Dedication ceremony for the monument to World War I Airmen at the Memorial Park of the National Museum of the United States Air Force (NMUSAF) near Dayton, Ohio, September 21, 2018.

WWI Centennial Reflections: Robert Kasprzak, League of World War I Aviation Historians

"The monument is a lasting cultural testament to the early pioneers of military aviation"

By Robert Kasprzak
Special to the United States World War I Centennial Commission web site

After two years of intensive effort, the League of World War I Aviation Historians dedicated a monument to World War I Airmen at the Memorial Park of the National Museum of the United States Air Force (NMUSAF) near Dayton, Ohio on 21 September 2018.

The League initiated the project in 2016 after noting there was no monument at the Park to the U.S. Airmen who served at the Front during the Great War. As a result, the League wanted to establish a monument at the NMUSAF in memory of the Airmen who formed the foundation for today's United States Air Force. After crafting an initial design and functional concept, the monument design was approved by the Air Force Historical Research Agency and the NMUSAF in June 2017.

Upon Air Force approval, the League began fund-raising the $28,000 required for monument construction, installation, and perpetual maintenance by the Museum. Towards that end, the League reached out to various sponsors requesting grants (including the WWI Centennial Commission), personal donations, and donations from historical/military related organizations. After months of effort, the funds were raised and the monument was constructed and installed.

The 21 September 2018 dedication ceremony was a resounding success. The ceremony was designed to honor the Airmen of World War I while recognizing today's Airmen who carry on the legacy established a century ago. Ceremony participants included WWI re-enactors, an Honor Guard and Air Force Band of Flight from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, a local Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and members of the Military Heritage Chapter (Dayton/Cincinnati/Columbus area) of the League.

Special guests included the Director of the Museum, the President of the League, Commander of the 7th Bomb Wing Operations Group, the daughter of Lt Stephen Thompson (first U.S. Airmen under Air Service orders to down an enemy aircraft), Chaplain Canon Wells of Toronto, and members of the WWI Centennial Commission and Pritzker Military Museum & Library. In addition, foreign officers in attendence included the Defence Attache from Belgium, Air Attaches from France and Germany, as well as officers representing Britain, Australia, Canada, and Italy. A highlight of the dedication was a flyover by a B-1 bomber.

Unfortunately, the dedication ceremony was scheduled to end with a tribute parade of 10 WWI biplanes but had to be cancelled due to high winds.

We believe the monument is a lasting cultural testament to the early pioneers of military aviation...including ground support personnel as well as those who actually flew operational missions. In addition, the monument will help rekindle the memory of these Airmen to the millions of people who will visit the NMUSAF in the future.

Finally, the monument's dedication ceremony ended the League's Centennial events in a truly moving fashion and bridged the cultural gap between WWI and the USAF Memorials of later conflicts. We believe constructing this monument at the NMUSAF properly recognized and memorialized our WWI Airmen who had the call, sacrifice, and dedication to serve in a hostile conflict for what was right.

Robert Kasprzak is a member of the League of World War I Aviation Historians

 The monument to World War I Airmen at the Memorial Park of the National Museum of the United States Air Force, culmination of a two-year effort by the League of World War I Aviation Historians.