It has been more than a century since the guns fell silent across the Western Front, marking the end of World War I and the cessation of a conflict that claimed the lives of more than 116,000 Americans. On Sept. 13, 2024, their sacrifice, as well as the service of millions of others, will be honored at the unveiling of a new monument that will become the centerpiece of the National World War I Memorial in Pershing Park in Washington, D.C.
The installation of the monument is the final piece of a design process that began with the selection of memorial architect Joe Weishaar's vision for the park, which was chosen out of 350 different designs in a blind competition that brought in teams from across the world. Called "A Soldier's Journey," the bronze sculpture, which measures almost 60 feet long and 10 feet high, portrays the journey of an American soldier as he leaves home, fights in battle and returns to his family.
This sculpture is the end result of a nine-year process for master sculptor Sabin Howard, who used an array of original equipment, uniforms and arms to create a lifelike representation of the soldier's experience. Thousands of images were taken of models in different positions, and hundreds of hours of drawing went into the creative process before sculpting began. Among the many artifacts used were rifles that armed members of the American Expeditionary Force sent to France in 1917.
Within the 38 figures depicted on the sprawling panel is the central figure of the story, called "The Everyman" by Weishaar. In the hands of this figure is a Model 1903 Springfield rifle, the standard-issue arm of the U.S. Army and Marine Corps at the start of World War I. However, it is not the only firearm depicted in the panel. Alongside it is the Model 1917, based on the British Pattern 1914 rifle design that had been produced under contract for the British military by Remington, Winchester and Eddystone before the U.S. entry into the war. Before the November Armistice took effect, nearly 75 percent of U.S. troops fighting in France would be armed with the Model 1917, making it the most widely used longarm by U.S. forces during the war.
A third rifle is one that's unique in the pantheon and calls out the contribution of an underappreciated and often-unrecognized contingent within the American Expeditionary Force. A figure holding a French Model 1907/15 Berthier rifle pays homage to the 93rd Infantry Division, a segregated unit of black soldiers serving with French troops on the Western Front. These men were issued with French arms and equipment for logistical simplicity. The figure is also outfitted with a French helmet, gas mask and leather gear.
The unveiling of Sabin Howard's "A Soldier's Journey" will take place at sunset on September 13, approximately 7:15 p.m. Members of the public are invited to join this "First Illumination" ceremony by watching from the adjacent Freedom Plaza at 1325 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. It can also be viewed online via the livestream at ww1cc.org. The U.S. Army band will perform, followed by a bell-ringing ceremony conducted by Howard in honor of the war's fallen. The event will also kick off the Doughboy Foundation's World War I Living History Weekend, featuring displays of period military vehicles, historical presentations and musical performances. For more details, visit the Doughboy Foundation website here.
