Support The Doughboy Foundation via CFC | Pershing-Foch Sculpture | Harlem Hellfighters CGM | Hello Girls musical | Argonne Forest discovery



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September 2025
2025 CFC Header image white background [ [link removed] ]

The Doughboy Foundation will be participating in the 2025 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), which runs from October 1 to December 31, 2025. Federal civilian employees, military personnel (Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard), postal service personnel, all Federal civilian and military retirees, and Federal contractor personnel all can donate via the CFC to support the mission of the Doughboy Foundation. Members of the above groups can also pledge volunteer hours to support the Foundation in Washington, DC or anywhere across the nation. Click on the image above, or scan the QR code, to go the CFC website, enter our CFC# 82164, and make your donation to help the Foundation Keep Faith With The American Doughboy in 2026.




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The Doughboy Foundation supports dedication ceremony for Pershing-Foch Sculpture at the Pentagon

Doughboy Foundation Bugler Michael Delaune with General Pershing bugle [ [link removed] ]

The Doughboy Foundation was honored to attend a dedication ceremony for the Pershing-Foch Statue at the Pentagon. The statue, created by French sculptor Luc de Moustier, depicts the final handshake between American Expeditionary Forces Supreme Commander General John Pershing and French Marshal Ferdinand Foch. This farewell took place on September 1, 1919, aboard the USS Leviathan in Brest, France. The statue was gifted by the French Armed Forces to their American counterparts in February 2025, marking 250 years of military alliance between France and the United States. Doughboy Foundation Bugler Michael Delaune (left) performed at the event with the bugle given to General Pershing in 1918 at his headquarters in Chaumont, France. Read more about this historic ceremony, and how the Doughboy Foundation played an important role in the event. [ [link removed] ]



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World War I Harlem Hellfighters awarded Congressional Gold Medal

369th Harlem Hellfighters [ [link removed] ]

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth awarded the Congressional Gold Medal on Sept. 3 to the Harlem Hellfighters, one of the most renowned Black combat units of WWI. Descendants of those soldiers were in attendance to accept the recognition, Congress’ highest civilian award, on behalf of their ancestors’ actions during a ceremony in Washington, DC. The approval of the medal was passed in Congress on Aug. 9, 2021. Read more about the Harlem Hellfighters and the Congressional Gold Medal, and watch video of the presentation ceremony, here [ [link removed] ] and here [ [link removed] ]. Learn more about the 369th Infantry here [ [link removed] ].



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The Hello Girls Musical pre-Broadway production in Syracuse gets rave reviews

Hello Girls production at Syracuse Stage 2025 [ [link removed] ]

""The Hello Girls. Okay, let’s just get this out-it’s spectacular! In the interest of time and impact, I simply want to say, go see it. Now! You will thank me for it later!"" So begins just one of the many rave reviews being earned by the Syracuse Stage, NY production of The Hello Girls Musical, which the producers hope is the last stop the musical hits the stage on Broadway. Read some of the exemplary reviews of the revamped current version of the musical here [ [link removed] ], here [ [link removed] ], and here [ [link removed] ]. The show runs through September 28, so you still have a few days to buy tickets! [ [link removed] ]



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World War I telephone operator from Ellsworth, ME to receive highest civilian medal posthumously

Sarah Fairbrother Aldrich [ [link removed] ]

In the age of new technologies deployed with unprecedented devastation in the chaos of World War I, the then-novel incorporation of telephones in wartime was just as critical to the Allies’ success. Answering the call in a time when many women could not vote and had their medical reports passed to their husbands, was English-born Ellsworth, ME resident Sarah Fairbrother Aldrich, one of 223 women who deployed overseas as part of the newly created U.S. Army Signal Corps Female Telephone Operators Unit, affectionately called the “Hello Girls.”  Read the entire article about Sarah Fairbrother Aldrich on The Ellsworth American newspaper's website--ironically, the newspaper where Sarah's husband Harry worked during WWI. [ [link removed] ]



