Plans are being made for a WWI commemoration as big as Texas on November 3rd and 7th at the University of Texas WWI Memorial at Darrel K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and Veterans Memorial Park.

The stadium, by the way, is the largest WWI monument in the State.  The Texas Historical Commission is taking the lead on this which will include multiple activities.  Considering that Texas will be playing West Virginia at the stadium, this could be the largest centennial commemoration in the State.  Keep an eye on our calendar or THC’s for details as they develop.  Hook’Em! 

Preliminary plans include:

• A solemn memorial service at the Veterans Memorial Plaza with an ROTC color guard and distinguished speaker on Thursday afternoon preceding November 11.  (This year, that is November 7.)  This service is directed by the chairman of the ROTC departments. This year’s speaker has not been selected. The Veterans Memorial Plaza has several features that are distinctly related to WW1: the realistic statue of a doughboy in combat gear with bayonet tipped Springfield rifle; and, a huge plaque (“entabulature”) inscribed with the names of more than 5,000 Texans who died in the war, and with the names of the principal battles in which Texas units fought. The plaque was unveiled during the Texas A&M football game at Thanksgiving 1924 when the stadium was dedicated at Texas Memorial Stadium.  As  another visible reminder of the World War One, we are attempting to locate military vehicles from the 1917-1918 period and exhibit them at the Veterans Memorial Plaza.
• The second observance will occur in the stadium, before the game and/or at halftime. We anticipate that the Longhorn Band will play period music at the halftime and perhaps at a concert preceding the game, but those plans have not been finalized and I do not expect them until about October 1st. The game day will be West Virginia on November 3. (The game on  November 10th is in Lubbock.)