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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250906T140000
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SUMMARY:Lafayette Birthday Commemoration
DESCRIPTION:WE ARE KEEPING AN EYE OUT ON THE WEATHER FORECAST FOR SATURDAY’S EVENT \n\n\nPLEASE CHECK WITH OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR UPDATES.  CLICK HERE FOR OUR FB PAGE \n\n\nJoin us for Marquis de Lafayette’s Birthday Commemoration at the National WW1 Memorial on Saturday\, September 6\, 2025\, at 2:00 p.m.\n\nThe American Friends of Lafayette and The Doughboy Foundation will host an event honoring the Marquis de Lafayette on his 268th birthday. We will also commemorate the bicentennial of his tour through the United States (1824- 1825). \n\n\n\nThe Maryland Military Band will play music heard by Lafayette during his visit to America from 1924 through 1825. The band will also play the National Anthem of France and the United States. \n\n\n\n\nThe afternoon program will include notable speakers and descendants of pilots from the Lafayette Escadrille plus a visit from Marqius de Lafayette. The ceremony will conclude with a wreath ceremony and the sounding of Aux Morts and Taps. \n\n\n\n\nRSVP for the Lafayette Birthday EventThe ceremony is free and open to the public. \n\nWelcome remarks from Marquis de Lafayette as performed by Mark Schneider \n \nMark Schneider was born and raised in Setauket New York on Long Island\, to a French mother and an American Father. Mark attended Christopher Newport University and received a B.A. in History and then joined the United States Army where he served as a Cavalry Scout. After his tour of duty\, Mark began working for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. At CW\, Mark has performed in a variety of different roles\, but is known best for his portrayal of General Lafayette as a Nation Builder with the Education Division. During the 200th anniversary tour of General Lafayette’s return to America\, Mark has performed at events in New York City\, Providence\, Boston\, Philadelphia\, Baltimore\, Williamsburg\, Yorktown and many others. \nSpeaker-Colby Jenkins\, Assistant Secretary of Defense\n\nMr. Colby Jenkins is an Army Special Forces combat veteran and currently is performing the duties of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict. Colby was previous appointed as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. \n\nBorn and raised in Roosevelt\, Utah\, Colby knew from a young age that service to his nation and community was important. As the son of patriotic\, service-oriented parents\, Colby saw firsthand how his family’s dedication to their community\, including his father’s service on the city council and later as Mayor\, could allow one person to improve the lives of those around them. While considering his own future path\, Colby took further inspiration from his grandfather\, a member of the “greatest generation\,” and his service during World War Two. Seeing military service\, and specifically going to the United States Military Academy at West Point\, as an ideal path\, Colby sought a congressional nomination and gained an appointment to West Point\, thus launching him on a career of service to the nation. \nUpon graduating from West Point\, Colby became an airborne Ranger-qualified infantry officer before trying out for and being selected to become a Special Forces officer. As a Green Beret Detachment Commander\, Colby led his Special Forces A-team on multiple global deployments\, including combat in Afghanistan and later various training\, counter-drug\, and hostage rescue operations throughout South America\, including the jungles of Colombia. \nColby’s experience in combat and leading his team opened new opportunities to serve beyond the fields of battle. The four-star commanding general of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) hand-selected Colby to initiate a new congressional fellowship program that included graduate school in Washington\, D.C.\, and working in a U.S. Senator’s office. Colby would be the first special operations officer to do so for USSOCOM\, creating a path for many others to follow. After Colby’s work in the U.S. Senate and completing graduate school\, Colby continued his work on Capitol Hill as a Green Beret liaison to Congress. This experience took him from the halls of Congress around the world with members of Congress and staff. Colby later worked in the Pentagon as a counterterrorism policy advisor to the Secretary of Defense\, coordinating critical efforts between the White House\, Pentagon\, Capitol Hill\, and other interagency partners to advance American interests. \nAfter completing his active-duty military service Colby transitioned to the Army National Guard and now the Army Reserves where he continued his military service for more than two decades. During