Since 2014, the world has been commemorating the 100th anniversary of World War One. In this horrific war, nations sent an entire generation to the trenches of France and Belgium. To the young men who marched away into this four years of hell— who laid down their lives amidst the bullets, bombs, barbed wire, and gas.
This conflict was known as "The Great War." It was meant to be "the war to end all wars" but tragically, it was all in vain. Millions of young men were killed, and many still lay in the fields of Europe— and yet we have fought countless battles since then and so many young people like you and me lost their lives.
On April 6, 1917, American troops sailed away to the Great War, and many never came home.
Over 100,000 Americans who went to war in 1917 never came home. It's 100 years away now, and all the men who fought that war are gone. But with a sacrifice like they gave, their memory lives on forever. To remember our American soldiers - our "Doughboys" - who marched off from our towns and cities 100 years ago in April, the social media page The Tattooed Historian created an event where anyone across the country can make a tribute to our heroes.
"Drinks for Doughboys"
The day for the tribute is April 8, the Saturday after the anniversary of the Doughboy's departure. Anywhere in America, visit your local bar and ask the bartender for a drink of your choice. With the barkeep's permission, leave the drink at the bar with a note dedicating it to our boys who went away all those years ago. Those men are still in the heart of our country, and they deserve a drink out of gratitude. Finally take a picture of your tribute and post it on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter along with #DrinksForDoughboys.
Find a local connection
These guys were people just like us - young people just living life and trying to make their way in the world. Some of them were small town kids, some of them grew up on the streets of the cities, and some of them were college students.
Speaking for Penn State alone, we sent 2,200 students and faculty to the war-torn fields of Europe - 74 of them never got to see Dear Old State again. One of those 74 was Lieutenant Hugh Shallenberger.
Hugh was a member of the Penn State Class of 1918, and when the United States went to war, he signed up to become a Doughboy. In the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in France, Hugh heroically volunteered to lead a platoon in an attack on the German trenches. In a hail of machine gun fire, this brave Nittany Lion charged forward despite being shot in the leg. Hugh kept going and kept fighting until he was hit again by a German machine gun. He was finally killed by an artillery shell - only ten days before the end of the war. For his courage, Hugh was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's highest military honor second only to the Medal of Honor.
They're not just our heroes— they're our neighbors.
Wherever you are in America, if you're able, make it out to your local watering hole on April 8. Today, our country is pretty divided. But though we clash today, our heritage is the same. In honor of our shared history, let's have a drink for our hometown heroes from every neighborhood, street, and school. Speaking for myself, I'll be raising a glass to Penn State's own Hugh Shallenberger.
Here's to you, Hugh.
