West Memphis planning pair of WWI centennial events

West Memphis planning pair of WWI centennial events

Organizers are asking the public to provide information on local veterans of The Great War

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One hundred years on and our collective memories fade but this year marks the centennial of the end of World War I. The war raged from 1914 to 1918 and was fought mostly in Europe, with additional battles fought in the Middle East and in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Great War was triggered by the assassination if the Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, pitting the Triple Entente alliance of Britain, France, Ireland and Russia against the Central Powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary. Military innovations included trench warfare, the advent of tanks and airplanes, and poison gas. Every major conflict of the 20th century has had a memorial placed in our nation’s capital except the war that was hoped to end all wars.

Though the veterans of WWI have all passed away, two local efforts were announced to memorialize the veterans. James Pulliaum and Ramona Taylor announced to city council separate special remembrances set for the spring season.

Pulliaum spoke on behalf of the VFW and acknowledged the joint effort of the American Legion Post with its commander Jim Fiveash on hand.

“We area asking if you had a family member lose his life in combat to get in touch with us,” said Pulliaum. “We are having a memorial ceremony May 24, at 6 o’clock, at the Civic Center.” The veterans groups want to honor the memory of all the fallen comrades in arms this year, especially for the families of World War I veterans. WWI ranks among the most deadly wars in human history, with 41 million casualties and 18 million deaths. The twoyear American engagement saw 53,402 U.S. combat deaths, surpassed only by the American Civil War and World War II in U.S. history for American deaths.

Pulliaum offered his personal telephone number, (901) 490-3186 to anyone with information about local World War I veterans.

Callers may also contact Jim Fiveash through the American Legion Post 53 at (870) 735-8803. Anita Bell at Crye-Leike Realtors is also collecting information, and can be reached at (870) 735-8000.

“We are trying to get information from family members to put the program together,” said Pulliaum. “If you have any information to present to us, please give us a call.”

Taylor announced a WWI memorial as the first piece to the new West Memphis library. The new building will be built on the 500 block of East Broadway, across from the historic cotton compress water tower.

Time and place for that ceremony was set at the existing city library on Oliver at Avalon.

“The West Memphis Public Library will host the commemorative planting of the WWI memorial tree for Crittenden County on Saturday, April 6, at 10 a.m.,” said Taylor. “We’d really like to have the family members of anyone who served in World War I there. The plan is it will stay there until the new library is built and then it will be transplanted there and become the centerpiece of the new library landscape.”

By John Rech