The National Memorial Day Parade is coming to Washington DC on Monday, May 28th. This parade is our nation’s largest Memorial Day event, drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators to the National Mall to pay tribute to those who have served. This year's parade will be huge -- including marching bands, flags, celebrities, veterans of all ages, 300,000 cheering attendees, and TV cameras that will broadcast the parade across the country. New for this year, the parade will feature the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission's special tribute to the American veterans of World War I. This special tribute will include several World War I-era military & support vehicles -- and for the first time ever -- a parade float to emphasize the centennial of WWI and America’s National WWI Memorial slated for Washington,  DC.  Read more about the parade, and how you can watch it live, on television, or online.

The U.S. World War One Centennial Commission, along with the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Complex, are proud to sponsor performance by The 369th Experience during the Memorial Day Weekend.  The 369th Experience is a historic series of national and international programs and musical events depicting the African American and Puerto Rican experience in World War I through the eyes and ears of the 369th U.S. Infantry Regiment. We invite the public to join us on Memorial Day Weekend -- and to enjoy the classical Jazz stylings of the 369th regimental band as a part of New York City’s annual “Fleet Week” Celebrations. Read more about where and how you can catch The 369th Experience in NYC this weekend.

In an article titled "There’s No First World War Memorial on the National Mall?" and subtitled "The sculptor Sabin Howard is jumping through hoops to right an art-historical wrong," reporter Anna Russel of The New Yorker magazine travels to Howard's Tribeca studio to see the sculptural maquette, and get the inside story on the creative process for the national World War I Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington, DC. Read the entire New Yorker magazine article here.

Betsy Anderson is the WW1CC's Volunteer Coordinator, and she manages the contributions from our various friends, who help us with event planning, social media writing, photography, partnerships, and administrative issues. Betsy recently had the pleasure of representing our Centennial Commission at a WWI Symposium sponsored by the Pennsylvania WWI Centennial Committee at the US Army History and Education Center in Carlisle, PA. We were thrilled that she was able take a few moments to talk about what she saw at the Carlisle event, including attendee Carol Sones' story quilt of her Doughboy grandfather (left). Read the entire interview here.

He was 26 years old, 5-foot-4, weighed 130 pounds and came from Albany, New York. And on the night of May 15, 1918, Pvt. Henry Johnson, a member of the all-black 369th Infantry Regiment, found himself fighting for his life against 20 German Soldiers out in front of his unit's trench line. He fired the three rounds in his French-made rifle, tossed all his hand grenades and then grabbed his Army-issue bolo knife and started stabbing. He buried the knife in the head of one attacker and then disemboweled another German soldier. By the time what a reporter called "The Battle of Henry Johnson" was over, Johnson had been wounded 21 times and become the first American hero of World War I.  Read the entire article about Johnson's epic solo struggle here.

The French Society of Cincinnati and the Sorbonne University organized an international history conference in recognition of the U.S. entry into World War I, "LaFayette U.S. voilà!: The American Engagement in France, 1917-1918" during November, 2017 in Paris. The symposium producers will publish the conference proceedings in the French language in October, via the Presses of the Sorbonne. The proceedings will be published a few months later in the English language, with a university in the United States. The purpose of the conference was to discuss the significance of the U.S. entry into World War One and how the this contributed to reviving the old friendship between France and America.  Read more about the conference and the upcoming proceedings here.

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 #72
US Submarine Chasers of WWI

The 1918 Sedition Act | @01:35

Darkest before the dawn - Mike Shuster | @07:45

America Emerges - Dr. Edward Lengel | @11:445

Memorial Day Parade | @15:50

Hunters of the Steel Sharks - Todd Woofenden | @17:05

Remembering Major Raoul Lufbery - Raoul Lubery III | @24:40

Centenary News website - Peter Alhadeff & Patrick Gregory | @31:20

Speaking WWI - “I’m in a flap” | @38:15

Highlights of the Dispatch Newsletter | @39:30

The Buzz: The commemoration in social Media - Katherine Akey | @41:45

How to write a war poem

Have you ever tried to write a war poem? This is Faleeha Hassan’s question for WWrite this week. This Iraqi-American poet and war refugee shows it’s no different for her than it was for the poets of WWI. Don’t miss this eye-opening, startling post about the process of writing war poetry.

A man is only missing if he is forgotten.

Monday's MIA this week is Corporal Howard Dailey.  Born June 10th, 1894 in Scottsburg, Indiana, Corporal Howard Jackson Dailey was a farmer before joining the pre-war army seeking to be part of the ‘adventure’ of chasing Poncho Villa down on the border. He enlisted August 5th, 1916 and trained at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. Assigned to Company M, 16th Infantry Regiment, he got something of his wish and his first duty station was at Eagle Pass, Texas. Following the declaration of war he cooled his heels in Texas while waiting for orders. Eventually sent to New York, he embarked for overseas duty in November, 1917. Once in France he was transferred to Company C of the 30th Infantry (3rd Division) and was killed in action on July 20th, 1918 in the heavy fighting at Soissons. He was buried near the Paris-Soissons road, but his remains were never located 

Can you spare just ten dollars? 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.

Canvas & Leather Tote
$58.95

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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