, the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission signed a partnership of mutual support with France’s Mission Du Centenaire 14-18. Mission Du Centenaire is the official government agency in France set up to provide public education and commemoration for the war, and is the counterpart to the U.S commission. The agreement was signed by Commission Executive Director Dan Dayton and Mission Du Centenaire Director General Joseph Zimet.
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State Collaboration - The Toolkit
WASHINGTON, DC - We will hold our second State Outreach Collaboration Call on Thursday December 3 at Noon EST. This Call will focus on Library Exhibitions. Subsequent calls will take place on the first Thursday of each month. Reminders will be sent out two weeks before and the day of. The call-in number will be the same as past calls - contact a State Outreach Coordination team member to get on the roster.

First Tennessee Infantry
NASHVILLE, TN - Commissioner Hester and PMML representative Susan Mennenga were on hand as the new Tennessee WWI Centennial Commission celebrated their establishment with a number of activities. Among them was the unveiling of a beautifully restored WWI memorial to the First Tennessee Infantry.

WWI Messenger Pouch

Messengers, known as “trench runners”, had the perilous duty of bearing messages from one area or command unit to another.

Now you can own a WWI vintage-inspired Messenger Pouch that combines function and style while conveying American pride. Made in the USA, this dark khaki pouch, with room for keys, wallet, tablet and documents, proudly displays a distressed “U.S” imprint on the outside flap, and includes an exclusive garment label commemorating the U.S. Centennial of World War One.

Get it from the Official US WWI Centennial Merchandise Store.

A portion of all merchandise proceeds support the US WWI Centennial and the National WWI Memorial project.

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Pritzker Military Museum and Library

Dayton and Zimet

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KC, WV and PA Are the Newsmakers

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Nov 30, 2015

Records Set in Kansas City
Kansas City, MO -- For the second consecutive year, the National World War I Museum and Memorial broke its annual attendance record. Through the third week of November, the Museum’s attendance reached 257,830, breaking the previous record of 235,271 set in 2014.

The National World War I Museum and Memorial holds the most diverse collection of World War I objects and documents in the world and is the second-oldest public museum dedicated to remembering, interpreting and understanding the Great War and its enduring impact on the global community.

“We are extremely pleased to be in a position to announce an attendance record for the second straight year,” said National World War I Museum and Memorial President and CEO Dr. Matthew Naylor. “Without question, the global community is embracing the centennial commemoration of the Great War, which is reflected in our attendance. It’s particularly fitting that the announcement comes during the week of Thanksgiving as we’re eternally thankful for each of our supporters who have helped propel this organization into the international spotlight.”
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What You Can Do - Black Time Map
Morgantown, WV -- Joel Beeson, associate professor at West Virginia University Reed College of Media, is partnering with Congressional Black Caucus Veterans Braintrust to build BlackTimeMap in an ongoing effort to uncover and capture the hidden stories of African American veterans. The app will launch during the U.S. WWI Centennial in 2017 and is endorsed by the WWI Centennial Commission. The app will be available as a free download from Google Play on Android devices and the App Store on iOS devices.
Want to help make it happen? Learn More...

Pennsylvania Site LIVE
Philadelphia, PA - Pennsylvania has become the fourth state to come online with it's official website at www.worldwar1centennial.org/Pennsylvania. PA joins Maryland, Tennessee, and Virginia with sites that are archived by the Government Printing Office. More than 297,000 Pennsylvanians served as soldiers in the Great War, with 10,278 combat deaths, and 26,252 wounded.

Holiday Shopping Idea For Under $5

Proudly wearing the WWI 100 Years lapel pin is a fantastic way to let folks serving in the military, along with veterans, know that we still honor those who served our country one hundred years ago.

This satin nickel lapel pin is a simple, yet meaningful, way to display your pride and remember those who sacrificed throughout our nation’s great history. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this item goes towards funding the building of the national World War One Memorial in Washington, D.C.

A Certificate of Authenticity as Official Merchandise of the United States World War One Centennial is included. Measures 1" diameter.
Order Now

It's Cyber Monday!

Shop using Amazon smile with us as your designated charity and Amazon will donate 1/2 percent of all your purchases to us, at no cost to you.

