Manatee History Matters: Florida played a key role in World War I

This Veteran's Day not only reminds us to thank those who have served, but also commemorates the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I.

Originally thought to be the war that would end all wars, it raged from 1914 to 1918, and resulted in the deaths of 8.5 million combatants. Put simply, the war began when tensions that had been building over the previous half-century were set alight by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, prompting reactions from alliances that stretched across Europe. Although the United States officially remained neutral for the majority of the war, it declared war against Germany after the intentional sinking of Lusitania in early 1915.

Two days after the United States officially declared war on Germany in April 1917, the Florida Naval Militia reported for duty. Throughout the state, men enlisted to fight and women registered as nurses and ambulance drivers to assist in the war effort.

Florida became a pivotal location for training of army, naval, air and marine troops. The mild temperatures and large amount of vacant land in the state drew the armed forces into the area, contributing dramatically to Florida's economic expansion and infrastructure, which would later contribute to the land boom in the early 1920s.

World War I saw one of the first uses of airplanes for military engagements. To accommodate training, aviation centers were set up across the state, including in Pensacola, Jacksonville and Miami. Florida was also a point of departure for many facets of the Navy and Coast Guard. Just as many other areas throughout the country were using factories to produce materials to support the troops, Florida's farmers worked tirelessly to produce corn, pork and beans to feed the troops. They also contributed with the planting of castor beans, the oil from which was used to help airplane engines run smoothly.

Just before the United States joined the war, in the village of Cortez, fishermen caught a noteworthy 183,500 pounds of fish in October 1916. Within the next few months, some of these men would find themselves enlisting for a war that would take them away from their hometowns and families and place them in the trenches of Europe.

In Cortez, at least 11 men registered for war, many of whom have descendants or relatives still in the area such as the Bells, Fulfords, Guthries, and Manns. Shortly after their sons enlisted, many fathers from Manatee County traveled to Georgia to visit their lads in training and to show their support. Through the carnage of the war, Cortez remained lucky and all of its brave soldiers came home.

Although the stories of many of these individual men are lost to us, their sacrifices are not. As another Veteran's Day has come around, we would like to extend our thanks for the bravery of all who have or are serving in the U.S. military.

The Florida Maritime Museum also honors the veterans of Cortez by featuring a number of their photographs. For more information about these photographs or other exhibits, please go to floridamaritimemuseum.org or call 941-708-6120.

Krystin Van Leuven, curator of the Florida Maritime Museum, grew up in Manatee County and treasures the unique history of the area. Email her at krystin.vanleuven@manateeclerk.com.

This story was originally published November 11, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Manatee History Matters: Florida played a key role in World War I."