MACHINE GUN Bn 1918 British Censored WWI Army AEF Postal History Cover

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MACHINE GUN Bn 1918 British Censored WWI Army AEF Postal History Cover 

It was sent 5 Aug 1918. It was sent from to Camille Hudson of Hillsboro, IL. It was franked "Soldier's Mail"

This cover is in good, but NOT perfect condition. Please look at the scan and make your own judgement. It is brittle with age.

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This is the American Expeditionary Forces on the Western Front order of battle. The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) consisted of the United States Armed Forces (mostly the United States Army) that were sent to Europe in World War I to support the Allied cause against the Central Powers. During the United States campaigns in World War I the AEF fought in France alongside French and British allied forces in the last year of the war, against Imperial German forces. Some of the troops fought alongside Italian forces in that same year, against Austro-Hungarian forces. Late in the war American units also fought in Siberia and North Russia.[1]

President Woodrow Wilson created the AEF in May 1917, originally appointing Major General John J. Pershing, who was later promoted to general, as commander. Barely any American troops were sent to Europe in 1917, since Pershing ordered all AEF forces to be well-trained before going overseas.[2]

The troop ships used to transport the AEF were, at first, any ships that were available. Cruisers, German ships seized by the Navy, ships borrowed from the Allies, and many other ships were used to ship troops to Europe from ports in New York, New Jersey, and Virginia.[2] By June 1917, only 14,000 soldiers had made it to the front lines, but by May 1918 over two million American troops had reached Europe, with around half of them on the front lines.[3]

The AEF helped the French Army on the Western Front during the Aisne Offensive (at Château-Thierry and Belleau Wood) in June 1918, and fought its major actions in the Saint-Mihiel and Meuse–Argonne Offensives in late 1918.[4] Organized into two field armies (a third was forming as the war ended), it had a total strength of about two million men in Europe by the time of the Armistice.[5] Planned to eventually consist of nine corps,[6] a total of five AEF corps and two unassigned divisions were in the field by September 1918.[7][N 1] It was subsequently involved in the Occupation of the Rhineland.[10]

Contents

1 First Army

2 Second Army

3 Third Army

4 I Corps

5 II Corps

6 III Corps

7 IV Corps

8 V Corps

9 VI Corps

10 VII Corps

11 VIII Corps

12 IX Corps

13 Unassigned divisions

14 See also

15 References

15.1 Notes

15.2 Citations

15.3 Bibliography

15.4 Web sources

First Army

The First Army was officially organized and activated by General John J. Pershing on 4 July 1918, although it was technically formed when the United States entered the World War in 1917. It served in the Saint-Mihiel offensive, Lorraine offensive, Champagne offensive, and the Meuse–Argonne Offensive. It was finally demobilized and moved back to the United States on 30 April 1919.[11]

First Army (structure as of the Battle of Saint-Mihiel)(30 August to 16 September 1918)

General John J. Pershing (10 August 1918 – 16 October 1918)

Name Commander Notes

I Corps

Lieutenant General Hunter Liggett

Formed 15–20 January 1918

IV Corps

Lieutenant General George Windle Read

Formed on 20 June 1918

V Corps

Lieutenant General William M. Wright

Formed on 7–12 July 1918

French II Colonial Corps

Lieutenant General Ernest Joseph Blondlat

unknown

Sources: Unless otherwise cited, the source is Army War College Historical Section (1988a) [1931]. The American Expeditionary Forces: General Headquarters, Armies, Army Corps, Services of Supply, Separate Forces (PDF). Order of Battle of the United States Land Forces in the World War. Volume I. CMH Pub 23-1. Washington, D.C.: United States Army Center of Military History. OCLC 183412729.

