A.E.F. is the abbreviation for the American Expeditionary Forces sent to Europe during World War I (1914-1918). The A.E.F. was the first United States army ever sent to Europe. General John J. Pershing trained and led the A.E.F. from a small group of regulars in 1917 to a force of 2 million men by the end of the war.
American troops reached the Western Front in France in October 1917 and quickly suffered their first killed and wounded. The first major action involving the A.E.F. occurred on April 20, 1918, near Saint-Mihiel in Lorraine. By mid-summer, American troops were committed in larger and larger numbers, stopping a German attack at Château-Thierry and launching their own attacks at Belleau Wood and Cantigny. By July 4, the A.E.F. was 1 million strong, and 250,000 more were arriving every month. On September 12, the A.E.F. led a victorious offensive at Saint-Mihiel. Exactly two weeks later, they launched the massive Meuse-Argonne Offensive, the U.S. Army’s largest battle up to that time. The A.E.F. continued to fight until the war’s end on November 11.
The soldiers, marines, sailors, airmen, and others of the A.E.F.—collectively known as the “Doughboys”—reached Europe in time to rally the Allies and provide sufficient strength and advantage to assure victory. They succeeded at a price, however, suffering 53,402 killed in action and another 63,114 dead of other causes—nearly half from influenza. Another 204,002 were wounded in action.
See also American Legion ; Harlem Hellfighters ; Meuse-Argonne Offensive ; Pershing, John Joseph ; World War I (The United States enters the war) .