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US Army reviving a World War I practice — using soldiers as walking blood banks when helicopters can’t fly

transfusion

Western troops may face deadlier fights in future wars. If helicopters can’t fly medevac flights, the US Army’s fallback for treating the wounded is a World War I approach: using soldiers as “walking blood banks.” During a recent exercise on a German hillside, the Army and its allies and partners simulated enemy artillery fire that resulted in tremendous soldier casualties. Without air superiority for flying evacuations for the injured or bringing in needed supplies, life-saving treatment had to be done right near the fight. Read more about the so-called “buddy transfusion” or direct donor-to-patient transfusion that was pioneered during WWI, which is now possible again thanks to blood screening technologies. [ [link removed] ]



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Experience history and culture at Night at the Tower at the National WWI Museum

Night at the Tower 2025 [ [link removed] ]

The National WWI Museum and Memorial will welcome the Kansas City community back for its annual Night at the Tower Celebration on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. The fundraiser offers guests an unforgettable evening that combines dining, live entertainment, and exclusive access to the Museum and Memorial after hours. From amazing views from the top of the Liberty Memorial, Night at the Tower brings together history, culture, and community for a unique experience. Read more about Night at the Tower, and find out how you can attend the big event this weekend in Kansas City, MO. [ [link removed] ]



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Wreaths Across America 2025 column ad corrected [ [link removed] ]
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"*Daily Taps at the National WWI Memorial [ [link removed] ]*"

Honoring General John J. Pershing

On September 13, 2025, Daily Taps at the National World War I Memorial  [ [link removed] ]in Washington, DC was sounded in honor of WWI veteran General John J. Pershing [ [link removed] ], who was born this day in 1860.

Nicknamed "Black Jack," Pershing served as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) during World War I from 1917 to 1920. In addition to leading the AEF to victory in WWI, Pershing notably served as a mentor to many in the generation of generals who led the United States Army during World War II, including George C. Marshall, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Omar Bradley, Lesley J. McNair, George S. Patton, and Douglas MacArthur. In September 1919, in recognition of his distinguished service during WWI, the U.S. Congress authorized the President to promote Pershing to General of the Armies of the United States, the highest rank possible for any member of the United States armed forces. Pershing served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1921 until his 64th birthday, September 13, 1924, when he retired from active military service. On July 15, 1948, Pershing died at age 87 at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C.

General John J. Pershing [ [link removed] ]

The Daily Taps program of the Doughboy Foundation [ [link removed] ] provides a unique opportunity to dedicate a *"livestreamed" *sounding of Taps in honor of a special person of your choice while supporting the important work of the Doughboy Foundation. Choose a day, or even establish this honor *"in perpetuity"*. Click here for more information on how to honor a loved veteran with the sounding of Taps. [ [link removed] ]

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A Scene From Lost Battalion Tours – and A Father’s Proud Moment

John and Robert Laplander in the Argonne Forest in France [ [link removed] ]

""One of the things we try to feature each year with Lost Battalion Tours [ [link removed] ] is the chance to give our guests an ‘Indiana Jones Moment’, where we go explore something no one has ever explored, or at least something new to us."  "Independent historian and author Robert Laplander, proprietor of the WWI-focused tour company, describes such an ""Indiana Jones Moment"" taking place on a recent tour--with a family twist.  Learn how the search for Lost Battalion's commander Major Charles Whittlesey’s PC ("Post de Command") in the Argonne led to a great discovery by Robert's son John on his second trip with the company, and a very proud papa. [ [link removed] ]



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Propaganda Posters vs. Social Media Ads: Convincing People to Relocate in Wartime and Today

Together We Win WWI poster [ [link removed] ]

Persuasion has long influenced how people think, act, and decide where to live. During World War I, American leaders used posters with bold images and urgent messages to rally support. These propaganda posters encouraged enlistment, labor shifts, and even relocation to industrial centers that fueled the war effort. As a matter of fact, the designs spoke directly to emotions, linking movement with patriotism and duty. Today, social media ads function in a similar way, though driven by data and digital targeting. They encourage relocation through career promises, lifestyle marketing, or national policy campaigns. Read more about  propaganda posters in WWI versus social media ads today, focusing on convincing people to relocate in wartime and today. [ [link removed] ]



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100 years later, many WWI battlefields are still poisoned and uninhabitable

Snip of WWI battlefield France [ [link removed] ]