Second Army

The Second Army was activated on 9 September and was organized by Colonel Stuart Heintzelman. On 12 October 1918, General Robert Lee Bullard took command of the Second Army and Heintzelman became his chief-of-staff. The formation was committed to the Lorraine offensive on 26 October. It attacked in the Lorraine area, and also around Saint-Mihiel, before later recapturing and liberating the Duchy of Luxemburg. It was demobilized on 15 April 1919, after the war had ended.[12]

Second Army (structure as of the period from 16 October 1918 to 11 November 1918)

General Robert Lee Bullard (12 October 1918 – 15 April 1919)

Name Commander Notes

IV Corps

Lieutenant General George Windle Read

Formed on 20 June 1918

VI Corps

Lieutenant General Charles C. Ballou

Formed on 1 August 1918

VII Corps

Lieutenant General Omar Bundy

Formed on 19 August 1918

French II Colonial Corps

Lieutenant General Henri Edouard Claudel

unknown

XVII Corps (France)

Lieutenant General Frederio Emile Amedee Hellot

Part of the peacetime French Army in 1914

Sources: Unless otherwise cited, the source is Army War College Historical Section (1988a) [1931]. The American Expeditionary Forces: General Headquarters, Armies, Army Corps, Services of Supply, Separate Forces (PDF). Order of Battle of the United States Land Forces in the World War. Volume I. CMH Pub 23-1. Washington, D.C.: United States Army Center of Military History. OCLC 183412729.

Third Army

Following the defeat of Germany, Allied forces occupied the Rhineland under the terms of the Armistice. The United States provided around 240,000 men in nine veteran divisions, nearly a third of the total occupying force, for this task. These troops were organized into the Third Army, which was established by Pershing specifically for the purpose, under the command of Major General Joseph Dickman.[10]

Third Army (structure as of the period from 17 to 22 November 1918)

General Joseph T. Dickman (15 November 1918 – 29 April 1919)

Name Commander Notes

III Corps

Lieutenant General William M. Wright

Formed on 16 May 1918

IV Corps

Lieutenant General George Windle Read

Formed on 20 June 1918

Sources: Unless otherwise cited, the source is Army War College Historical Section (1988a) [1931]. The American Expeditionary Forces: General Headquarters, Armies, Army Corps, Services of Supply, Separate Forces (PDF). Order of Battle of the United States Land Forces in the World War. Volume I. CMH Pub 23-1. Washington, D.C.: United States Army Center of Military History. OCLC 183412729.

I Corps

Lieutenant General Hunter Liggett took command of I Corps when it was created, almost one year after the Americans entered the war. It served through most of the battles that the American Expeditionary Forces fought on the Western Front.[13]

Assisted by the French XXXII Corps, I Corps was organized and activated on 15–20 January 1918. I Corps saw its first major action at the Battle of Chateau-Thierry, while seeing its first offensive action several days later at the Second Battle of the Marne. After serving briefly in the defensive sectors of Lorraine and Champagne, I Corps later served in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel and the Meuse–Argonne Offensive.[14] It was finally demobilized on 25 March 1919.[15]

I Corps (structure as of the Battle of Saint-Mihiel)(10 August to 17 September 1918)

Lieutenant General Hunter Liggett

Name Commander Units Notes

1st Infantry Division

Major General Charles P. Summerall

1st Infantry Brigade[16]

16th Infantry Regiment

18th Infantry Regiment

2nd Machine Gun Battalion

2nd Infantry Brigade[16]

26th Infantry Regiment

28th Infantry Regiment

3rd Machine Gun Battalion

1st Field Artillery Brigade[16]

5th Field Artillery Regiment

6th Field Artillery Regiment

7th Field Artillery Regiment

1st Trench Mortar Battery

2nd Infantry Division

Major General Charles A. Doyen

3rd Infantry Brigade

9th Infantry Regiment

23rd Infantry Regiment

5th Machine Gun Battalion

4th Marine Brigade

5th Marine Regiment

6th Marine Regiment

6th Machine Gun Battalion (USMC)

2nd Field Artillery Brigade

12th Field Artillery Regiment

15th Field Artillery Regiment

17th Field Artillery Regiment

2nd Trench Mortar Battery

Division included troops of the United States Marine Corps (USMC)[17]

26th Infantry Division

Major General Clarence Ransom Edwards

51st Infantry Brigade

101st Infantry Regiment

102nd Infantry Regiment

102 Machine Gun Battalion

52nd Infantry Brigade

103 Infantry Regiment

104th Infantry Regiment

103 Machine Gun Battalion

51st Field Artillery Brigade

101st Field Artillery Regiment

102nd Field Artillery Regiment

103rd Field Artillery Regiment

101st Trench Mortar Battery

32nd Infantry Division

Major General James Parker[18]

