Looking Back
Emmitsburg supports troops in the War to End All Wars by James Rada, Jr. The United States became involved in World War I when Congress declared war on Germany in April 1917. At that point, the war had already been fought in Europe and Africa for nearly three years. The Weekly Chronicle ran editorials supporting…
Veteran Spotlight
Pvt. Francis Xavier Elder First to Enlist, First to Fall by Richard D. L. Fulton “I am about to enter the fight for democracy…” ~Francis X. Elder, 1918 In 1917, as the United States entered World War I, the soldiers of the 1st, 4th, and 5th Maryland (state national guard) regiments found themselves on their…
Looking Back
by James Rada, Jr. 1922 – The marines Conquer Thurmont The U.S. Marines fought valiantly in World War I in places like the Battle of Belleau Wood in France. After the deadly fighting there to drive the entrenched German troops from Belleau Wood, Army General John J. Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force, said,…
Looking Back – 1918
Clifford Stitely Died Helping Others 100 Years Ago by James Rada, Jr. On November 6, 1918, the peace talks between the Allies and Germans had been completed. Men who had fought so hard for years looked forward to the peace that would take place on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th…
WWI Era Heroes Memorial Dedicated
James Rada, Jr. Marines marched through Emmitsburg in 1922 on their way to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. They were fully outfitted in preparation for a historical reenactment and training maneuvers on the battlefield. The event turned tragic for two of the Marines when their plane crashed on the battlefield, killing both men on board. On June 26,…
Our Neighborhood Veterans
by Jim Houck, Jr. Veterans Day November 11 Veterans Day is a celebrated holiday that honors all persons that served or are serving in the United States Armed Forces. It dates back to World War I and when the Armistice with Germany ended the hostilities on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the…
Looking Back - 1918
The First Emmitsburgian to fall in WWI by James Rada, Jr. The United States entered World War I when Congress declared war against Germany in April 1917. At that point, the fighting in Europe had been going on for nearly three years. The Weekly Chronicle ran editorials supporting the U.S.’s involvement, and also began running…
Looking Back – 1922 Thurmont Dedicates the First Veterans Memorial Park in the County
by James Rada, Jr. When the men of the Thurmont District of Frederick County began returning home from World War I, they were feted with a parade through Thurmont. People lined the streets to see their returning heroes. They cheered, and they cried. In that, Thurmont was not unusual. Just about every town in the…
The History Behind the Doughboy
This article includes excerpts from Karen Gardner’s article in a 1991 Frederick Post titled The History Behind the Doughboy and Joan Bittner Fry’s research in her compilation of local history titled, Did You Know? published in 2013. A doughboy is the popular name for a World War I foot soldier. A statue commemorating the doughboy…
