The entry of the United States into World War I is remembered in 2017, one hundred years after war was declared on April 6, 1917. Over nine hundred Southampton men and women enlisted; thirty “Gold Star Veterans” would lose their lives in the conflict. The Town’s Historic Archives preserve the records of seven hundred who fought, and their memories abroad were often personal and heartfelt.
World War I – the Great War – was provoked by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and raged across the European continent from 1914 until peace was declared on November 11, 1918. President Woodrow Wilson, at first pursuing a policy of non-intervention, could not avoid German provocation like the sinking of seven US merchant ships in 1917. Nearly 3 million American men and women enlisted or were drafted into service, and communities across the country mobilized to support the effort.
Lizbeth Halsey White, Southampton’s first appointed Town Historian, was tasked with interviewing those who were discharged to document their service. Some of the veterans shared their experiences in greater detail and a selection is highlighted here. All who served deserve our gratitude on this 100th anniversary of the Great War.
