World War One was a watershed in American history. The United States' decision to join the battle in "to make the world safe for democracy" proved pivotal in securing allied victory — a victory that would usher in the American Century. In the war's aftermath, individuals, towns, cities, counties, and states all felt compelled to mark the war, as did colleges, businesses, clubs, associations, veterans groups, and houses of worship.
Thousands of memorials—from simple honor rolls, to Doughboy sculptures, to grandiose architectural ensembles—were erected throughout the US in the s and s, blanketing the American landscape. Each of these memorials, regardless of size or expense, has a story. But sadly, as we enter the war's centennial period, these memorials and their very purpose—to honor in perpetuity the more than four million Americans who served in the war and the more than , who were killed—have largely been forgotten.
And while many memorials are carefully tended, others have fallen into disrepair through neglect, vandalism, or theft. Some have been destroyed. Watch this CBS news video on the plight of these monuments. The extant memorials are our most salient material links in the US to the war.
They afford a vital window onto the conflict, its participants, and those determined to remember them. Rediscovering the memorials and the stories they tell will contribute to their physical and cultural rehabilitation—a fitting commemoration of the war and the sacrifices it entailed. If you locate a memorial that is not on the map we invite you to upload your treasure to be permanently archived in the national register. You can include your choice of your real name, nickname or team name as the explorers who added that memorial to the register.
We even have room for a selfie! This life-size metal statue depicts a World War I infantryman carrying a rifle and grenade through the barbed wire and stumps of No Man's Land. It was funded by contributions from the people of Muskingum County and was installed in November Montgomery VA Medical Center.
