Wednesday, Oct. 15 — LUDLOW — On Wednesday, a group of Ludlow organizations will sponsor “The Last of the Doughboys,” a presentation by Richard Rubin. Terry Thayne is pictured explaining to Mark Gauthier who some of the Ludlow “doughboys” were who fought in what became known as “the war to end all wars.” The commemorative plaque contains the names of 111 Ludlow men who fought in World War I, five of whom paid the ultimate price for their country. According to Thayne, the Ludlow soldiers represented about 5 percent of Ludlow’s population, compared to the national average that was half that number.
The last of the American veterans who served in World War I passed away in 2011. In the same way that we overlook that plaque in the Town Hall, America’s involvement in the war has been forgotten with the passing of that generation and perhaps eclipsed by the knowledge and understanding of the United States’ role in World War II, a group of local historians believe.
Author and historian Rubin undertook the project in 2003 to interview as many of the surviving American veterans of World War I as he could, and the interviews form a fundamental part of his book, “The Last of the Doughboys,” which provides a detailed overview of America’s participation in World War I.
The program, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 7 p.m. on Oct. 15 at the Ludlow Town Hall Auditorium. For additional information, call 802-228-3238, or email scott@thebooknookvt.com.