No war in recent memory can compare to the meat grinder of World War I. Europe still bears the scars of the war, even more than a century after the war ended. The gruesome and terrifying type of warfare typical of the Great War had a lasting impact on those who witnessed and experienced it. It also created such carnage on the land where it was fought that some of those areas are still uninhabitable to this day. The uninhabitable battlefields are known as the "Zone Rouge" (French for “Red Zone”). They remain pockmarked and scarred by the intense fighting at places like Verdun and the Somme, the two bloodiest battles of the conflict. Read more about "Zone Rouge", and areas not completely devastated but heavily impacted by the war that fall into other zones, yellow and blue zones.  [ [link removed] ]



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Why America’s Entry into WWI Was True Beginning of the “American Century”

Statue of Liberty [ [link removed] ]

The term “American Century,” famously coined by publisher Henry Luce in a 1941 essay, is almost universally associated with the aftermath of World War II. It evokes images of American industrial might rebuilding a shattered world, the dollar reigning supreme, and a Cold War standoff between two global superpowers. This narrative is powerful, but it overlooks the true genesis of American global dominance. The seeds of the American Century were not sown at Pearl Harbor, but nearly a quarter-century earlier, in the mud and trenches of the Western Front. Learn how America’s entry into World War I in 1917 was the pivotal moment: the unmistakable turning point that irrevocably altered the nation’s economic, military, and diplomatic trajectory.  [ [link removed] ]



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World War I Doughboys and the 1920s: What Happened Next

doughboys snip [ [link removed] ]

The guns fell silent on November 11, 1918. But for millions of American “Doughboys” — the nickname given to U.S. infantrymen in World War I — the story didn’t end there. They returned home changed, stepping into a country that barely resembled the one they’d left. As the 1920s roared into life, veterans tried to rejoin a world moving faster than ever before. Some blended in. Others struggled. A few stood out. And their second lives often left behind records that are waiting for you to discover.  Read more, and learn how, for genealogists, the 1920s are rich with records — and WWI veterans often left strong trails if you know where to look. [ [link removed] ]



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Primary Sources That Help Students Study America’s WWI Involvement

Doughboys mailing letters [ [link removed] ]

Picture walking into a university archive: dim light, rows of acid-free boxes, the faint smell of aging paper. Inside one folder rests a letter from a soldier describing muddy trenches in northern France. It is raw, unpolished, and nothing like the summaries in textbooks. That is the power of primary sources. For students studying America’s involvement in World War I, these artifacts bring history out of the abstract. They make it immediate, textured, and personal. Using the right resources is a skill in itself, one that can shape essays, research projects, and even class debates. Learn how finding primary sources can turn America’s role in World War I from dates and battles into human experience.  [ [link removed] ]



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From The Spanish-American War to WWI in France: the story of Swedish Medal of Honor recipient Gustaf Adolf Sundquist

Gustaf Adolf Sundquist [ [link removed] ]

Gustaf Adolf Sundquist was born in Irsta parish in Västmanland county, Sweden, on June 4th, 1879. Sundquist emigrated to North America in 1891, and became a naturalized citizen. He enlisted in the U. S. Navy July 30th, 1897 at age 18, and served in the Navy during the American War with Spain as an Ordinary Seaman on board the USS Nashville. He was awarded the Congressional Medal Of Honor for his bravery during the operation of cutting the cable leading from Cienfuegos, Cuba, on May 11, 1898.  In May 1918 he reenlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve to serve in World War I.  Read more about Sundquist, and learn how this war hero met a tragic end during his work on constructing a radiotelegraphy station at Croix d’Hins in France to support the American Expeditionary Forces. [ [link removed] ]



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US Navy Returns to Subic Bay in the Phillipines With Expanded Military Role

Subic Bay snip [ [link removed] ]

U.S. Naval Station Subic Bay in the Philippines operated at an intense pace in World War I to prepare U.S. Navy vessels for deployment. At one time America’s second-largest overseas military base, Subic Bay closed in 1992 after lease negotiations failed, but now the base is set for a dramatic revival. Learn how the U.S. and the Philippines have agreed to a plan that will turn the area into the world’s largest weapons hub, a move intended to help curb Chinese aggression in the region. [ [link removed] ]



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World War I American Uniform: A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Gear, History, and Collecting

Doughboy uniform [ [link removed] ]

