Page 3, The World War I Letters of John E. Kuhl, 1918-1919
Published with permission of the the author, Lanelle Krueger
Full-text can be read in the book at the Odebolt Public Library
World War I, WWI or
"The Great War" (1914- 1918)
World War I lasted from 1914 - 1918. On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his wife were assassinated in Sarajevo, Serbia. Things started to unravel after that.
The United States made a formal declaration of war on April 6, 1917 against Germany. Many men in the United States volunteered for the military service soon after this declaration of war. The first United States troops arrived in France on June 27, 1917.
Later, men aged 21 - 31 were selectively drafted (conscripted) into the military starting on June 27, 1918. Secretary of War, Newton D. Baker, pulled numbers out of a fishbowl. In August 1918, "the limits of the draft age were lowered from 21 to 18 and raised from 31 to 45.”
World War I ended on November 11, 1918, after the loss of 10 million souls.
The United States Army during WWI was composed of (from larger smaller) units: "Armies" (1st Army, 2nd Army, and 3rd Army); "Corps" (I, II, III, IV, V, VI. VII, VIII, IX, and X), and "Divisions" and there was also the Tank Corps, etc.
Source: http://freepages.military.rootsweb.com/~worldwarone/WWI/
Clipping about area men joining the services in WWI including John Kuhl who joined the Quartermaster Corps, Army. Source and date of newspaper unknown.
ANXIOUS TO JOIN COLORS
75 Apply to Sioux City Stations
Army Attracted 51
(Click for enlargements.)
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