Over There with the AEF: The World War I Memoirs of Captain Henry C. Evans, 1st Division American Expeditionary Forces
Abstract
The memoir that follows reveals the mixed character of the AEF officer corps at the start of the war. Like many other AFS volunteers, Evans was directly appointed to the US Army as an officer in the National Army component. Although then placed into a theoretically Regular Army unit, Evans had no qualifications as a field artillery officer and was never sent to formal training. Yet within months he was commanding a firing battery. All of Evans subsequent training was on the job. That he performed so well over the course of his wartime service is more indicative of his natural intelligence and leadership skills than any training he received in the Army and is a clear indicator of why he rose to general officer rank in the National Guard in World War II. Evans account provides a good representative example of the experiences of a typical AEF field artillery officer appointed from civilian life. His unit, the 1st Division, participated in both the first American combat actions and was the spearhead of the AEF attack in the Argonne advance when the war ended. Evans served as a battery officer, battery commander, and liaison officer, positions that gave him a broad view of the nature of combat in the First World War. His account provides a welcome and worthy perspective on the experience of a patriotic young American who was determined to help defeat the Kaiser.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1120837
Entities
People
- Jennifer B. Fike
- John J. Mcgrath
Organizations
- United States Army Combined Arms Center