With "The War that Made Today: An Interdisciplinary Commemoration of the End of World War I" the University of Illinois at Chicago offers an incredible eleven days of World War I-themed events, to include panel discussions, symposia, exhibitions, and more. The interdisciplinary conversations and events will explore the war that transformed our contemporary world. Click here to read more about this free commemorative event.

The Veterans Museum in Atlantic County, New Jersey, Falls Township in Pennsylvania, and the United Methodist Church of Picture Rocks, Pennsylvania are just three of the governments and organizations who are pledging to toll bells on November 11 to honor the 4.7 million Americans who served in uniform in World War I, and the 116,516 who gave their lives in service. The Bells of Peace program asks individuals, private and religious organizations, and governments agencies at all levels to toll bells at 11:00 a.m. local time November 11 in remembrance of those who served and sacrificed. More state governors have issued proclamations in the last week asking their citizens to participate, and more are expected. So what about YOU? Click here to learn more about you and your church, school, community organization, veterans group, firehouse, or anyone else with a bell to ring can participate in this growing national commemoration event on November 11, 2018.   And don't forget: There's an app for that!

The U.S. World War I Centennial Commission is supporting the efforts by DC-based bagpiper Tim Kirkpatrick, who is taking part in "Battle’s O'er", an international commemoration marking 100 years since the guns fell silent at the end of World War I. "Battle’s O'er" takes place on November 11th 2018, with events throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, and at scores of locations overseas, including New Zealand, Ireland, Australia, Bermuda, France, Belgium, Canada, the United States and Germany. Click here to learn more about the "Battle’s O'er" campaign in the United States and around the world.

The World War One Centennial Commission has officially endorsed "The Hello Girls - A new American Musical" being produced at the 59E59 Theatres in New York, New York from November 13th to December 22nd. Writer and artistic director Cara Reichel, and co-writer Peter Mills have created a musical play to bring to life the story of the Hello Girls. Reichel and Mills wanted to make this musical an immersive event true to the historical experience of what these women went through and accomplished while having the job of being a Hello Girl. Click here to learn more about the "Hello Girls" musical, and how to get tickets to see the play in New York.

To honor the 100th anniversary of United States involvement in World War I, the Money Museum, operated by the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and located adjacent to Colorado College, is unveiling its newest exhibit: Trenches to Treaties: World War I in Remembrance. The exhibit showcases coins and paper money from combatant nations, art medals and military decorations, as well as weapons and uniforms to illustrate the events and effects of World War I politically, economically and socially. The Money Museum also offers a remarkable new Virtual Numismatic Exhibit as a companion to Trenches to Treaties. Click here to learn more about both of these remarkable new exhibits at the Money Museum.

To commemorate Veterans Day, Memorial Stadium and the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, the Nebraska football team on November 10 will wear uniforms intended to look like the uniforms Nebraska wore when Memorial Stadium opened in 1923. The helmet is designed to replicate a leather helmet. The primary surface appears dimpled, the way a leather helmet would be, with strap decals laid over the top. Click here to learn more about the commemorative uniforms for the Nebraska team in their game against Illinois.

With American Legion support, a group of volunteers is proposing the first-ever review of World War I veterans who may have been denied a Medal of Honor due to racial or ethnic discrimination. Established by the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission, the Valor Medals Review Task Force is starting with the records of approximately 70 African-American soldiers -- in particular, those worthy of the nation's highest military award who may have been downgraded to a Distinguished Service Cross or received a French Croix de Guerre with palm. The task force will look at the records of other minority veterans, too, but is currently focused on African-Americans because of the legal structure of segregation at the time. Click here to learn more about the Valor Medals project and how the evaluation process will work.

Brooke USA, along with the World War One Centennial Commission, announce the completion of their Horse Heroes website, honoring American horses and mules who served in WWI. Horse Heroes is an extensive and meticulously researched web-based presentation documenting all aspects of the use of American horses and mules in World War One. The Horse Heroes site may be accessed on the World War One Centennial Commission website at: www.ww1cc.org/horses.  With more than 75,000 words of text and 250 images and video clips, the website is suitable as a resource for public school teachers as well as for college-level course material. Click here to learn more about this outstanding historical site.

Also recently completed on the United States World War I Centennial Commission web site is a section dedicated to remembering the men of the U.S. 332nd Infantry Regiment, and commemorating their service and sacrifice on the Italian Front in World War I. The site seeks to provide the descendants of those men with an opportunity to connect with the lives of their great-grandfathers, grandfathers, uncles or fathers by sharing the rich and complex story surrounding what those men experienced. Click here to learn more about the 332nd Infantry Regiment web site.