his civilian career\, Colby remained active in the legislative arena working for several years in the Pentagon as the senior civilian legislative strategic advisor to the Vice-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff\, the nation’s #2 military leader. Simultaneously\, Colby taught as an adjunct professor in George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management. Following his years of service and work in Washington\, DC\, Colby jumped to the corporate tech world working for Google at Google headquarters and later other innovation and entrepreneurial entities in both Silicon Valley and ultimately southern Utah. \nSpeaker-Colonel Thibaud Thomas\, French Army Attaché\n\n \nSpeaker-Charles Schwam\, Executive Director\, American Friends of Lafayette \n\n\n\n \n\nCharles Schwam works as an account executive and runs day-to-day activities for a non-profit association simultaneously. Chuck\, as he is known\, came to the greater Washington DC area from Philadelphia to attend American University in 1978 to study sports journalism. Shortly thereafter\, he found his skills better suited as an account executive instead of a broadcaster. For over forty years\, he has been the leader in his industry\, managing national and local accounts while maintaining the top position in sales and new business. \nChuck’s unwavering passion for both his professional career and his work with The American Friends of Lafayette has been a driving force in the organization’s transformation. From the moment he discovered the association in 2009\, he became deeply engaged. By 2011\, he had already joined the Board of Governors as Treasurer\, and over time\, his leadership role expanded to Executive Director\, where he also took on the responsibilities of Event Planning for the annual conference and publishing the quarterly Gazette. \nWhat began as a personal interest in history soon evolved into a profound appreciation for the Marquis de Lafayette and his embodiment of the enduring\, positive relationship between France and America. This admiration resonated deeply with Chuck\, and over the past 15 years\, he has dedicated himself to sharing Lafayette’s legacy and the importance of Franco-American friendship with the broader public. His commitment to education and advocacy has fostered a sense of community and passion among fellow members of the association. \nChuck’s extensive experience in account management played a pivotal role in the association’s growth. Together with the President\, Chuck helped expand the organization from a niche historical group into a nationally recognized institution. His strategic vision\, coupled with his leadership and tireless dedication\, has helped the club reach schools\, other associations\, and communities across the country\, bringing the story of Lafayette and the Franco-American relationship to a wider audience. \nCurrently\, Chuck is the Chairperson of the AFL’s Bicentennial of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour 2024-2025. There are currently 40+ committees comprised of over   members across 24 states working actively to plan events\, learning engagements\, and experiences designed to bring awareness and education to the public of the legacy of General Lafayette and the French involvement in the American Revolution. \nThis role as Chairperson of the Tour has provided him the opportunity to lecture to significant audiences such as the. Independence Hall in Philadelphia\, University of Virginia in Charlottesville\, VA\, and the Embassy of France in Washington\, DC.   Chuck’s most impactful speeches took place on December 10\, 2024\, when he was given the honor to address members of Congress in Statuary Hall at the US Capitol in Washington DC and then being given the distinction of speaking at French Ambassador Bili’s Residence later that evening. \nBecause educating the public is a main priority for Chuck and the association he has engaged in and hosted hundreds of public facing free educational events around the county.  Chuck has played a part in every single event the American Friends of Lafayette have hosted\, both in the United States and France.  