OFF TO WAR: It was 100 years ago today that these soldiers were captured on film leaving Bradford on rail to serve in World War I.
Longtime history teacher Robert Longnecker shared this photo, which belongs to the archives of the Bradford Landmark Society.
Robert writes, “The caption on this hundred year old photo reads: ‘Machine gun and sanitary department leaving Bradford, PA for Camp Hancock, Augusta, Georgia on 9:30 am train September 8, 1917.’
“Doughboys from Bradford and the surrounding area were photographed leaving from the Bradford, Rochester, and Pittsburgh Depot to fight in World War I a hundred years ago today. The United States had entered World War I in April 1917 and these young men became part of a contingent of over 2 million Americans that made up the A.E.F. (American Expeditionary Forces).
They will shortly be sent to France to overcome growing German numerical superiority on the Western Front and will help to turn the tide of war in favor of the Allies. Although the depot was torn down to make way for the Bradford bypass, the railroad bridge still remains.”
STORM: With the current storm destruction hitting the United States, Clayton Vecellio of Lewis Run recalled another terrible storm that hit Texas more than a century ago.
“The 2017 World Almanac says on Sept. 8, 1900, 8,000+ people died in Galveston, Texas, by hurricane. That is right next door to Houston, Texas,” Clayton explained.
“I sure like living here,” he said. “I feel sorry for those people that live in that area. Now Irma is coming.”
