Bill Howard

I fulfilled a lifelong goal of visiting London’s Imperial War Museum. I saw my book, What the RAF Airman Took to War on sale in the bookshop

Original "Death Penny" issued by the British government after World War 1 to honor the memory of British and Commonwealth personnel lost in the war. The plaque measures 121mm, or 4.76 inches in diameter. (Bill Howard Collection) In order to appropriately commemorate the British war dead, the government determined to issue a bronze Memorial Plaque to the next-of-kin of all British and Empire personnel who were killed in the Great War. Because of its bronze circular design, it

Dedicated to the memory of Peter Scanlan (1941-2012) Quentin Roosevelt had led a charmed life. As the fourth son of President Theodore Roosevelt, he had been born into a life of wealth and privilege. His future seemed one of almost limitless possibilities. As the world was thrown into turmoil by the events that would ultimately lead to World War 1, Quentin was engaged to the beautiful Flora Payne Whitney, the granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt, one of the nation’s riches

The New York Yankees parade around the field at their spring training camp near Macon, Georgia in the Spring of 1917. (Bill Howard Collection) On a recent trip to Cooperstown, New York, I purchased a small collection of original photographs depicting the New York Yankees baseball team during World War 1. The collection included one image of the Yankees parading in military formation at their spring training facility in Macon, Georgia and several others of the team in milita

​ Original illustration art has become a popular collecting field for collectors. The original charcoal drawing pictured here is a fine example of the type of illustration prepared for newspaper publication in the early to mid-twentieth century. The drawing is an excellent patriotic piece that was done by the American illustrator, John Harmon Cassel (1872-1961). This work by Cassel features an American “Doughboy” of the World War 1 period wearing a Brodie helmet and salutin

In the summer of 1998, I attended a leadership program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. While there, I was able to experience Cambridge life and explore the campus. The Harvard campus is rich in history, but of all of the sites, none is more moving to me than the Memorial Church that houses Harvard’s tribute to its World War 1 dead. In all, at least 11,319 Harvard men from the Classes ranging from 1887 to 1921, served in the war. Dedicated in