Date of publication: December 2011
This letter from the 70th WW1 Anniversary Chairman, Jerry L. Lester, asking for the establishment of a US National Committee to participate in Centenary commemorations,was printed in The World War One Historical Association’s online magazine ‘Trip Wire’:
“To the Editor and Readers of theTrip-Wire:
Subject: World War I Centennial Commemoration Commission & Legislation
France, Australia, New Zealand, and Belgium have issued their National Centenary Commemoration dossiers with plans and objectives for their respective commemorations beginning in 2014. The British are delaying their plans until after this summer’s Olympics. These plans are very extensive and involve the participation of the U.S. Coordination meetings have already taken place with the French and Belgian commemoration chairmen with the caveat that the U.S. commission is not yet formed nor authorized in an official capacity.
A review of these Allied plans is under way with the U.S. Dept. of Defense, State, American Battle Monuments Commission, museums, libraries, and organizations at this early stage.
The U.S. Congress has two bills pending action in committee for the formation of the WWI Centennial Commemoration Commission. The Senate bill is S.253 and the House bill is H.R. 938. Meetings with the Congressional sponsors, Sen. John Rockefeller(D-WV) and Congressman Ted Poe(R-TX) were held with the focus on getting the bills passed in order that the U.S. will not be put into a “catchup” position with the Allies.
Please write or email the sponsors and your own Congressional members and request they support immediate passage of these bills. We need to keep pressing Congress to act soon.
Until we have the Congressional mandate, our hands are tied to implement the many actions required for the American WWI Centennial Commemoration. WE CANNOT ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN FOR SUCH AN IMPORTANT EVENT IN OUR HISTORY.
Jerry L. Hester, 70th WWI Anniversary Chairman”
To read the full issue of ‘St.Mihiel Trip Wire’, click here.
Images courtesy Tripe Wire website.