Indiana to Remember WWI Hero James Bethel Gresham
Among the first American Doughboys to be sent to the front, Cpl. James Bethel Gresham, from Evansville, Indiana, was one of the first three American soldiers to give his life in the First World War. To coincide with the 100th anniversary of his death, the Indiana World War I Centennial Committee will be hosting a wreath-laying ceremony at the Cenotaph on the north side of the American Legion Mall at 9:30 a.m. EST on November 3, 2017 to commemorate and honor the life of this Hoosier World War I hero.
The ceremony will consist of a historical review of the death of Cpl. Gresham, his repatriation, and the construction of the cenotaph. Key speakers include Dr. James Glass, former Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer; Joe Elsner, Director of Intragovernmental Affairs, State of Indiana; and Lois Huntington, Indiana State Regent, Daughters of the American Revolution.