63rd Infantry Brigade

125th Infantry Regiment

126th Infantry Regiment

120th Machine Gun Battalion

64th Infantry Brigade

127th Infantry Regiment

128th Infantry Regiment

121st Machine Gun Battalion

57th Field Artillery Brigade

119th Field Artillery Regiment

120th Field Artillery Regiment

121st Field Artillery Regiment

107th Trench Mortar Battery

41st Infantry Division[18]

was separated into multiple other units before a commander could be announced

81st Infantry Brigade

161st Infantry Regiment

162nd Infantry Regiment

147th Machine Gun Battalion

82nd Infantry Brigade

163rd Infantry Regiment

164th Infantry Regiment

148th Machine Gun Battalion

66th Field Artillery Brigade

146th Field Artillery Regiment

147th Field Artillery Regiment

148th Field Artillery Regiment

116th Trench Mortar Battery

42nd Infantry Division

Major General William Abram Mann

83rd Infantry Brigade

165th Infantry Regiment

166th Infantry Regiment

150th Machine Gun Battalion

84th Infantry Brigade

167th Infantry Regiment

168th Infantry Regiment

151st Machine Gun Battalion

67th Field Artillery Brigade

149th Field Artillery Regiment

150th Field Artillery Regiment

151st Field Artillery Regiment

117th Trench Mortar Battery

Sources: Unless otherwise cited, the source is Gibbons, Floyd Phillips (2014) [1918]. And They Thought We Wouldn't Fight. Chicago: The Lakeside Press. OCLC 897378714.

II Corps

II Corps was organized in January 1918 with its headquarters being located in Montreuil, France. It moved to the Western Front in February 1918, and served in the Second Battle of the Somme and the Third Battle of Albert. It mostly served alongside the New Zealand Division and the Australian Corps.[19] After the Armistice, II Corps was reassigned to the Third Army's control, before being demobilized on 1 February 1919.[20]

II Corps (structure as of Post-Armistice activities)(19 November 1918 to 31 January 1919)

Lieutenant General Robert Lee Bullard[18]

Name Commander Units

4th Infantry Division

Major General George H. Cameron[18]

7th Infantry Brigade[21]

39th Infantry Regiment

47th Infantry Regiment

11th Machine Gun Battalion

8th Infantry Brigade

58th Infantry Regiment

59th Infantry Regiment

12th Machine Gun Battalion

4th Field Artillery Brigade

13th Field Artillery Regiment

16th Field Artillery Regiment

77th Field Artillery Regiment

28th Infantry Division

Major General Charles H. Muir

55th Infantry Brigade

109th Infantry Regiment

110th Infantry Regiment

109th Machine Gun Battalion

56th Infantry Brigade

111th Infantry Regiment

112th Infantry Regiment

110th Machine Gun Battalion

53rd Field Artillery Brigade

107th Field Artillery Regiment

108th Field Artillery Regiment

103rd Trench Mortar Battery

30th Infantry Division

Major General Edward Mann Lewis

59th Infantry Brigade

117th Infantry Regiment

118th Infantry Regiment

113th Machine Gun Battalion

60th Infantry Brigade

119th Infantry Regiment

120th Infantry Regiment

114th Machine Gun Battalion

55th Field Artillery Brigade

113th Field Artillery Regiment

114th Field Artillery Regiment

115th Field Artillery Regiment

105th Trench Mortar Battery

35th Infantry Division

Major General Peter E. Traub

69th Infantry Brigade

137th Infantry Regiment

138th Infantry Regiment

129th Machine Gun Battalion

70th Infantry Brigade

139th Infantry Regiment

140th Infantry Regiment

130th Machine Gun Battalion

60th Field Artillery Brigade

128th Field Artillery Regiment

129th Field Artillery Regiment

130th Field Artillery Regiment

110th Trench Mortar Battalion

77th Infantry Division

Major General George B. Duncan[18]