Whether it be the annual flag changing ceremony at Cimetière de Picpus in Paris or the arrival of the Hermione in the United States\, or all 250 Lafayette Bicentennial events in 2024 and 2025\, Chuck has had a hand in it all. \nWhen it comes to getting things done\, Chuck is the go-to person. Whether it’s fundraising\, designing promotional materials (from websites to scarves and pins)\, or handling complex logistics\, he excels at it all. His talent for connecting people and fostering collaboration is unparalleled\, turning ideas into powerful initiatives that make a lasting\, positive impact on the world around us. \n\n\nPaul Glenshaw\n\nA lifelong resident of the Washington\, DC area\, Paul Glenshaw is an artist\, documentary filmmaker\, history writer\, and storyteller. His most recent documentary film\, The Lafayette Escadrille\, was distributed nationally by American Public Television\, and is available on the PBS Passport platform. He is a regular drawing instructor\, history lecturer\, and tour guide for the Smithsonian Associates and Smithsonian Journeys and other groups. He was a longtime writer for the Air&Space Smithsonian magazine. \nSpeaker – Geoffrey Chapman\, nephew of Victor Chapman\, Lafayette Escadrille pilot\n\nGeoffrey Chapman is originally from Boston and was educated at Bowdoin College (BA) and Princeton University (MA\, PhD). He joined the U.S. Foreign Service in September 1971 and served overseas in Berlin\, Moscow\, Bonn and London\, along with numerous assignments in the Department of State in Washington. He retired as a Senior Foreign Service Officer in 2002 but continues to work part-time in the Department of State. He has been involved in numerous volunteer activities in semi-retirement \nSpeaker – Ginnie Sebastian Storage\, President General\, Daughters of The American Revolution\n\nGinnie Sebastian Storage\, from Fredericksburg\, Virginia\, holds a BA from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Averett University. She has been a DAR member for over 40 years and has served in many significant leadership roles nationally\, statewide\, and locally\, including six years as an Executive Officer and 12 years on the National Board of Management. Professionally\, she has expertise in human resources and business administration. Her family is also engaged in DAR activities\, with her daughter Mackie being a former National President of the National Society of the Children of the American Revolution (NSCAR) \n\n\nMaster of Ceremonies Jari Villanueva\, Executive Director\, The Doughboy Foundation \n\n \nJari Villanueva retired from the U.S. Air Force after spending 23 years with The U.S. Air Force Band in Washington\, DC.  He is regarded as the country’s foremost expert on military bugle calls\, particularly the call of Taps.  He served as the Non-Commissioned Officer in charge of the USAF’s band State Funeral Plans and held the position of NCOIC at the command post at Andrews AFB\, overseeing the arrival and departure ceremonies for late Presidents Reagan and Ford.  As a ceremonial trumpeter\, Villanueva participated in more than 5\,000 ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetary and served as an assistant drum major\, leading the USAF Ceremonial Brass in funerals.  Between 2009 and 2017\, Villanueva worked for the Maryland Military Department\, serving as the Director of Veterans Affairs\, Maryland National Guard Honor Guard\, which provides funeral honors to more than 3\,500 veterans each year.  He also served as conductor/commander of the Maryland Defense Force Band and retired in 2017 at the rank of Lt. Colonel. \nIn August 2023\, Villanueva was appointed Executive Director of The Doughboy Foundation\, which supports programs\, projects and activities that educate the public about America’s participation in World War 1.  Villanueva has received numerous military awards and decorations\, including the Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster\, Air Force Commendation Medal\, Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters.  He earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1978 from the Peabody Conservatory of John Hopkins University.  In 1984\, he received a Master of Music degree from Kent State. \nThe Maryland Military Band\n \nThe Maryland Military Band\, established in 2017\, is a non-profit group that performs various types of music at ceremonies and concerts\, actively involving the community through performances and recruitment efforts. The band is committed to delivering high-quality musical performances and educational opportunities. It was created to emulate the model of the nation’s leading military bands\, emphasizing the development of skilled musical ensembles that perform a wide range of music\, including concert band\, wind band\, and military band music. \nMiss Laura Heydt\, soprano\n\nLaura Heydt is an accomplished opera singer\, music educator\, and arts administrator whose performances span concert halls\, historical venues\, and community stages throughout the United States and Europe. She is a member of the American Friends of Lafayette\, serving as the chair of the Baltimore music committee and has performed at many Lafayette bicentennial events including  the U.S. Capitol\, Yorktown\, VA\, and Philadelphia\, PA.  \nAlongside her performance career\, she has dedicated over a decade to music education and administration\, serving as an educational program manager for The Baltimore Symphony’s OrchKids program\, and teaching vocal and instrumental music in York\, PA and Baltimore\, MD.  She currently serves as the music teacher at Ware Academy in Gloucester\, VA.  \nThe Lafayette Escadrille\n \nThe Lafayette Escadrille was the name of the French Air Force unit\, Escadrille N 124\, during World War I\, named in honor of Marquis de Lafayette. This escadrille of the Aéronautique Militaire was mostly made up of American volunteer pilots flying fighters. In September 1917\, the escadrille was transferred to the United States Army and became the 103rd Aero Squadron. In 1921\, the French Air Force recreated a unit claiming lineage from the wartime Lafayette escadrille\, which is now part of the escadron 2/4 Lafayette. \n\n\n\n\nSchedule of Events\n1:45 pm: Musical selections by the Maryland Military Band \n\nIntroductory remarks by Jari Villanueva\, Executive Director of the Doughboy Foundation \n\nFrench and American National Anthems\, Miss Laura Heydt and the Maryland Military Band \n\nWelcome by Marquis de Lafayette \n\nRemarks by\nMr. Chuck Shawm\, Executive Director\, American Friends of Lafayette\,\nColonel Thibaud Thomas\, Military Attache’ Embassy of the French Republic\nMs. Theresa Karlson\, National Treasurer\, American Gold Star Mothers\, Inc \n\nMusical Selection “Lafayette\, We are Here!” By Axel W.E. Austin\, The Maryland Military Band \n\nRemarks by\nThe Honorable Colby Jenkins\, Assistant Secretary of Defense\nMrs. Ginnie Storage\, President General\, Daughters of the American Revolution\nMr. Geoff Chapman\, Nephew of Lafayette Escadrille pilot Victor Chapman\, Introduced by Mr. Paul Glenshaw \n\nReading of Colonel Charles Stanton’s remarks July 4\, 1917\, at Lafayette’s grave in Paris \n\nWreaths at WWI Memorial followed by Aux Morts and Taps\, Mr. Kevin Paul on the Pershing Bugle \n\nConclusion \nYour support for the Doughboy Foundation will help fund our mission in perpetuity\, inspiring future generations of visitors and forever honoring our World War I veterans and all U.S. servicemen and women. Donate today →
URL:https://staging.doughboy.org/event/layfayette-birthday-commemoration/
LOCATION:The National WWI Memorial\, 1400 Pennsylvania Ave NW\, WASHINGTON\, DC\, 20004\, United States
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ORGANIZER;CN="Doughboy Foundation":MAILTO:(202) 280-1521
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250912T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250912T170000
DTSTAMP:20260604T085057
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LAST-MODIFIED:20250908T210438Z
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SUMMARY:World War I Symposium
DESCRIPTION:“The Generation that Changed the World: Voices from the Great War”\nRSVP FOR THE SYMPOSIUM \nInaugural World War I Symposium\nFriday\, September 12\, 2025; 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. \nFirst Amendment Lounge\, National Press Club\, 529 14th St. NW Washington\, DC \n$25 registration fee \n9:30 a.m. Coffee\nWelcome: Denise Doring VanBuren\, Chair\, The Doughboy Foundation\nSpeaker #1\n10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Mitchell Yockelson\nForty-Seven Days: How Pershing’s Warriors Came of Age to Defeat the German Army in WWI\nSpeaker #2\n11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Marvin W. Barrash\nThe Mysterious Disappearance of the U. S. S. Cyclops\nSpeaker #3\n12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. Theo Mayer\nWWI Education Through Technology \n12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Lunch on your own at a nearby restaurant \nSpeaker #4\n2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Dr. Frank Blazich\nFeathers of Honor: U.S. Army Signal Corps Pigeon Service\, 1917 – 1918\nSpeaker #5\n3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Jim Leeke\nFrom the Dugouts to the Trenches: Baseball during the Great War\nSpeaker #6\n4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Jari Villanueva\nThe Yanks are Coming! US Army Bands 1917-1919 \n4:45 p.m. Closing Announcements and Adjourn to National World War I Memorial\n5:00 p.m. Taps\, wreath laying ceremony and brief history of “A Soldier’s Journey” \nRSVP for the WWI SymposiumMitchell Yockelson \nForty-Seven Days: How Pershing’s Warriors Came of Age to Defeat the German Army in World War I \nMilitary historian Dr. Mitch Yockelson earned a Bachelor’s degree from Frostburg State University\, a Master’s from George Mason University and a Ph.D. from the Royal Military College of Science\, Cranfield University.  Mitch is on the staff of the U.S. National Archives where he leads the Archival Recovery Program.  He also teaches history at Norwich University through the college’s online master’s program and regularly leads battlefield tours in Europe.  Additionally\, Mitch lectures on military history and has been featured on 60 Minutes\, PBS\, and C-SPAN\, and in newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times\, New York Times\, and Washington Post\, as well as numerous podcasts.  