American Exp. Force

[Guest Juice]

Some family members joined the CEF in WW1, but I know of at least one who volunteered with the American Expedionary Force (I was told ??? that volunteers would automatically get American citizenship back then). I attended in New Hampshire the military funeral of this gr-uncle in 1972, an impressive scene for a 6 years old!

While my CEF searches were successful, I have no idea where to start with the A.E.F.

Any information will be appreciated!

Regards,

Juice

[Neil Burns]

NARA St. Louis

Hi Juice,

your first stop would be sending a request by regular mail through the above address. You want the SF-180 form. Unfortunately most of the AEF records were destroyed in a fire in the early '70's.

They normally take about 12 months to get back to you and invariably they inform you the records were destroyed.

The New Hampshire Archives do not appear to have service records available but you may want to contact them anyway, this is assuming he enlisted in NH:

New Hampshire Archives

I don't believe any of the American Pals are from New England (my apologies if I forgot anyone) the most likely infantry division would have been the 26th Yankee Division, but if he was in the engineers or signal corps etc. it really could be any unit.

Sorry I couldn't be of more assistance,

Neil

[paul guthrie]

See if NH has an adjutant general's office, they should, and if so it will have some record in all likelihood.

[andigger]

http://www.archives.gov/facilities/mo/st_l...el_records.html

This is the NARA St Louis link... you'll see the SF 180 link near the top.

Andy

[Guest Juice]

Many thanks for the tips. I finally have a place to start.

Which book(s) would you recommend to understand better the A.E.F. effort in WW1?

Juice

[Neil Burns]

Hi Juice,

The War to End All Wars be Edward Coffman and American Armies and Battlefields in Europe published by the Center For military history and available either in book form or on CD Rom (with a huge amount of additional information) from the US Government printing office. The American Armies is pretty much an official history and is very non-controversial. There are also a number of memoirs.

I'm sure others will add to this,

Neil

[Guest AmericanDoughboy]

Juice,

I unbelievably strongly recommend reading Gary Mead's "The Doughboys: America and the First World War". Also, a wonderful area to start searching for information upon a relative in the AEF or was an American involved in the CEF is the Army Military History Institution in Pennsylvania which contains one of the largest archives on the United States in the First World War.

Also, another book I would recommend, although it is somewhat short, is John S. D. Eisenhower's "Yanks".

-Doughboy

[Guest Biplane pilot]

The Doughboys also was the title of Laurence Stallings' excellent 1960s volume: undoubtedly the best portrayal of what it was like Over There for the AEF. Stallings later was noted as a play- and screenwriter, including "What Price Glory?"

[paul guthrie]

By far the best for overall US experience is the Coffman book. All 3 of his degrees are from U of Kentucky and he lives here in Lexington, is a friend. He researched book in the 50's and many important participants were alive. He found perviously unavailable papers of Hugh Drum, Pershing's COS at 1st Army who had power to hire/fire generals as a 38 yr old Col.

By far the best on our only big battle, Meuse Argonne, warts and all, quite critical of Pershing as are many, Paul Braim,. The Test of Battle, in print as is Coffman book. His White Mane, Coffman, University Press of Kentucky.

The Stallings book is extremely well written, the Eisenhower one IMHO, is not and lots of errors.

American Armies & Battlefields in Europe is extremely thorough & dry dry dry, not 1 critical word.

Your chances of getting info from St Louis are nil.

[Guest Juice]

Gentlemen,

Thank you for all the responses.

Juice