153rd Infantry Brigade

305th Infantry Regiment

306th Infantry Regiment

305th Machine Gun Battalion

154th Infantry Brigade

307th Infantry Regiment

308th Infantry Regiment

306th Machine Gun Battalion

152nd Field Artillery Brigade

304th Field Artillery Regiment

305th Field Artillery Regiment

306th Field Artillery Regiment

302nd Trench Mortar Battery

82nd Infantry Division

Major General William P. Burnham

163rd Infantry Brigade

325th Infantry Regiment

326th Infantry Regiment

319th Machine Gun Battalion

164th Infantry Brigade

327th Infantry Regiment

328th Infantry Regiment

320th Machine Gun Battalion

157th Field Artillery Brigade

319th Field Artillery Regiment

320th Field Artillery Regiment

321st Field Artillery Regiment

307th Trench Mortar Battery

Sources: Unless otherwise cited, the source is Gibbons, Floyd Phillips (2014) [1918]. And They Thought We Wouldn't Fight. Chicago: The Lakeside Press. OCLC 897378714.

III Corps

Officers of the Baker Mission standing next to each other

Officers of the American Expeditionary Forces and the Baker Mission, a fact-finding team sent to the Western Front prior to the commitment of US troops to study British and French warfighting techniques.[22]

III Corps was first organized on 16 May 1918 in Mussy-Ser-Seine, France.[23] It was the third of four newly activated corps of the American Expeditionary Forces, which at that time numbered over 1,000,000 men across 23 divisions. The corps took command of US forces training with the French Seventh Army at the same time that IV Corps took command of US forces training with the French Eighth Army.[24]

It served during the Third Battle of the Aisne, the Aisne-Oise Offensive, the Aisne-Marne offensive,[25] the Meuse–Argonne Offensive, and undertook a short time in the defensive sectors of Lorraine and Champagne.[26] It then marched into Germany from 17 November 1918 to 2 July 1919. It was officially demobilized on 1 July 1919.[25]

III Corps (structure as of Vesle operations)(7 to 17 August 1918)

Lieutenant General William M. Wright

Name Commander Units

3rd Infantry Division

Major General Joseph T. Dickman

5th Infantry Brigade

4th Infantry Regiment

7th Infantry Regiment

8th Machine Gun Battalion

8th Infantry Brigade

30th Infantry Regiment

38th Infantry Regiment

9th Machine Gun Battalion

3rd Field Artillery Brigade

10th Field Artillery Regiment

18th Field Artillery Regiment

76th Field Artillery Regiment

3rd Trench Mortar Battery

5th Infantry Division

Major General John E. McMahon

9th Infantry Brigade

60th Infantry Regiment

61st Infantry Regiment

14th Machine Gun Battalion

10th Infantry Brigade

6th Infantry Regiment

10th Infantry Regiment

15th Machine Gun Battalion

5th Field Artillery Brigade

19th Field Artillery Regiment

20th Field Artillery Regiment

21st Field Artillery Regiment

27th Infantry Division

Major General John F. O'Ryan[27]

53rd Infantry Brigade

105th Infantry Regiment

106th Infantry Regiment

105th Machine Gun Battalion

54th Infantry Brigade

107th Infantry Regiment

108th Infantry Regiment

106th Machine Gun Battalion

52nd Field Artillery Brigade

104th Field Artillery Regiment

105th Field Artillery Regiment

106th Field Artillery Regiment

102nd Trench Mortar Battery

33rd Infantry Division

Major General George Bell, Jr.[27]