In October 12th's WW1 Centennial News Podcast, Episode 93, host Theo Mayer spoke with commission volunteer Dr. Virginia Dilkes about her father, Charles Edward Dilkes, an Army engineer who served in France. Dr. Dilkes helped turn her father's diaries into a memoir, called Remembering World War I: An Engineer's Diary of the War,.which is now the basis for a stage production called, A Year in the Trenches, written by playwright James Rana. Click here to read a transcript of the entire interview.

In October 12th's WW1 Centennial News Podcast, Episode 93, host Theo Mayer spoke with Jim Leeke, author of the book From The Dugouts To The Trenches: Baseball In The Great War. In the interview, he answers a series of questions about the relationship between the major leagues, the players, and the War that Changed the World. Click to read a complete transcript of this deep dive into one of the most American of pastimes, baseball.

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  listen on Youtube. New - Comment and ask questions via twitter @TheWW1podcast

Episode #94
Highlights: Liberation in Belgium

Host: Theo Mayer

Preface: Bells of Peace - Host | @00:20

100 Years Ago: Liberation in Belgium & refugees return - Host | @03:50

Insight into Germany - Mike Shuster | @08:45

America Emerges: 29th Division in the Valley of Death - Dr. Edward Lengel | @13:20

Commission News: Some upcoming events profiled - Host | @19:45

Belgian musicians in Nashville - Maestro Rik Ghesquiere | @24:10

Historian Corner: CMH & WWI, Part II - Dr. Brian Neumann | @31:10

More about pigeons: Revered & Reviled! - Andrew Blechman | @38:30

WWI WarTech: Seeing eye dogs - Host | @45:55

WWI Memorial in Dublin GA - Scott Thompson, Keith Smith & Buddy Adams | @49:00

Speaking WWI: Devil Dogs - Host | @56:15

Articles & Posts: Dispatch Newsletter | @58:10

Buzz: The Centennial in Social Media - Katherine Akey | @60:00

Fictions of Rehabilitation 

By Mark Whalen, PhD

WWI saw a complete transformation in the ideas and institutions the government deployed to assist wounded veterans, especially in government-run healthcare.

University of Oregon English Professor, Dr. Mark Whalen, author of The Great War and the Culture of the New Negro and American Culture in the 1910s, discusses his newbook, World War One, American Literature, and the Federal State, which examines the Homefront in the US in WWI, and specifically how American literature engaged with the fierce debates over the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, and over what the state was empowered to do, that roiled US society in the war years.

Read Dr. Whalen's insightful post, "Fictions of Rehabilitation," at WWrite this week!

A man is only missing if he is forgotten.

Monday's MIA this week is is Private John Raniere. This week’s MIA is very similar to last weeks MIA; in fact they were killed only one day apart and went overseas together. Born June 20th, 1892 in Grognardo, Italy, John Raniere came to America in 1916. Like last week’s man, Raniere was also a coal miner and also entered the service on September 21st, 1917, going to Camp Taylor, Kentucky for training with Company C, 151st Infantry (while last week’s man was in Company B of the 151st). He was then also transferred to Camp Shelby, Mississippi and from there went overseas with the same Camp Shelby June Automatic Replacement Draft on June 19th, 1918. He landed ‘Over There’ 12 days later and his final assignment was to Company H. 18th Infantry regiment, 1st Division with whom he was killed in action July 18th, 1918. No further details are known.

Private Raniere’s case is an excellent example of why we need YOUR help. Solving these cases takes research, and research costs money. Why not donate 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.

Canvas & Leather Tote

Function and style are combined in this lightweight and compact Canvas & Leather Tote. You can show your American pride while carrying this Made in the USA dark khaki tote. Plenty of room for keys, wallet, tablet and documents. A distressed “U.S.” imprint is prominently displayed on the bag and an exclusive fabric garment label commemorates the U.S. Centennial of World War One.

Tote features: Constructed of touch dyed canvas and lined with 400 denier nylon. Handles made of 6 Oz. top grain oil tanned leather, backed with 1” webbing. Handle is attached to bag with distinctive “X” tacks. Dimensions: 18.5” W (seam to seam) x 13.5”H x 5.0” T-bottom style gusset. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this item will help fund the national WW1 Memorial in Washington, D.C.

This and many other items are available as Official Merchandise of the United States World War One Centennial.

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