U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own" presents "Rush Hour Concert" at the National WWI Memorial in DC July 1
General John "Black Jack" Pershing created the U.S. Army Band in 1922. On Thursday, July 1st (weather permitting), "Pershing's Own" will be presenting its first concert at the new National World War I Memorial in Washington, DC, near the statue of General Pershing. at 6:00 p.m. EDT.
The National World War I Memorial is located on Pennsylvania Ave. NW between 14h and 15th Streets.
The band performed at the "First Colors" ceremony which opened the Memorial to the public on April 16.
"Pershing's Own" is hoping to inaugurate an ongoing series of summer concerts at the Memorial, saluting its founder, as well as honoring America's heroes, and providing memorable musical experiences on summer evenings in the nation's capitol.
The program for the July 1 "Rush Hour Concert" will include:
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Summon the Heroes - by John Williams
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Black Jack March - Written in honor of General John "Black Jack" Pershing
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Jupiter from The Planets by Gustav Holtz
- The U.S. Field Artillery March
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La Virgin de la Macarena (with trumpet soloist SFC Lorenzo Trujillo)
- Music from The Incredibles
- Armed Forces Salute
- America the Beautiful
- Stars and Stripes Forever
Can't make it downtown to the National World War I Memorial on Thursday? You can watch a special live online Independence Day Concert by the U.S. Army Band at 4:00 p.m. on July 1, as "Pershing's Own" shares a virtual birthday greeting to celebrate the return of some of our personal freedoms and the tenets upon which our country was forged.
More information about the band's origin and history can be found at https://www.usarmyband.com.
“Little Sure Shot”: Annie Oakley in WWI
Annie Oakley is renowned for being probably the best Woman Sharpshooter to ever live. Through her talent with firearms, she became a national celebrity in the United States during the late 1800s and into the early 20th century. While she was most famous for her feats of skill and shooting tricks during her time performing with Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show, she was also a huge supporter of the war effort when the United States entered into World War I. As Charles Pauley reports, she participated in a number of ways, and even tried to raise a small army to be used at the United States’ disposal. Click here to read more, and learn how (allegedly) at one point, she had the opportunity to “prevent” the war with a single shot.
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How a WWI battle still influences USMC: "Retreat? Hell! We just got here!" is "103 years old and still badass"
Palm trees planted in the median of Las Olas Boulevard as a World War I memorial in the 1920's were the beginnings of the iconic Fort Lauderdale boulevard that won a national competition for most beautiful street in America some years ago. But the coming redesign of the 2.4-mile historic corridor has tongues wagging and keyboards clacking, with residents blasting their opinions on social media and in emails to City Hall. “Removing … the center trees is crazy to me,” one man from Las Olas Isles griped. Click here to read more about the project, and the divisions it has created in the communities along the famous road.
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Long Island Veterans Memorial Plaza: In Remembrance of Our WWI Veterans
When the Durham, NC WWI memorial went up in 1921, it listed Durham County men who'd died in the war, with the names of the white soldiers etched into the front of the monument, and the names of the Black soldiers on the back. This year, the city unveiled a plaque in front of the memorial, complete with historical context and a full list of the men who died in that war. Click here to read more, and learn how the names on the revised memorial are organized not by race, but in alphabetical order. More than a hundred years after those men could have died together in a trench, they are listed together in a prominent place in their home county, which they once departed never to return.
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Rep. Sara Jacobs of California has asked the Navy to name a new ship after Telesforo Trinidad, a Filipino American sailor who received the Medal of Honor in 1915. Trinidad, who saved his crewmembers after boiler explosions aboard the armored cruiser USS San Diego, is the only Filipino American and the only Asian American sailor to receive the Medal of Honor. A future USS Telesforo Trinidad would be the first warship named after an American of Filipino descent. Click here to read more about the recommendation that Trinidad’s name be used for a future Navy surface combatant.
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A man is only missing if he is forgotten.
Our Doughboy MIA this month is Private Leroy Sealey, Machine Gun Company, 369th Infantry Regiment, 93rd Division.
Sealey has the distinction of being the first MIA we are featuring from the famous ‘Harlem Hell Fighters’, the 369th Infantry, of which there are 27 names on the MIA roll. The 369th was an all-black regiment created from the old 15th New York National Guard infantry regiment (the 15th ‘Heavy Foot’), an old and well-regarded regiment.
Unfortunately, with the National Archives still closed, we were only able to gather limited information on Sealey’s story. ‘Roy’, as he was generally known, was born in the British West Indies, most likely in 1896. His mother’s name was Marion and he was the middle of three children (two boys and a girl). It appears the family arrived in New York in about 1907. The family was living on west 99th Street in New York City when Roy enlisted in the 15th New York on August 8th, 1916. Following the declaration of war, he was called to active duty on July 15th, 1917 and assigned to Company I on July 25th. It is believed that with them he sailed to France aboard the USS Pochahontas, arriving in France on December 27th, 1917 though no shipping manifest has yet been found containing his name.
The 15th was federalized as the 369th Infantry in France and was first assigned labor duties at the docks, unloading incoming ships, before finally being assigned to the French army on April 8th, 1918. Welcomed into the French forces, they were issued with French weapons, helmets and combat gear and entered the trenches on May 8th, 1918.The regiment would gain an enviable combat record spending 191 days on the front line, more than any other U.S. regiment, and suffer some 1,500 casualties – almost a third of their numbers – by the time of the Armistice, as well as the respect of the Germans they faced.
Roy Sealey was assigned to the Machine Gun Company/369th on June 4th, 1918, which was armed with the M1914 Hotchkiss heavy machine gun, and he would see combat in the Berzieux, Minancourt and Cahiere sectors. He was killed in action on September 28th, 1918 but nothing concerning his death is known at this time. He is memorialized on the Tablet to the Missing at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery at Romagne sous Montfaucon. In 1931 his mother participated in the Gold Star Mother’s Pilgrimage.
Wish you could help us account for America's missing servicemen from World War I? You can! Consider making a donation to Doughboy MIA today. Simply go to www.ww1cc.org/mia and click the donation link. It's quick, easy, tax deductible, and our non-profit organization uses the money to continue research and, soon, to mount field expeditions - all of which costs money. Your donation gives you the chance to help out and be part of the solution.
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.
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When you fly Old Glory this Fourth of July, add this World War 1 Centennial Flag to your patriotic display! The flag is made of durable nylon and measures 3'x5', with the iconic Doughboy silhouette digitally screened onto it, and has 2 brass grommets to hang the flag.
Proceeds from the sale of these items will help complete the new National World War I Memorial in Washington, DC. You can show your support, and help promote the efforts, by proudly displaying your custom flag.
This and many other items are available as Official Merchandise of the Doughboy Foundation.
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