Sacrifice - Schedule of Events
On April 6, 1917, after much debate, the United States entered World War I. The commemorative ceremony will be a multi-media production illustrating America’s step-by-step decision to enter the war. The ceremony will feature historic images and music of the period, as well as writings of volunteers, soldiers, public officials, historians and others to illuminate how Americans, and the world, felt about America’s entry into the Great War. Blending innovative design and production technology with music and live storytelling, the ceremony will illustrate American life circa 1917 as the horror of war unfolded on the battlefields of Europe. It will recall historic provocations such as the sinking of the Lusitania, and the impassioned arguments from our increasingly diverse citizens both for and against the war. On April 6, 2017, attendees will see how this momentous decision triggered the beginning of what is now widely known as “The American Century.”
Overview
- 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. CDT Prelude
- 10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. CDT Pre-Ceremony
- 10:45 a.m. CDT - Ceremony
Order of Ceremony
- Flyover: Patrouille de France
- The National Anthem
- Introductory Video
- Words from Europe: Narrations and Readings
- Interlude I: War in Europe
- Interlude II: American Spirit
- American Volunteerism: Narration and Readings
- Interlude III: News Reaches America
- The Great Debate Part I: Prior to 1916 Election: Narration and Readings
- Interlude IV: The Great Debate in Song
- Immigrants and Diversity of the American Public: Narration and Readings
- Interlude V: "There's No Hyphen in my Heart"
- The Great Debate Part II: The Election of 1916 and the Growing Crisis
- Interlude VI: "Are They Equal in the Eyes of the Law"
- Interlude VII: Proliferation of Images Leading to Wilson's Victory in 1916
- The Unimaginable Continues to Unfold in Europe
- Interlude VIII
- The Tipping Point: The Zimmermann Cable and Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
- "If He Can Fight Like He Can Love, Good Night, Germany"
- Interlude IX: Recruitment
- Declaration of War
- "I Have a Rendezvous with Death" by Alan Seeger
- Readings by Heads of State
- Reading by official representative of the United States
- Benediction
- Interlude XIII
- Flyover by U.S. Aircraft
- Ending
- Recessional: "Over There" performed by the entire cast with video of military forces in Iraq and Germany
Dawn Patrol Participants
Marvin and Nancy Beck
Spad XIII replica
French-designed aircraft used by allies. Painted with U.S. markings.
Richard (Dick) Starks
1916 Nieuport 11 fighter
In the colors of The Lafayette Escadrille
Sharon Starks
1915 Morane Saulnier L "Parasol" fighter
In the colors of the both the RAF and French Flying corp - the colors of the Morane flown by Reginald Alexander John Warneford, VC who on 7 June 1915 at Ghent, Belgium, Warneford, flying a Morane-Saulnier Type L, attacked the German airship LZ 37. He chased the airship from the coast near Ostend and, despite its defensive machine-gun fire, succeeded in dropping his bombs on it, the last of which set the airship on fire. LZ37 subsequently crashed in Sint-Amandsberg (51°3′43.2″N 3°44′54.7″E). The explosion overturned Warneford's aircraft and stopped its engine. Having no alternative, Warneford had to land behind enemy lines, but after 35 minutes spent on repairs, he managed to restart the engine and returned to base.
On 17 June 1915, Warneford received the award of Légion d'honneur from the French Army Commander in Chief, General Joffre. Following a celebratory lunch, Warneford travelled to the aerodrome at Buc in order to ferry an aircraft for delivery to the RNAS at Veurne. Having made one short test flight, he then flew a second flight, carrying an American journalist, Henry Beach Newman, as passenger. During a climb to 200 feet, the righthand wings collapsed leading to a catastrophic failure of the airframe. Accounts suggest that neither occupant was harnessed and were both thrown out of the aircraft, suffering fatal injuries. In the case of Newman, death was instantaneous.
Warneford died of his injuries on the way to hospital. He was buried at Brompton Cemetery, in London on 21 June 1915 in a ceremony attended by thousands of mourners. The grave lies in front of the eastern colonnade.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovil, Somerset, England.
Mark O. Pierce
1914 Nieuport 16 bi-plane
Replica French fighter. The first aircraft Americans flew in WWI (flying for the French) for The Lafayette Escadrille
Dick Lemons
1915 Fokker Eindecker E-III Monoplane
Single place replica German fighter
Marvin and Nancy Story
1916 Siemens-Schuckert D-1
