American Expeditionary Force

The Soldier's Combat Gear

The soldiers in the AEF carried quite a lot of gear on them in the trenches during combat. Their gear consisted of cartridge belts (spare magazines), a sidearm, medical accouterments, canteens, and mess gear, suspenders, packs, or haversacks, bayonets or Trench knives, intrenching equipment, a gas mask, and a standard issue service rifle

The creation of the American Expeditionary Force

Weapons of the AEF forces

During the time of entering the war, the U.S. did not have not one single organized combat division. However since 1916 the U.S. was training 30,000 regular army citizens and 145,000 militia who were stationed along the Mexican border in Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico.While stationed there the soldiers experimented with the use of vehicles, machine guns, mortars, aviation (airplanes), and poison gas. The soldiers acquired advanced infantry style training while stationed on the Mexican border. The soldiers were commanded by Brigadier General John J. Pershing who was given almost dictatorial power and responsibility in May of 1917. The border troops would later became the main part or component of the AEF who would fight in France.

Bibliography Page

The American Expeditionary Force used numerous weapons throughout WWI which consisted of the Browning 1917,the B.A.R. (Browning Automatic Rifle),the Colt-Browning,Lewis Gun,and the Marlin were all machine guns.The Browning Auto 5 shotgun, the M1897 Trenchgun.The Colt M1911, Colt Model 1898(New Service),The Colt Model 1903, and the Colt Model 1917 and the Colt New Model Army were all handguns.Then the M1917 American Einfield, and the Springfield M1903 bolt action rifles.

www.croixrougefarm.org/history-aef

www.conservapedia.com/American_Epeditionary_Forces

www.firstworldwar.com/weaponry/machineguns.htm

www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/ww1-us-guns.asp

www.answers.yahoo.com/question/index/?qid=2008011622AA4PSJE

www.aef-doughboys.com/fieldgear.html

American Expeditionary Force

Joshua Clark 3rd

What is the American Expeditionary Force (AEF)

Major Battles involving the AEF

The AEF participated in many significant battles through out World War I.One prime example of this was the Battle of Belleau woods on June 6, of 1918.The Second Division of the American Expeditionary Forces displaced Germans from their defensive positions which halted the German offensive which was pushing southward.

The American Expeditionary Force was the American Army fighting and serving over in Europe in World War I through 1917-1918. The AEF had a total of two million men and a thousand women in its ranks. It was commanded by General John J. Pershing.

African-Americans in the AEF

African-Americans had the same draft basis as whites and shockingly made up 13% of the draftees.By the time WWI came to a dramatic end, over 350,000 African-Americans had served in some form of the AEF on the Western Front.Which of course the African-Americans were in segregated units led by white officers.One-fifth of African-Americans actually saw combat in France as opposed to the two-thirds of white soldiers in the American Expeditionary Force.The African-Americans used French helmets,used British or French rifles,and they wore Union soldier uniforms from the Civil War.

Casualties of the war

The Battle of Saint Mihiel Offensive

The American Expeditionary Force took a massive blow of about 320,000 casualties.53,402 were of battle deaths,63,114 being non-combat deaths,with 204,000 wounded.The influenza pandemic in the Fall of 1918,took the lives of more than 25,000 men, with another 360,000 becoming gravely ill.

The AEF took part in this battle that started on September 12, of 1918.

Meuse-Argonne Offensive

In late September to October, the American forces fought in the very decisive battle known as the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.On a side note is that this is also the battle that Sergeant Alvin C. York killed 25 Germans and took 132 prisoner. This was the last battle fought of WWI.

Interesting Facts about the AEF.

President Woodrow Wilson originally intended for General Fredrick Funston to command the AEF, but after Funston's sudden death the command was given to Brigadier General John J. Pershing.

The first American troops who landed in Europe during June were often called "Doughboys".

The AEF used French and British equipment at times throughout the war.