 |
| Replica of the World War I Victory Medal at the National Memorial |
Here is sampling from the 100-plus suggestions our readers made to the World War One Centennial Commission as suitable inscriptions to be incorporated into the design of the National World War One Memorial. In yesterday's article we featured the final five that were selected. I think you will see, though that some of these were close contenders. By including the names of our readers, I hope this gives them a little recognition for their fine contributions. MH
1. From C. Jindra
Swarms of Americans began to appear on the roads. They passed in interminable columns...The spectacle of this magnificent youth from overseas, these beardless children of twenty, radiating strength and health, produced a great effect. They contrasted strikingly with our regiments in their faded uniforms wasted by so many years of war, whose members thin and their sunken eyes shining with a dull fire were no more than bundles of nerves held together by a will to heroism and sacrifice. We all had the impression that were about to see a wonderful operation of transfusion of blood. Life arrived in floods to reanimate the mangled body of a France bled white by the innumerable wounds of four years. No one said anything about these soldiers not being trained, about their having only courage. When one looked at this event in the broadest sense, one perceived the presence of gushing, untiring force that would overcome everything because of its strength.
Jean de Pierrefeu, French Headquarters 1915–1918
2. J. Norman
No commander was ever privileged to lead a finer force; no commander ever derived greater inspiration from the performance of his troops.
General John J. Pershing
3. C. Ruzich
I sometimes think if the Kaiser ever heard a good syncopated melody he would not take himself so seriously.
Noble Sissle, drum major of the Harlem Hellfighters regimental band
4. Anonymous Contributor
Most of the boys seem to have enough war already. I am one of them.
Norvel Preston Clotfelter, 90th Division
5. From Multiple Contributors
Retreat? Hell, we just got here!
Capt Lloyd Williams, USMC
Do you want to live forever?
Gy Sgt Dan Daily, USMC
Lafayette, we are here!
Maj. Stanton, U.S. Army
Excerpts from "Rouge Bouquet"
Joyce Kilmer poem
Excerpts from "Rendezvous"
Alan Seeger poem
6. B.T. Curtis
Then the wounded began to come back. Some wrecked forever, others soon to be no more, all flushed with excitement, but glad to be at last out of that awful hell.
Capt. Eugene Curtin, Medical Corps
7. B. Johnson-Miles
Stones, dirt, shrapnel, limbs and whole trees filled the air. The noise and concussion alone were enough to kill you. Flashes of fire, the metallic crack of high explosives, the awful explosions that dug holes fifteen and twenty feet in diameter. The utter and complete pandemonium and the stench of hell, your friends blown to bits, the pieces dropping near you.
Major Warner Ross, 369th Infantry
8. Anonymous French Observations About the Yanks
The Americans give high hopes.
They are straightforward and look you in the eye.
Even when he is not as strong as his opponent he doesn't back off.
All Americans are characterized by an extremely developed national pride and a very great spirit of independence.
They simply have no idea of the intensity of fire.
Wherever the Americans have been everything is filthy.
THE AEF THROUGH FRENCH EYES, by Lee Kennett
9. A. Capets
I have everything in my company from insurance agents to bell boys.
Capt. Thomas, 313th MG Battalion
10. From Your Editor
Tell everybody that I am on my way and am going to keep going till I get to Berlin.
Pvt. Joseph Reisacker, 356th Infantry, 89th Division, Letter
Mike - while none of your readers' suggestions wound up being carved in stone, the Lloyd Williams and Sgt Daily quotations, and I think also the Stanton, are included in the interpretive panels. In addition, I quoted from both Rouge Bouquet and Rendez-vous with Death at the opening of the memorial in 2019.
ReplyDelete