Museum prepares World War I commemoration

Photo By Maj. Jason Welch | French-made Renault FT-17 Light Tank saw combat in World War I before returning to Fort Meade. The Fort George G. Meade Museum houses artifacts and souvenirs from Fort Meade's history, many of which have been donated by both private collectors and military units. Photo taken Nov. 23, 2014.  

FORT MEADE, MD, UNITED STATES

12.12.2014

Story by Capt. Jason Welch 

Defense Information School

FORT MEADE, Md. - During World War I, the United States military lost over 116,000 service members to combat, and another 200,000 were wounded. President Woodrow Wilson called it “the war to end all wars” and it was fought on battlefields spanning much of the globe.

In the United States, the war became very close and personal when 16 camps, called cantonments, were established by an act of Congress in 1917 to train and equip soldiers drafted to fight against the Central Powers in Europe. Fort George G. Meade was one of these cantonments.

The Fort George G. Meade Museum is preparing to commemorate this history along with the rest of the nation during the World War I Centennial remembrance in 2017, said Robert Johnson, Fort George G. Meade Museum director.

The Fort Meade Museum is adding new displays and bringing home some long forgotten pieces of Fort Meade history in preparation for the centennial, Johnson said. In 2017 the museum will be a focal point in the region for activities regarding the centennial of the U.S. entering World War I and the birth of Fort Meade.

“We’re the only Army museum in the area. I think we’re going to get hit with a lot of stuff for the national celebration as well when they want to do things close to D.C.,” Johnson said.

Over 100,000 soldiers were trained on Fort Meade during World War I, Johnson said. The museum contains a unique collection of memorabilia that includes rare tanks, uniforms and other artifacts, some of which date back to the origins of the post.

The unique collection has been decades in the making, much of it stemming from the move of the 1st Army Headquarters to Fort Meade in 1966, said David Manning, the Fort George G. Meade Museum collections manager. The First Army brought with it a collection of souvenirs and memorabilia from World War I and founded the Fort Meade Museum.

The construction of Fort Meade started at the beginning of the summer of 1917, and the first troops arrived in September of 1917, Manning said. The 79th “Lorraine” Division, primarily all draftees from Maryland and Pennsylvania, was the first unit to occupy Fort Meade.

Fort Meade was a training center for both infantry and armor soldiers preparing to join the fight raging across Europe. Many of the artifacts on display reflect that period of training and include aspects of daily life, from mess kits to ink sketches and uniforms worn by trainees.

There is also a one-of-a-kind remnant from World War I — a French-made Renault FT-17 light tank nicknamed the “Five of Hearts.” The Five of Hearts saw combat in Europe before finding its way to Fort Meade and the museum has a complete record of the tank’s history that includes all the operators from World War I, Manning said.

“Without exaggeration, I can say it’s probably one of the most valuable objects in the Army’s collection,” Manning said. “It’s the only vehicle from World War I with a documented combat history.”

Cpl. Horatio Rogers was one of the original drivers of the Five of Hearts. He inspired a legacy of service in his son, an Army colonel and World War II veteran. In October, the son and grandsons of Cpl. Rogers visited the museum to see the tank their grandfather fought in during the war, Manning said.

“I think its very important to remember what they did for their country. They answered their nations call and many of them didn’t come back,” Johnson said.

Also special at the Fort Meade Museum is the history of the Hello Girls. The Hello Girls were telephone operators trained at the nearby Franklin Cantonment that eventually became part of Fort Meade. They were recruited for their ability to speak French and trained in Army communications equipment and protocols before they were sent to France to work in Gen. “Black Jack” Pershing’s headquarters, Manning said.

The Five of Hearts and Hello Girls displays are part of a larger collection stored at Fort Meade. Only about 10 percent of the collection is on display at any time, Manning said.

During the next two years, the goal is to bring out some of that collection in a World War I-centric display that will tell the story of Fort Meade and the soldiers, called doughboys, who trained here, Manning said.

One object coming home to Fort Meade in time for the 2017 commemoration is a log cabin originally located on post, Manning said. It was hand-built by members of the 314th Regiment of the 79th Division in 1917 before they left for Europe. It was disassembled and moved to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, in 1922 where it served as a memorial hall and museum.

The log cabin was donated to the Army in 2010 and moved back to Fort Meade in 2012 where it was placed into a warehouse on post.

“Another thing that we’re trying to get done for the anniversary is to have it rebuilt. It’s planned to go over here adjacent to the museum, and we’re hoping that somehow or other we can get that to happen. There’s a lot of effort behind it to get it rebuilt,” Manning said.

Other artifacts planned for the centennial include various weapons, ordnance, small arms and uniforms that will present the shared history of both Fort Meade and the U.S. participation in World War I.

All the work being done at the museum could lead to Fort Meade being a an important player in the national commemoration events, Manning said.

In addition to the commemoration being of national importance, Johnson also stressed the importance of remembering the sacrifices made by the veterans.

“When I was a kid at parades in our hometown, Fourth of July, Veterans Day, I remember a lot of World War I vets walking in the parade, and then not as many, and then a few riding in cars, and then none,” Johnson said. “We owe it to all of those who have served before, who are serving today and those who will serve in the future.”

The current and future displays are planned to be ready for viewing in time for the July Fourth kick-off of Fort Meade’s centennial events in 2017.

• Date Taken: 12.12.2014
• Date Posted: 12.12.2014 14:15
• Story ID: 150205
• Location: FORT MEADE, MD, US