Did you know that over 4.7 million American soldiers were mobilized in World War I, each wearing variations of the now-iconic World War I American uniform? Whether you’re a military history enthusiast, a re-enactor, or just fascinated by wartime equipment, understanding the United States Army dress uniforms of World War I offers incredible insight into both the battlefield and the home front. But there’s more than just history—collecting and identifying authentic uniforms is a growing trend today. Read this quick guide from Paddelaters on how to get smart about U.S. WWI uniforms, what to look for, and collector pitfalls to avoid. [ [link removed] ]



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World War I News Digest September 2025

Woodville doughboy sculpture

World War I was "*The War that Changed the World*", and its impact on the United States continues to be felt over a century later, as people across the nation learn more about and remember those who served in the Great War. Here’s a collection of news items from the last month related to World War I and America.



Village’s Doughboy statue nearly 100 [ [link removed] ]

How World War i Affected Seattle [ [link removed] ]

How WWI got Nat Geo into the map business [ [link removed] ]

WWI-era USS Nevada: Only US Battleship surviving Pearl Harbor [ [link removed] ]

WWI-era guns welcome Trump to Windsor Castle [ [link removed] ]

The Long Descent to Unilateralism after WWI [ [link removed] ]

World War I and the Modern American Woman [ [link removed] ]

Heroic Animals of WWI and WWII You’ve Never Heard Of [ [link removed] ]

WWI Sopwith Snipe Reproduction [ [link removed] ]

Chicago Daily News War Book For Soldiers, Sailors, & Marines [ [link removed] ]

The Central Powers vs. The Allies in World War I [ [link removed] ]

Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson pad hits market at over $6M [ [link removed] ]

20 World War I Generals Who Changed History [ [link removed] ]

20 Figures from WWI and WWII That Left a Mark in History [ [link removed] ]

7 Everyday Products That Came Out of World War I [ [link removed] ]

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Doughboy MIA for September 2025

1st LT Arnold Matthew McInery [ [link removed] ]

A man is only missing if he is forgotten.

Our Doughboy MIA this month [ [link removed] ] is 1st LT Arnold Matthew McInery. Born April 23rd, 1893, Lieutenant McInery was a student at Notre Dame University when war broke out. He enlisted in the first officer’s training program at Ft. Benjamin Harrison on May 15th, 1917. Upon completion of his training he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and went overseas with the 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Division. While leading his company into an attack during the Battle of Soissons on July 18th, 1918, Lt. McInery was killed in action and interred in a makeshift battlefield grave, which was never located after. The company he led into battle that day was later decorated by the French for bravery in action during that attack.

Would "*you*" like to be involved with solving the case of 1st LT McInery, and all the other Americans still in MIA status from World War I? "*You can!*" Click here to make a tax-deductible donation to our non-profit organization today [ [link removed] ], and help us bring them home! Help us do the best job possible and give today [ [link removed] ], with our thanks.  Remember: "A man is only missing if he is forgotten".



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Merchandise from the Official
Doughboy Foundation Shop [ [link removed] ]

DBF hat stack [ [link removed] ]

The Doughboy Foundation Shop is "Back in Business", with many new items in stock along with some of our standards from the years past,

Featured this month are our three great Doughboy Foundation Bio-Washed Classic "Dad Hats." The Navy blue caps feature choice of the traditional Embroidered Flag Design [ [link removed] ] (top), the new Embroidered Poppy Design [ [link removed] ] (middle), and our exclusive Battlefield Soldier Design [ [link removed] ] (bottom). Check out the designs, and select your favorite!

Proceeds from the sale of these items will help the Foundation to keep watch over the new National World War I Memorial in Washington, DC. [ [link removed] ]

These and many other items are available as Official Merchandise of the Doughboy Foundation [ [link removed] ]. [ [link removed] ]



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App image 3 [ [link removed] ]

Click or scan the QR Code below to download the Virtual Explorer App for the National World War I Memorial [ [link removed] ], and explore what the Memorial will look like when work is completed.

