Of the 356 students and alumni* who served in World War I, the vast majority returned home to their families and resumed their studies and careers. However, for nine Northwestern Law students, both current and former, this was not to be. These young soldiers became known as the “Gold Star Men,” for the gold stars that hung in the windows of the homes of those who gave their lives while serving.
This leather-bound, handmade manuscript commemorates the sacrifice of these men. Their names are written in calligraphy on the first page, and their photographs are displayed on subsequent pages. Unfortunately, two of the photographs have not endured; assuming they had been placed in the same order in which the names are listed, these two pictures featured Thomas Lyons and Frank Navigato. As such, the remaining photographs show Martin Collins, Jaspar Ffrench, Michael Libonati, Amiel Messelheiser, Richard Munzer, Benjamin Wohl, and Lawrence Wolpert, respectively.
*This number comes from “The Report of the Dean of the Law School, 1917-1918” and is accurate “as far as ascertainable.”