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The 'Trenches' at the WWI Museum in Kansas City

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World War I Memorial Highway Dedicated

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December 7, 2015

World War I Memorial Highway Dedicated

Bend, Oregon - Highway 395 in Oregon has officially been renamed the “World War I Veterans Memorial Highway.” A dedication ceremony was held Nov. 9. Two signs, built by the Oregon Department of Transportation, are currently being installed; eight more signs will be installed along the highway, once the Bend Heroes Foundation receives the $900 in donations needed for each sign. Donations are tax deductible. For more information, visit the Bend Heroes Foundation website.

No More Blank States!

Washington, DC - As we near the end of the year every US State has some level of engagement with the Commission. Volunteer Virginia Dilkes has helped us establish contacts with the WWI Committee already in operation in Maine. Virginia also connected with Director of Veterans Affairs for the state of Iowa, who will lead WWI Commemorative activities for the state. A reminder that there is a complete toolkit available to state organizations.

National World War I Memorial At Pershing Park

Washington, DC - The five design concept finalists gather in Washington this week to submit their polished designs. These will go on public display both on the website and at the DC Council Building at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue. The Commission will vote on a final design on January 25th. Please remember we can’t build a memorial without donations. Every dollar you donate will be matched by our founding sponsor, the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. The World War I veterans deserve their own memorial; we can build it.

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'Tis The Season - Hot Chocolate anyone?

Great for you, great as a gift.. Enjoy this 15-ounce ceramic mug and honor the centennial of World War I.
Purchase this Commemoration mug or other great items in the Official WWI Commemoration Shop.

World War I Veteran's Memorial Highway Sign Goes Up

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WWI Memorial Design Competition

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December 14, 2015

National WWI Memorial at Pershing Park gets a Step Closer to Reality
Washington, DC - Designers in phase II of the Memorial Design Competition submitted their polished design concepts on Friday, Dec. 9th. They spent great deal of time and effort refining these designs. The Commission has five diverse concepts and the jury will have a challenging decision ahead of it.
If you are in Washington, these works will be shown in the atrium of the John A. Wilson Building, at the Council of the District of Columbia, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, weekdays, from 9:00am to 5:30pm, from December 14-22, 2015.
Please remember that even with these fantastic design concepts, we can’t build a memorial without donations. Every dollar donated will be matched by our founding sponsor, the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. You can help make this memorial a reality with a donation to the Memorial Fund. They’ve Earned Their Own Memorial. We can Build it!

See the new Stage II design developments online and let us know your thoughts: Public comment is now open.

Learn more about the design competition...

If you'd like a quick overview of the entire competition process, take a look at this informational poster.

Army 14, Navy 0 - One Hundred Years Ago
College ball 1915

Washington, DC - Mike Williams, one of our fall social media interns, wrote a thoughtful piece for our website about the history of the Army-Navy game and rivalry. Here’s an excerpt from the article:

When Army met Navy on the gridiron this weekend, the two teams were participating in one of the longest and most prestigious rivalries in American sports. The teams will faced off before an American public worried about events in Europe; worried about committing forces into a long and costly war; worried about subversive agents, both domestic and international. The atmosphere in which Saturday’s game was played echoed that of another Army-Navy Game, played exactly one hundred years ago…Read more.

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Keep Warm This Season Wth a Commemorative Fleece Vest

Available in the official merchandise shop, keep warm with this Made in the USA full zip fleece vest. It features the "Doughboy" logo.

Doughboy is an informal term for a member of the U.S. Army or Marine Corps, and refers to the American Expeditionary Forces in World War One, largely comprised of young men who had dropped out of school to join the army. This poignant lone silhouette of a soldier in trench warfare serves as a reminder of those who sacrificed so much one century ago.

Pershing Park Today
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WWI NYC Committee Grows

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December 21, 2015

New York City Committee Adds Key Members
New York, NY - Real Estate Executive Elihu Rose and Broadcaster and Educator William F. Baker have joined the World War I Centennial Committee for New York City. Commissioner Libby O'Connell is getting the NYC organization stood up.

Ahoy!

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USS Olympia at Independence Seaport Museum

Last week the Commission’s Executive Director Dan Dayton met with Mike Flynn of the Independence Seaport Museum, which is home to USS Olympia. Launched in 1892, the cruiser Olympia (C-6) is the oldest steel warship afloat in the world. She fought in the Spanish American War in 1898. During WWI, the Olympia served with anti-submarine escort convoys protecting shipping in the Atlantic from German U-boat attacks. Later, she was sent to Murmansk to engage the Bolsheviks in the newly formed USSR.

