Pawhuska Veterans Memorial, Pawhuska, Oklahoma

WORLD WAR I (1917 - 1918) World War I began with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on a visit to Sarajevo, Bosnia. The United States entered the war on April 6, 1917 as a result of Germany's policy of unrestricted submarine warfare, which violated our neutrality. The failed final German offensive of March 21, 1918, timed to occur before significant American forces could arrive, resulted in the abdication of the Kaiser and Germany being forced to sue of peace. The Battle of Chateau-Thierry, Bellau-Woods and The Meuse-Argonne were primary sites of American fighting. The conflict saw more efficient methods of making war, the flame thrower, the airplane, and the submarine. At the end the exhausted combatants signed the Treaty of Versaille on June 28, 1918, which laid the foundation for dictatorships that would plunge the next generation into another World War. Total U.S. involvement was 4,744,000 with 53,513 hostile deaths, 63,195 non-hostile deaths, and 204,002 wounded. Top inscription: "A dream so dear to patriotic men and women" Next are the seals of the Dept. of Army, Dept. of Navy, US Coast Guard, Dept. of Air Force and USMC. Following the seals is the following inscription: "So that all those who served and loved their country will always be remembered as we remember those who gave us this freedom." "When my country called, I answered. When my country asked, I gave." The vertical slabs of black granite contain the names of those who served in World War I.