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SALT LAKE CITY — A traveling museum brought to life this weekend the sacrifices of the Americans who fought for their country in what was at the time thought to be the "war to end all wars."
The "Honoring Our History" traveling World War I exhibition visited the Fort Douglas Military Museum in Salt Lake City on its 42nd stop in a 75-city tour of the nation. The tour, organized by asset management firm Waddell & Reed for the National WWI Museum, was meant to not only celebrate the 75th anniversary of the company, but to honor the service of the two founders of the company, who served in the war.
Chauncey Waddell served in the war as a 2nd Lieutenant, Air Service, until Aug. 1918, when he was injured in an airplane accident. Cameron Reed served as a private in the Air Service from 1917 to 1919, when he was discharged. The two men met in Kansas City, Mo. and later formed a Waddell & Reed.
Now, the families of the two servicemen hope to honor their sacrifices and the sacrifices of all servicemen since with the traveling exhibit.
"We need to remember the sacrifices they made," said Michael Duke, a spokesman for Waddell & Reed. "This seems to have had a good impact on people. They've enjoyed it."
"When I was a kid, everyone was patriotic. "We're more now than a few years ago, but it seems like not many people are now." -George Satteson
Duke said World War I often gets neglected in public discourse because of the attention paid to World War II and current conflicts.
"People tend to focus on the now and not look back at where we've been," he said.
The exhibit gave visitors the chance to experience the war through audio, video and period photographs and memorabilia. As bitterly cold winds returned to the valley this weekend, visitors waited outside in what one man described as being "like a wind tunnel."
Once inside the trailer, visitors were swept into the past, thawing cold fingers and reminding themselves that they, at least, would soon return to a warm home, pondering the sacrifices of those who never made it home.
There, by the door, was the grey tunic of a German soldier; nearby, a July 31, 1914, quote from Kaiser Wilhelm II foreshadowed the immense horror the war would bring upon the world: "This is a dark day and a dark hour."
Workers in an ammunition factory are shown under a photo of two soldiers climbing out of a trench; above them, a building has been all but destroyed by enemy forces.
American, British, Russian and French soldiers fought against Germany and Austria-Hungary. The U.S. had declared war on Germany in April 1917, but had never entered into an alliance with the Allies. It was known simply as an "associated power," but the sacrifices by the country's citizens were no less great.
People tend to focus on the now and not look back at where we've been.
–Michael Duke
"Shell kills sailor," screamed a large headline from a period newspaper. "Nine others killed."
And on the home front, there were sacrifices of another kind, as families worked to conserve energy, food and materials to help with the war effort. Their example of patriotism is something Americans today could learn from, according to exhibit visitor George Satteson.
"When I was a kid, everyone was patriotic," he said. "We're more now than a few years ago, but it seems like not many people are now."
The price of the war was steep; the war was the deadliest in history. More than 116,000 Americans lost their lives in the war, with more than 16.5 million lives lost total, regardless of nationality. Each one with a story, someone or something they cared about left behind. That is the sacrifice of which exhibit organizers hope to remind visitors as the exhibit tours the nation.
That is what Satteson was reminded of as he toured the exhibit. Satteson's father served in World War I, earning the Purple Heart for being wounded while serving in the 3rd division of the Army infantry.
"He saw a lot of action," Satteson said. "But he didn't talk about it much at all. He didn't like to talk about it."