Mitch has published widely in the field of military history\, including articles and book reviews in various journals and magazines\, and is the author of five books.  His presentation draws from his 2018 book:  Forty-Seven Days\, the story of General Pershing and the Doughboys who Fought in the Meuse-Argonne.  HIs next book\, the Lion and The General\, about the unique friendship between Winston Churchill and Dwight Eisenhower\, will be published in 2026.  A life-long resident of the greater D.C. area\, Mitch lives in Annapolis\, Maryland. \nMarvin W. Barrash \nThe Mysterious Disappearance of the U. S. S. Cyclops \nMarvin W. Barrash was introduced to the U.S.S. Cyclops at an early age. His father told him that his great uncle was lost with the Collier Cyclops during the First World War. That bit of family history made an impression on him. Years later\, he authored three books concerning the U.S.S. Cyclops. Following his initial thirteen years of extensive research of surviving Cyclops documentation\, his book\, U.S.S. CYCLOPS\, the comprehensive history of the ship\, was completed. His next volume was\, Murder on the Abarenda\, a pre-history of the Cyclops saga that delved into the prior sea service of the ship’s only commanding officer. His third book\, U.S.S. CYCLOPS\, Volume Two\, focused on the men who perished with the ship and provided information that was not previously available. Mr. Barrash’s decades of research of the Cyclops’ history never ceased. He continues with the hope that the ship will be located and studied; not salvaged. The cause of the ship’s demise and the terrible loss of life with her must be ascertained. Barrash retired after more than four decades of service with the U.S. Department of Defense. His military service was in the Maryland Army National Guard. He resides in Maryland. \nTheo Mayer \nWWI Education Through Technology \nTheo Mayer is a distinguished technologist\, educator and WW1 enthusiast\, renowned for blending innovation\, storytelling and public engagement.  As Chief Technologist and Program Manager at the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission (2015-2024)\, Theo led strategic initiatives to commemorate the Great War’s legacy and impact on America\, including through interactive educational programming and public outreach.  His passion for history shines through his work with The Doughboy Foundation\, where he helped create an AR/VR-infused mobile app that overlays interpretation onto the new National WW1 Memorial\, bringing wartime narratives to life for visitors and students.  Featured on NPR’s Teaching Matters podcast\, Theo discussed how this immersive tool empowers middle and high school learners to explore WW1 history on their terms and in the media of their generation.  An entrepreneur\, writer/producer\, and lifelong educator\, he harnesses technology to preserve historical memory and inspire future generations.  At the symposium\, he will demonstrate how modern digital platforms unlock new avenues for interactive learning\, bridging 1914 – 1918 with today for both classrooms and adult enthusiasts.  His session combines insightful perspective and a practical framework for educators\, museum curators\, history enthusiasts and technologists eager to rethink history education in experiential terms. \nDr. Frank A. Blazich Jr.\, PhD  \nFeathers of Honor: U.S. Army Signal Corps Pigeon Service\, 1917 – 1918 \nCurator of Military History at the National Museum of American History of the Smithsonian Institution since 2017\, Dr. Blazich is a native of Raleigh\, NC\, who specializes in the American military experience in the twentieth century. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force\, he holds a doctorate in modern American history from The Ohio State University. Following his doctoral studies\, Blazich served as the historian at the U.S. Navy Seabee Museum in Port Hueneme\, Cal.\, before moving to Washington\, D.C. to serve as a historian in the History and Archives Division of Naval History and Heritage Command. His first edited book\, Bataan Survivor: A POW’s Account of Japanese Captivity in World War II\, was published in 2017. His second book\, Honorable Place in American Air Power”: Civil Air Patrol Coastal Patrol Operations\, 1943-1943\, was published in 2020. His second edited (and first translated) book\, UnAméricain dans la Légion: Mémoires Inédits d’un Copagnon de la Libération\, was published in May 2025. He has published articles\, essays\, blog posts\, book reviews and delivered public talks on numerous topics relating to modern American military history. In December 2022\, his article Notre Cher Ami: The Enduring Myth and Memory of a Humble Pigeon\, published in The Journal of Military History\, received a 2022 Smithsonian Secretary’s Research Prize. In 2024\, he received the Literary Award from the Orders and Medals Society of America for his