American soldiers of World War I were referred to as "Yanks" or sometimes "Sammies" (from 'Uncle Sam'). By far, however, "Doughboys" became the most popular and enduring nickname for troops of the AEF.
There are several theories behind the origin of the term "Doughboy" though it seems likely that it came from American military operations on the Mexican border in 1916, where marching foot soldiers, covered in white adobe dust, were called "adobes" by mounted troops.
Whatever its origins, the name "Doughboy" became indelibly tied to Americans who went "Over There" in World War I.
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