QR Code for Virtual Explorer App download [ [link removed] ]
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Taps Sponsorship VS1 [ [link removed] ]
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"NEW!" Desktop Explorer
Desktop App screen [ [link removed] ]

Use the new "*WWI Memorial: Desktop Explorer [ [link removed] ]*" to learn about the National WWI Memorial in the classroom or at home. Both Mac [ [link removed] ] and PC [ [link removed] ] apps are available. Check them out here:

APPLE APPSTORE image [ [link removed] ]MICROSOFT APPSTORE image [ [link removed] ]
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Education Thumb Drive image [ [link removed] ]

*Free Self-Contained WWI History Web Site on YOUR computer*

*Sources, lessons, activities, videos, podcasts, images*

We have packaged all the content we created for “How WWI Changed America” into a format that is essentially a web site on a drive. Download the content onto any drive (USB, external, or as a folder on your computer), and all the content is accessible in a web site type format even without an internet connection. Click here to learn more, and download this amazing educational resource for home or classroom use. [ [link removed] ]

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Genealogy Guide VS2 [ [link removed] ]
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Doughboy MIA [ [link removed] ]
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Legacy Society [ [link removed] ]
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Valor Medals Review [ [link removed] ]
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Pershing Sponsors

Pershing Sponsors sidebar w-founding sponsor [ [link removed] ]
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Harry Malott

A Story of Service from the Stories of Service section [ [link removed] ] of "doughboy.org"

Harry Malott

*Submitted by: Gladys & Irene Malott*

On April 3, 1917, Harry Malott and his cousin Oliver Smith came to Canton, Illinois to enlist in the army. (Smith was killed in the war and is buried in France.) When applying for enlistment, Malott was too light and they were going to reject him. He left and drank a lot of water to add weight and returned to weigh again. He was sworn in April 6, 1917, Company 1, 18th infantry as a wagoner. He served overseas in France and Germany. Returning home after the war ended, to keep down sea sickness he said that he ate onions that were kept in a crate to feed the whales. Upon returning to U.S. soil, the ship landed in Hoboken, New Jersey. The group of soldiers were transported to New York City, where they paraded through the center of New York City. When they landed, they left mess kits and cups all in a large pile. He later was able to retrieve a mess kit and metal cup, though not his own.

He did not talk much about the actual battles, but told his daughters of a few. Once, when Malott was driving the team assigned to him to the front line with supplies, the enemy was firing great big shells that exploded all around; one landed near enough to his team and wagon that his team of mules was killed and when he came to, he was not on the seat of the wagon, but was lying between his team. He had a shrapnel wound in his leg and hand but never went to the doctor. Another experience he told was as follows: this was a time when the leading officers were seeking a few volunteers to go over into the enemy lines at night on a reconnaissance mission. Malott said they went after dark and crawled on their stomach under the barbed wire entanglement into no-man's-land. Suddenly he heard someone speaking in German, right under their feet. They silently went down into the German trench, where they captured a German officer and took him back to headquarters. Malott told his daughters he appreciated General John Pershing as a great general.

At the end of the war, Malott was awarded The French "medal of honor," the Croix de Guerre. Malott said they told him that there were only 10 of these medals given at this time. After the war, Malott married Ora M. Hopping. They had 4 daughters. Malott passed away on November 14, 1974. He and his family lived in rural Ipava, Illinois for a number of years. He was a farmer for several years. After retiring from farming he took up selling real estate and lived in Canton, Illinois.

Submit your family's Story of Service here. [ [link removed] ]


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Footer Image pigeon messages

*Contact Form:
*[Click Here] [ [link removed] ]

*Mailing Address:
*The Doughboy Foundation 
1455 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20004

*Website:
* [ [link removed] ]www.doughboy.org [ [link removed] ]

*Telephone:
*(202) 380-0725

*Carrier Pigeon:
*Please call first! 

 

 

 

 

WWI Dispatch is a monthly publication of the Doughboy Foundation
Publisher: CAPT Chris Christopher, USN (Ret.)      Chief Technologist: Theo Mayer






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"The Doughboy Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit funded by philanthropic contributions. Our mission is to keep the story of WWI in the minds of all Americans, so that the 4.7 million who served in the Armed Forces, and how WWI changed America, will never be forgotten."

Stay Connected with The Doughboy Foundation through our Social Media Channels Facebook [ [link removed] ]   Twitter [ [link removed] ]   you tube [ [link removed] ]   instagram [ [link removed] ]   Govdelivery [ [link removed] ] [ [link removed] ] SUBSCRIBER SERVICES:
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This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: The Doughboy Foundation · PO Box 17586 #123 · Arlington, VA 22216 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]
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