article\, The American Expeditionary Forces and the Order of Prince Danilo I. That same year the French government awarded him the Médaille de la Défense nationale in bronze with “ARMY” and “FOREIGN LEGION” clasps. He lives in Northern Virginia with his wife Nicole and son William. \nJim Leeke \nFrom the Dugouts to the Trenches: Baseball during the Great War \nJim Leeke is a former print journalist\, sportswriter\, agency copywriter and creative director. He was born and grew up in the Midwest\, and he studied journalism at The Ohio State University after serving in the U.S. Navy. Jim then began his writing career in daily newspapers as a reporter\, columnist and sportswriter. He later worked in communications with technology clients across North America and worldwide. He has written and spoken extensively about baseball during World War I and contributed to several books and articles\, as well as for the biographies of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). A U.S. Navy veteran\, Jim also writes about military and aviation history. His numerous books include From the Dugouts to the Trenches: Baseball during the Great War\, winner of SABR’s 2918 Larry Ritter Book Award. He is also the author of The Gas and Flame Men: Baseball and the Chemical Warfare Service during World War I. The Gas and Flame Men is the first full account of Major League ballplayers who served in the Chemical Warfare Service during World War I. Four players\, two club executives\, and a manager served in the small and hastily formed branch\, six of them as gas officers. Remarkably\, five of the seven—Christy Mathewson\, Branch Rickey\, Ty Cobb\, George Sisler\, and Eppa “Jeptha” Rixey are now enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown. His latest book is Big Loosh: The Unruly Life of Umpire Ron Luciano. He lives and works in Columbus\, Ohio. \nJari Villanueva \nBands of World War I \nJari Villanueva retired from the U.S. Air Force after spending 23 years with The U.S. Air Force Band in Washington\, D.C. He is regarded as the country’s foremost expert on military bugle calls\, particularly the call of Taps. He served as the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of The USAF Band’s State Funeral Plans and held the position of NCOIC at the command post at Andrews AFB\, overseeing the arrival and departure ceremonies for late Presidents Reagan and Ford. As a ceremonial trumpeter\, Villanueva participated in more than 5\,000 ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery and served as an assistant drum major\, leading The USAF Ceremonial Brass in funerals. Between 2008 and 2017\, Villanueva worked for the Maryland Military Department\, serving as the Director of Veterans Affairs\, Maryland National Guard Honor Guard\, which provides funeral honors to more than 3\,500 veterans each year. He also served as conductor/commander of the Maryland Defense Force Band and retired in 2017 at the rank of Lt. Colonel. \nIn August 2023\, Villanueva was appointed Executive Director of The Doughboy Foundation\, which supports programs\, projects and activities that educate the public about America’s participation in World War I. Villanueva has received numerous military awards and decorations\, including the Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster\, Air Force Commendation Medal\, Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters. He earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1978 from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. In 1984 he received a Master of Music degree from Kent State. \nYour support for the Doughboy Foundation will help fund our mission in perpetuity\, inspiring future generations of visitors and forever honoring our World War I veterans and all U.S. servicemen and women. Donate today →
URL:https://staging.doughboy.org/event/world-war-i-symposium/
LOCATION:The National Press Club\, 529 14th St NW\, WASHINGTON\, DC\, 20045\, United States
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ORGANIZER;CN="Doughboy Foundation":MAILTO:(202) 280-1521
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250913T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250913T170000
DTSTAMP:20260604T085058
CREATED:20250725T133446Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250909T135744Z
UID:10001901-1757754000-1757782800@staging.doughboy.org
SUMMARY:WWI Living History Day at the National WWI Memorial