Following WWI, because Olympia was the most significant commissioned US warship capable of making the journey, she was selected for the honor of bringing the Unknown Soldier home for interment in the United States. "We are happy to form a relationship with the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia," Dayton said, "and we will work together with the Museum and the Pennsylvania WWI Centennial Committee to help tell the story of Olympia."

WW1USA, Defense News, and C-SPAN on WWI
Kansas City, MO and Washington, DC - Amateur or 'Ham' Radio operators are bringing worldwide awareness of the centennial though their work at the National World War I Museum in Kansas City. The station is manned by volunteers in the KCMO area. Spread the word on WW1USA, contact Herb Fiddick and read all about it here. In Washington, Vice Chair Edwin Fountain appeared recently on Defense News and summed up why and what we're doing on this show that is widely watched by those in the Defense Industry. And watch for a C-SPAN interview about the Memorial with Vice Chair Fountain on January 3rd at 6:30 EST on C-SPAN 3.

See Ya After the First
Washington, DC -- DISPATCH will not publish next week. We'll be back on the 4th. January is an important time for the Commission. It will announce the final design concept for the National World War I Memorial at Pershing Park, hold the first meeting of the Diplomatic Advisory Board, and pay tribute to Commissioner Monique Seefried who will be presented with the Legion of Honor by France.

From all of us -- have a safe and joyous Holiday season.

Limited Edition Doughboy Statue from the Official Merchandise Shop - $175
Inspired by the WWI U.S. Army infantryman, this 12” cold cast bronze collector statue is a tribute to those who fought in The Great War available in the Official Merchandise Shop

Imagine a scene somewhere in France. The U.S. infantryman wears standard issue M1917 khaki drab tunic and breeches, is equipped with M1917 cartridge belt, M1910 canteen, haversack and pack carrier, and the U.S. Springfield M1903 30 .06 caliber rifle. A Colt .45 pistol serves as his sidearm and his helmet and gasmask may be British or U.S. made. All other equipment is U.S. issue, right down to the hobnails on his M1917 “Pershing” trench boots.
These finely sculpted limited edition statues are cast and finished one at a time - no two are truly alike. Extensive research and fine sculpting ensures that the over 200 hours of sculpting time, often spanning over two years, result in a statue that is historically and physically accurate as possible. Each limited edition statue is stamped with individual serial numbers and comes packaged in a high quality color presentation box.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this item will help fund the national WWI Memorial to be built in Pershing Park in Washington, D.C., commemorating the valor and sacrifices of all U.S. WWI soldiers.
A Certificate of Authenticity as Official Merchandise of the United States World War One Centennial is included.

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

British and German descendants of Great War veterans, in period uniforms, shake hands at the unveiling of a memorial to the Chrismas Truce. From Wikipedia

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Use Amazon Smile when you shop, designate us the charity and we will get a donation from Amazon at no cost to you!

Founding Sponsor

Dispatch Newletter

The WWI Centennial Dispatch is a weekly newsletter that touches the highlights of WWI centennial and the Commission's activities. It is a short and easy way to keep tabs on key happenings. We invite you to subscribe to future issues and to explore the archive of previous issues.

Franco-American Cooperative Agreement Signed

November 23, 2015

KC, WV and PA Are the Newsmakers

Nov 30, 2015

Holiday Shopping Idea For Under $5

World War I Memorial Highway Dedicated

December 7, 2015

WWI Memorial Design Competition

WWI NYC Committee Grows

December 21, 2015

Ahoy!

More Articles ...

"Pershing" Donors

$5 Million +

Social Media

Policies

Utilities

Dispatch Newletter

The WWI Centennial Dispatch is a weekly newsletter that touches the highlights of WWI centennial and the Commission's activities. It is a short and easy way to keep tabs on key happenings. We invite you to subscribe to future issues and to explore the archive of previous issues.

Subscribe to the Weekly Dispatch Newsletter

Franco-American Cooperative Agreement Signed

November 23, 2015

KC, WV and PA Are the Newsmakers

Nov 30, 2015

Holiday Shopping Idea For Under $5

World War I Memorial Highway Dedicated

December 7, 2015

WWI Memorial Design Competition

WWI NYC Committee Grows

December 21, 2015

Ahoy!

More Articles ...

"Pershing" Donors

$5 Million +

Social Media

Policies

Utilities