Every war requires a military draft and America's history was no different. Patriotism can only carry the military machine so far and when the numbers begin to diminish the machine has to be fed. The war in Europe had been raging since 1914, as President Woodrow Wilson did his best to keep his country neutral. But Germany seemed to have the advantage as Britain and France was being bled dry of its manpower. So the German high command decided in 1917 to resume its unrestricted submarine warfare to starve Britain into submission Any vessel approaching Britain's shores would be sunk on sight. Knowing this would tempt America's entry into the war German offered Mexico a deal to return all territories lost to American if they would attack the U.S. The deal was encoded in the famous "Zimmermann Telegram," that was intercepted by British Intelligence. The telegram and the loss of our merchant ships on the high seas brought America into the "War That Would End All Wars" on April 6, 1917.
In response the "Selective Service Act of 1917" was enacted on May 18, 1917 authorizing the draft of 2.8 million American males from the ages of 18 to 45 years of age. Patriotically Pensacola responded quickly and their first draftee was Frederick Chandler Rozear, Pensacola High School Class of 1917. He was the son of Sterling P. and Pauline G. Rozear, a local plumber who owned their home at 1028 East Lee Street. The couple would see their son Frederick and a second son Sterling P. Jr. both entering the US Army from 1917-1919. Frederick would marry Lenora Cecilia Gonzalez in Milton, Florida on December 23, 1923. He supported his family as an accountant before passing away at 80-years old on October 18, 1979. He was buried in the Sykes Cemetery in Decauter, Alabama. Lenora would follow him in death in 1982 at the age of 80-years old and was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida.
Pensacola News Journal
The drafting process all over America
Grave site of Frederick Chandler Rozear, Pensacola's First
WWI Draftee Sykes Cemetery, Decauter, Alabama