ANNAPOLIS, Md.- Gov. Larry Hogan has created the Maryland World War I Centennial Commission to develop activities and events for the 100th year anniversary of the war.
Hogan signed an executive order on Wednesday to form the panel. It will include 11 members who will be appointed by the governor.
The commission will develop and execute programs, activities and events to commemorate the 100th year anniversary. It will submit a plan for commemorating the centennial to Hogan by June 30, 2017.
“Tens of thousands of Marylanders served during World War I, many of whom made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our nation,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “The purpose of the commission is to honor that sacrifice and bring understanding to Marylanders and visitors about the meaning of World War I and the pivotal role that was played by our great state.”
The governor's office points out that several sites in Maryland played significant roles in the war.
They include Fort Meade, which served as a training site for 400,000 soldiers, and Aberdeen Proving Ground, the oldest proving ground in the country. Fort McHenry was the largest receiving hospital in the country and tended to more than 20,000 wounded soldiers returning to the United States.
World War I began on July 28, 1914 and lasted until Nov. 11, 1918.