65th Infantry Brigade

129th Infantry Regiment

130th Infantry Regiment

123rd Machine Gun Battalion

66th Infantry Brigade

131st Infantry Regiment

132nd Infantry Regiment

124th Machine Gun Battalion

58th Field Artillery Brigade

122nd Field Artillery Regiment

123rd Field Artillery Regiment

124th Field Artillery Regiment

108th Trench Mortar Battery

78th Infantry Division

Major General James A. McRae

155th Infantry Brigade

309th Infantry Regiment

310th Infantry Regiment

308th Machine Gun Battalion

156th Infantry Brigade

311th Infantry Regiment

312th Infantry Regiment

309th Machine Gun Battalion

153rd Field Artillery Brigade

307th Field Artillery Regiment

308th Field Artillery Regiment

309th Field Artillery Regiment

303rd Trench Mortar Battery

80th Infantry Division

Major General Adelbert Cronkhite

159th Infantry Brigade

317th Infantry Regiment

318th Infantry Regiment

313th Machine Gun Battalion

160th Infantry Division

319th Infantry Regiment

320th Infantry Regiment

315th Machine Gun Battalion

155th Field Artillery Brigade

313th Field Artillery Regiment

314th Field Artillery Regiment

315th Field Artillery Regiment

305th Trench Mortar Battery

Sources: Unless otherwise cited, the source is Gibbons, Floyd Phillips (2014) [1918]. And They Thought We Wouldn't Fight. Chicago: The Lakeside Press. OCLC 897378714.

IV Corps

IV Corps was first organized on 10 June 1918, during World War I as part of American Expeditionary Forces at Western Front, as Headquarters IV Army Corps, with its headquarters located in Neufchateau, France, which also was the headquarters of I Corps. Later, on 21 June, IV Corps was ordered to replace I Corps in the French VIII Corps area.[28]

It participated in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel and in the defensive sector in Lorraine from 20 August 1918 to 11 September 1918. It moved into Germany from 17 November to 17 December 1918, before being demobilized in the Weimar Republic on 11 May 1919.[29]

IV Corps (structure as of the period from 17 September 1918 to 11 November 1918)

Lieutenant General George Windle Read

Name Commander Units

29th Infantry Division

Major General C.G. Morton[27]

57th Infantry Brigade

113th Infantry Regiment

114th Infantry Regiment

111th Machine Gun Battalion

58th Infantry Brigade

115th Infantry Regiment

116th Infantry Regiment

112th Machine Gun Battalion

54th Field Artillery Brigade

110th Field Artillery Regiment

111th Field Artillery Regiment

112th Field Artillery Regiment

104th Trench Mortar Battery

37th Infantry Division

Major General Charles S. Farnsworth

73rd Infantry Brigade

145th Infantry Regiment

146th Infantry Regiment

135th Machine Gun Battalion

74th Infantry Brigade

147th Infantry Regiment

148th Infantry Regiment

136th Machine Gun Battalion

62nd Field Artillery Brigade

134th Field Artillery Regiment

135th Field Artillery Regiment

136th Field Artillery Regiment

112th Trench Mortar Battery

83rd Infantry Division

Major General E. F. Glenn

165th Infantry Brigade

329th Infantry Regiment

330th Infantry Regiment

323rd Machine Gun Battalion

166th Infantry Brigade

331st Infantry Regiment

332nd Infantry Regiment

324th Machine Gun Battalion

158th Field Artillery Brigade

322nd Field Artillery Regiment

323rd Field Artillery Regiment

324th Field Artillery Regiment

308th Trench Mortar Battery

89th Infantry Division

Major General Frank L. Winn

177th Infantry Brigade

353rd Infantry Regiment

354th Infantry Regiment

340th Machine Gun Battalion

178th Infantry Brigade

355th Infantry Regiment

356th Infantry Regiment

341st Machine Gun Battalion

164th Field Artillery Brigade

339th Field Artillery Regiment

340th Field Artillery Regiment

341st Field Artillery Regiment

313th Trench Mortar Battery

90th Infantry Division

Major General Henry T. Allen

179th Infantry Brigade

357th Infantry Regiment

358th Infantry Regiment

342nd Machine Gun Battalion

180th Infantry Brigade

359th Infantry Regiment

360th Infantry Regiment

343rd Machine Gun Battalion

165th Field Artillery Brigade

342nd Field Artillery Regiment

343rd Field Artillery Regiment

344th Field Artillery Regiment

314th Trench Mortar Battery

92nd Infantry Division

Major General Charles C. Ballou[27]

183rd Infantry Brigade

365th Infantry Regiment

366th Infantry Regiment

350th Machine Gun Battalion

184th Infantry Brigade

367th Infantry Regiment

368th Infantry Regiment

351st Machine Gun Battalion

167th Field Artillery Brigade

350th Field Artillery Regiment

351st Field Artillery Regiment

352nd Field Artillery Regiment

317th Trench Mortar Battery

Sources: Unless otherwise cited, the source is Gibbons, Floyd Phillips (2014) [1918]. And They Thought We Wouldn't Fight. Chicago: The Lakeside Press. OCLC 897378714.

