Day 94, April 30

While the United States had established permanent African-American military units in 1866, these did not participate in the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) a peacetime role as frontier police and cavalry experts was gradually devolving into labor duties.   Some of these "Buffalo Soldiers," as they were nicknamed, did participate in a border skirmish with Mexican troops accompanied by German military advisors..

By contrast, Freddie Stowers was part of a new division that, by the end of the war, included a commissioned African-American officer, and saw substantial combat. Due to compromises with the racism of the day, this combat did not take place under American command: Although his unit arrived in France as part of the AEF, Stowers' regiment, like the others in the division, was seconded to the 157th French Army "Red Hand Division," badly in need of reinforcement, under the command of the General Mariano Goybet.

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Day 93, April 29

African-Americans (of course there was no such politically correct term at this time) served in large numbers during World War I, though racism within the armed forces meant that blacks were eligible to serve only in segregated units.

At the peak of its strength the AEF included some 350,000 African-Americans, most of whom were relegated to support units. African-
American soldiers of the 92nd and 93rd infantry divisions saw combat on the Western Front in 1918, mostly under French command.

Several units of these divisions served with great distinction, including the 369th Infantry (formerly the 15th New York Infantry), known as the "Harlem Hell Fighters", and the 371st Infantry whose ranks included Corporal Freddie Stowers – the only African-American to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor in World War I.

Day 92, April 28

The troops of the AEF were made up of a comparatively small number of regular soldiers and Marines, large numbers of National Guard soldiers, and an even greater number of Americans drafted into the armed forces.

 By the fall of 1918, the AEF numbered 43 infantry divisions in France. At the time of the Armistice, a total of 8 Regular Army, 17 National Guard, and 18 National Army divisions had arrived in France. Americans of the AEF would fight in France with much of their heavy equipment – artillery, tanks and aircraft – furnished by the France and Britain.

As the AEF built up its strength through the first months of 1918, American troops in France went into the front lines in "quiet" sectors to gain combat experience. Some troops fought under British and French command, though General John "Blackjack" Pershing, Commander of the AEF, was determined that American troops in France would fight as a homogenous army.

 By the spring of 1918, the AEF began to take part in heavy fighting on the Western Front. Major battles fought by American Doughboys in France included Cantigny, Belleau Wood, St. Mihiel, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

Day 91, April 27

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.

Day 90, April 26

W'e're going to jump back a few years to World War I.  (Don't you love being a time traveler?)

The United States entered World War I on April 4, 1917 following a Declaration of War on Imperial Germany by Congress. In June 1917 the first American troops arrived in France – these were some 13,000 US Army regulars destined to form the 1st Infantry Division, and a battalion from the 5th Marine Regiment (during World War I, US Army troops and US Marines fought together in the US 2nd Infantry Division).

From this small beginning, the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) eventually grew to number over 2 million men in Europe by November 1918.

Day 89, April 25

Over the past 80 plus years, critics have frequently confused Hoover's policies with those of Coolidge and complain that Coolidge did nothing to prevent the Great Depression. 

A dispassionate review of history refutes this.  The Great Depression was as long as it was in duration because the government under both Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt, unlike that under Coolidge, chose to "play God," manipulating prices, setting up "make work" policies, and taking other artificial measures. 

Coolidge, Silent Cal, deserves credit for his courage and integrity.

I have, perhaps, belabored this portion of American history.  This is due, in part, to my own lack of knowledge about Calvin Coolidge, which I was glad to remedy, and in acknowledgment of his efforts to put America on the right track.  That we have strayed so far from his dedication to fiscal responsibility is an indictment of today's leaders and their policies.