Friday, Nov. 3 marks the 100th anniversary of one of Glidden’s most well-known resident’s death. Another previous Glidden resident has written and shared a ballad in honor of Merle D. Hay, the first Iowan, and the first American, killed in World War I, while fighting in the trenches near Artois, France.
That artist is Eric Schumacher, who grew up in Glidden and knew of Pvt. Merle D. Hay. He has devoted a web page to the history surrounding Hay’s gentle, helpful nature, the impact his death had on the family and the community as a whole and the many ways over the years Hay has been remembered around the state and the country. In honor of this 100th anniversary, the Glidden Public Library will be hosting Camp Dodge military historian, Michael Vogt, at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4. Following the program, the American Legion Auxiliary will be holding a short ceremony at his gravesite in West Lawn Cemetery. Audio of the full song and a link to Schumacher’s website can be found below.
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http://www.emschumacher.com/merle-d-hay/