V Corps

A picture of the American Expeditionary Forces marching across a small bridge holding a flag in France

The American Expeditionary Forces marching in France.

V Corps was organized over the period 7–12 July 1918 in France as a Regular Army formation within the American Expeditionary Forces. By the end of World War I, the corps had fought in three named campaigns: the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, the Meuse–Argonne Offensive, and the Lorraine Campaign.[18]

Activated and organized by Lieutenant General William M. Wright under orders by Pershing, its headquarters was formed in Remiremont, France. It was assigned to the First Army when it was created on 15 August 1918. It held command of the French 15th Colonial Infantry Division for a short period of time in 1918.[30] It was later demobilized on 2 May 1919 in Camp Funston, Kansas.[31]

V Corps (structure as of the Battle of Saint-Mihiel)(29 August to 16 September 1918)

Lieutenant General William M. Wright

Name Commander Units

6th Infantry Division

Major General James B. Erwin

11th Infantry Brigade

51st Infantry Regiment

52nd Infantry Regiment

17th Machine Gun Battalion

12th Infantry Brigade

53rd Infantry Regiment

54th Infantry Regiment

18th Machine Gun Battalion

6th Field Artillery Brigade

3rd Field Artillery Regiment

11th Field Artillery Regiment

76th Field Artillery Regiment

6th Trench Mortar Battery

36th Infantry Division

Major General William R. Smith

71st Infantry Brigade

141st Infantry Regiment

142nd Infantry Regiment

132nd Machine Gun Battalion

72nd Infantry Brigade

143rd Infantry Regiment

144th Infantry Regiment

133rd Infantry Regiment

61st Field Artillery Brigade

131st Field Artillery Regiment

132nd Field Artillery Regiment

133rd Field Artillery Regiment

111th Trench Mortar Battery

76th Infantry Division

Major General Harry F. Hodges

151st Infantry Brigade

301st Infantry Regiment

302nd Infantry Regiment

302nd Machine Gun Battalion

152nd Infantry Brigade

303rd Infantry Regiment

304th Infantry Regiment

303rd Machine Gun Battalion

151st Field Artillery Brigade

301st Field Artillery Regiment

302nd Field Artillery Regiment

303rd Field Artillery Regiment

301st Trench Mortar Battery

79th Infantry Division

Major General Joseph E. Kuhn

157th Infantry Brigade

313th Infantry Regiment

314th Infantry Regiment

308th Machine Gun Battalion

158th Infantry Brigade

315th Infantry Regiment

316th Infantry Regiment

309th Machine Gun Battalion

154th Field Artillery Brigade

301st Field Artillery Regiment

302nd Field Artillery Regiment

303rd Field Artillery Regiment

304th Infantry Regiment

85th Infantry Division

Major General C. W. Kennedy

169th Infantry Brigade

337th Infantry Regiment

338th Infantry Regiment

329th Machine Gun Battalion

170th Infantry Brigade

339th Infantry Regiment

340th Infantry Regiment

330th Infantry Regiment

160th Field Artillery Brigade

328th Field Artillery Regiment

329th Field Artillery Regiment

330th Field Artillery Regiment

310th Trench Mortar Battery

91st Infantry Division

Major General Frederick S. Foltz

181st Infantry Brigade

361st Infantry Regiment

362nd Infantry Regiment

348th Machine Gun Battalion

182nd Infantry Brigade

363rd Infantry Regiment

364th Infantry Regiment

349th Machine Gun Battalion

166th Field Artillery Brigade

347th Field Artillery Regiment

348th Field Artillery Regiment

349th Field Artillery Regiment

316th Trench Mortar Battery

Sources: Unless otherwise cited, the source is Gibbons, Floyd Phillips (2014) [1918]. And They Thought We Wouldn't Fight. Chicago: The Lakeside Press. OCLC 897378714.

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