DESCRIPTION:The Doughboy Foundation will sponsor a World War I Living History event at the National World War I Memorial in Washington\, DC. The one-day event will take place on Saturday\, September 13\, 2025\, at the National WWI Memorial on Pennsylvania Avenue\, between 14th and 15th Streets. \nIt will coincide with the birthday of General John Pershing\, the commanding officer of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). Pershing will be honored with a wreath-laying ceremony at 11:00 at the Pershing statue at the memorial\, followed by a concert by the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) Headquarters Band at 3:30 pm and the daily sounding of Taps at 5 pm. There will be hourly presentations\, along with live WWI historians and original vehicles displayed near the Memorial. \nThe event is free and open to the public. \nIf you’re a WWI Reenactor\, please email Jari Villanueva\, Executive Director\, Doughboy Foundation\nJari.Villanueva@doughboy.org\nSIGN UP TO ATTEND WWI LIVING HISTORY DAY \nColonel Gerald York\, grandson of Medal of Honor Recipient Sergeant Alvin York will be present for the event \nDisplays and presentations all day including:\n\nGENERAL JOHN PERSHING (as portrayed by Chas Rittenhouse) \n\nVISITFLANDERS is the official tourist office of Flanders\, Belgium\, dedicated to promoting the region as a premier travel destination. One of its key focuses is the remembrance tourism program\, which highlights the many World War I heritage sites across Flanders Fields. Through partnerships with museums\, memorials\, and local communities\, VISITFLANDERS helps visitors connect with the history and stories of the Great War\, whether through visits to battlefields\, cemeteries\, and museums or through special commemorative events. Its mission is to ensure that the legacy of WWI is preserved and shared with travelers from around the world\, while also showcasing the broader cultural\, culinary\, and artistic treasures of Flanders. \n\n\nHELLO GIRLS DISPLAY \n\n29TH DIVISION DISPLAY \nUS ARMY MEDICAL CORPS DURING THE GREAT WAR \n\nTHE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES (AEF) HEADQUARTERS BAND\nThe AEF Headquarters Band was formed as part of the Doughboy Foundation’s Educational Outreach. The band recreates the music heard from 1918 to 1919 at the AEF HQ in Chaumont\, France\, along with popular music of the time. The band wears reproductions of the doughboy uniforms worn by musicians of the time\, with the insignia of the AEF HQ on their left shoulder. \nThe AEF Headquarters Band  performs music of the period including marches by John Philip Sousa\, Over There\, Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag\, Keep The Home Fire Burning\, K-K-K-Katy\, Alexander’s Ragtime Band\, and It’s a Long Way To Tipperary. Composers like Irving Berlin\, George M. Cohan\, Percy Grainger\, and Kenneth Alford are represented. The band also performs music written by African America composers\, James Reese Europe\, W.C. Handy\, Nobel Sissle and Eubie Blake. \n  \n\n1918 STAFF CAR \nKnit Your Bit! Knitting during WWI Bailey Zindle \n \nWomen on the Home Front  Stephanie Vickers \n \nAs the Great War raged in Europe\, American men\, women\, and youth galvanized their patriotic spirit into practical action for the war effort in their local communities. One organization\, the Four Minute Men\, urged volunteer orators to make appeals for various causes\, such as the Red Cross. They were organized three months after the U.S. entered WWI in 1917 and their name comes from the four minutes it took to change the film reels in movie houses\, the primary platform for the speakers. Locations quickly grew to anywhere a crowd might be gathered: church socials\, school auditoriums\, city parks\, boardwalks\, and railroad stations. Its members were vital in disseminating the government’s war messages and information; by the time the organization was dissolved\, over 75\,000 citizens had participated in the program. \nThe YMCA in WWI Jay Callahan\n \nBOOKS \nThe event is free and open to the public. \nSchedule of Events\n9:00am Women on the Home Front Stephanie Vickers \n\n10:00am The Hello Girls in WWI Catherine Bourgin and Carolyn Timbie\, descendants of WWI Telephone Operators \n\n11:00 Wreath Ceremony at the Pershing statue \n\n11:15 General John J. Pershing \n\n12:00pm Knit Your Bit! Knitting during WWI Bailey Zindle \n\n1:00pm Colonel (ret) Gerald York\, Grandson of Sgt Alvin York talks about his Grandfather \n\n1:45 pm The Lost Battalion Eli Taylor \n\n2:30pm The YMCA in WWI Jay Callahan \n\n3:30pm Concert by the AEF BAnd \n\n5:00pm Taps and conclusion of event \nYour support for the Doughboy Foundation will help fund our mission in perpetuity\, inspiring future generations of visitors and forever honoring our World War I veterans and all U.S. servicemen and women. Donate today →
URL:https://staging.doughboy.org/event/wwi-living-history-day-at-the-national-wwi-memorial/
LOCATION:National WWI Memorial\, 1455 Pennsylvania Ave NW\, WASHINGTON\, DC\, 20004\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://staging.doughboy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/WWICommission_LivingHistory-318-copy-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Doughboy Foundation":MAILTO:(202) 280-1521
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