On April 4, 1917, the US Senate voted to go to war with Germany and on April 6, 1917, the House of Representatives agreed, declaring war on Germany and commencing America's entry into World War I. With the approval of the Board of Visitors and Governor of South Carolina, The Citadel offered all of the college's military facilities to help train recruits. The National Defense Act had established the Reserve Officers Training Corps in 1916, and this provided Citadel Cadets and recent graduates a direct opportunity to become officers in the U.S. military. All members of the Class of 1917 entered military service upon graduation, 6 received commissions as officers in the Regular Army, and 13 received commissions as officers in the Marine Corps. Again in 1918, all members of the graduating class entered military service. Citadel graduates volunteered with Allied forces prior to America's entry into the war, were on the first American convoys that sailed off to war on June 13, 1917, and participated and distinguished themselves in most of the major battles of World War I. In all, 316 Citadel graduates served in World War I, 277 as commissioned officers. Six graduates died in the war and 17 were wounded. citadel.edu/citadel-history/brief-history/ citadeldigitalarchives.omeka.net/items/show/33