The centennial of World War I was observed Thursday in Springfield, Massachusetts with a ceremony honoring a largely forgotten part of the city’s history.
Dignitaries placed a wreath at the memorial to the 104th Infantry Regiment located on a small plot of land called Apremont Triangle.
It is named after the location in France where the 104th fought against German forces in 1918, and became the first American unit ever awarded a foreign decoration for bravery.
Brian Willette, a state Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, said it has been decades since the achievement was publicly acknowledged in Springfield.
" Their memory, for us, goes on indefinitely," said Willette.
The last active element of the regiment was deactivated in 2005.
