Utah Women in World War I: Stories of Utah Women

Maren Peterson History, Research

When World War I started in 1914, the U.S. started with a strict policy of neutrality. The policy was tested when German U-boats sunk the Lusitania in 1915, killing 124 Americans. The U.S. demanded that Germany stop engaging in unrestricted warfare, and Germany agreed, allowing neutral ships with non-military passengers to pass without attack. However, in 1917 Germany resumed unrestricted …

Reflections on a Centenary for World War I

Gina Strack Digital Archives, History

The Utah State Archives is wrapping up a yearslong recognition of the 100th anniversary since the end of World War I (also known as a centenary). As a repository of a number of military records, we knew there would be an opportunity to introduce  them to a new audience keen to learn about the Great War. The motivation came from …

New World War I Records Online: Foreign Citations & Decorations

Rae Gifford Digital Archives, History, Research

In 1922, the War Department forwarded a packet of translated documents to Utah’s Adjutant General. The War Department had been working to publish a book identifying all of the American soldiers who had received a foreign citation or decoration, such as the French Croix de Guerre (Cross of War) and the Polish Kryzyż Walecznych (Cross of Valor). Unfortunately, they were not able to fund such a project and were providing the pertinent records to each state with the hope that the states could publish them.

New World War I Records Online: National Guard 145th Field Artillery Scrapbook, 1917-1918

Rae Gifford Digital Archives, Research

Archives Month is here again and this year we are focusing on the centenary anniversary of the end of the First World War. With that in mind, we will be posting weekly blogs discussing the war related records in our collections that we have digitized for you to access online. National Guard 145th Field Artillery scrapbook, 1917-1918. (Series 10339) As …