April 6, 1917 - United States Declares War on Germany

One hundred years ago today on April 6, 1917 the United States declared war on Germany. At the time the United States had a very small military. The National Guard was ready first. Lowell had the old Massachusetts 9th which had returned from the Mexican border in 1916. They became 26th Infantry (Yankee) Division, Company M of the 101st Infantry of the U.S. Army. They assembled at the armory on Westford Street.

Sumner H. Needham, met with the City Council to get men to sign up. He was the grandson and namesake of his grandfather who was one of the first to die in the Civil War on the march through Baltimore on April 19, 1861.

The armory was busy as  other companies were forming as the excitement to go to war was growing.

It would take some time to get trained and shipped overseas but we were in it now. Europe had been at war for three years but with the USA joining the allies things would be changing at last.