One hundred years ago at exactly 11 a.m., the guns fell silent in France and Belgium, ending four years of bloody conflict that will be known forever as The Great War — World War I.

The sheer immensity of this conflict made it difficult to comprehend, even as it unfolded. A century later, it is no less of a struggle accounting for the 40 million military and civilian casualties — dead and wounded — and what that toll in carnage cost subsequent generations since.

No World War I veterans remain today, yet some of the issues that they fought for remain visibly unsettled. Conflict continues between globalists and nationalists — those who would erase sovereign borders and others who would erect great walls. In Europe, the nationalist-globalist debate has taken on a depth akin to the civil rights saga sprung from America’s own Civil War, with Great Britain poised to “Brexit” the union of European nations, while Germany, France and others struggle with lofty ideals and explosive practicalities.

A modern accountingAgainst this global backdrop, an Evans City native and butler resident has made a significant contribution to Butler County’s record of World War I service.Natalie J. Ripper Price has researched the rolls of casualties from the war and has shared her research with county officials.Price, who is retired from Butler County Community College, said her research includes a rendering of the county’s World War I Honor Roll, done in Excel spreadsheet format, listing the name, rank, branch of service, date of death and connection to the county. Also listed: the four categories listing what they died from: killed in action, wounds, accidents, or by disease. “In most cases I was also able to find and list what disease(s) killed them and for some I have the place of death,” Price writes.Eventually this information, along with the expanded spreadsheet, will be available at the Butler Area Public Library. This is a significant contribution to the legacy of Butler County because it is documented and it is available for duplication. It can be updated easily if errors are discovered and corrected later.“I have documented and added seven more men that should be honored and have removed two (with a second opinion from Margaret Hewitt at the Butler Area Public Library) that did not die in service to our country,” Price explained in a letter to county commissioners. “I was able to confirm or deny the war-related deaths of all but three men on the original list. I left these men on because information may surface over time to enable them to either be confirmed or ruled out.”What follows here is Price’s synopsis of Butler County’s involvement in World War I.

The county’s role“Senate Passes Bill Declaring a State of War” the front page headline of the April 6, 1917, Butler Citizen announced. Soon after that young men were required to register and draft boards were formed. Thus began our entrance into the Great War which had begun months earlier in July 1914.By the end of June 1917, thousands of our soldiers arrived in France where they fought in such battles as the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, the Champagne Front, the Second Battle of the Marne, St. Mihiel, Ardennes, Bethincourt, St. Juvin, Bois du Grand, the Battle of Belleau Wood, the March to the Rhine and finally the Army of the Occupation.About 330,000 Pennsylvanians went to war and it is estimated that almost half of these came from Western Pennsylvania. Draft boards provided about 195,200 men; about 77,500 of whom were supplied by Western Pennsylvania. Of these, 1,827 men were from Butler County. The State National Guard provided around 30,000 men and patriotism ran so high that about 50,000 additional men volunteered.The first wave of National Guardsmen was sent to Camp Hancock, Georgia, while the drafted men were sent to Camp Lee, Va. These camps were ill prepared to house these quantities of men. There was a shortage of supplies, including bedding. These shortages, along with overcrowding, contributed to the spread of the Spanish Influenza. Several Butler County boys perished in these camps without ever making it overseas. At least four perished while in training at Camp Lee, and at least seven others in other camps as the pandemic struck. Closer to home, four perished while in training at the University of Pittsburgh.The University of Pittsburgh converted its classes into war time operations. They set up and sent Base Hospital 27 to France along with the medical personnel to operate it. It was nearly ready to go by the time war was declared since they thought our entrance into the War was inevitable.The University was also one of 157 colleges and universities to set up a unit of the SATC, Student Army Training Corps, which was established to provide training in a variety of trades needed for the war effort.This was jointly administered by the military and the universities. Military training was provided along with courses such as one that focused on instructions on how to work on the gasoline engines of the Standard B Liberty Trucks.SATC students wore uniforms and attendance was required. The university built barracks, their first “dorms,” for 1,000 men each and a mess hall that could accommodate 2,000. Again, concentration of many men into crowded quarters led to the spread of the Spanish flu. On Oct. 16, 1918, work at the university was stopped by quarantine. By the time the quarantine was lifted, the war had ended.Food rationing was strictly controlled by the federal government during the war. Perhaps citizens didn’t mind because the country was infused with patriotism. Those at home wanted to do their part. They could support the Red Cross, knit socks for the soldiers, participate in parades or war bond drives in their town or even at their business. Rallies were held in towns and even at small businesses.

Epilogue: History livesIf there is a lesson here — and maybe there are several lessons — it might be that history lives.Price points out that there may be more names to add to the list of World War I casualties than the seven she has located; and documentation solidifying the names of at least three names on the list is needed, or the names might have to be removed, like two others that turned out to be false entries.This reality could be seen as a flaw or weakness, but we prefer to see the excitement that a database has been given as a precious gift to the people of Butler County. This database will not wither or deteriorate with age. Just the opposite. It will only improve with time.