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John Pershing
Person page: John Pershing →
Tag
(13)
1917
May
10
Pershing becomes commander of the American Expeditionary Forces
On 10 May 1917 General John Pershing arrived in Washington from Texas. Wilson and Baker chose him to command the troops the US was to send to France.
19
American division for France
On 19 May 1917 the newspapers announced that a division of American regular troops under General Pershing would sail for France as soon as possible.
June
08
Pershing in England
On 8 June 1917 General John Pershing and his staff landed at Liverpool. In London King George V received him, and the prime minister and generals began talks.
13
Pershing in France
On 13 June 1917 Gen. John Pershing and his staff landed at Boulogne. That evening crowds greeted him in Paris, and in the next days Poincaré, Joffre and Pétain.
26
First American troops in France
On 26 June 1917 the first soldiers of the American 1st Division landed at Saint-Nazaire. The convoy from New York had crossed the Atlantic without loss.
October
06
Pershing promoted to general
On 6 October 1917 Congress created a wartime rank of general for the Army Chief of Staff and the commander in France. John Pershing received four stars.
1918
April
03
Beauvais Conference
On 3 April 1918 at Beauvais the French, British and US governments gave General Foch the strategic direction of operations on the Western Front.
May
28
Americans capture Cantigny
On 28 May 1918 the US 1st Division took Cantigny near Montdidier and beat off German counter-attacks. It was the first attack by an American division.
September
12
Key event
Start of the Battle of Saint-Mihiel
On 12 September 1918 Pershing's American First Army attacked the German Saint-Mihiel salient. In the rain it got through the wire and advanced about 8 km.
16
End of the Battle of Saint-Mihiel
On 16 September 1918 the Battle of Saint-Mihiel ended. The Americans dug in on the Haudiomont–Vandières line as their divisions left for the Meuse and Argonne.
26
Key event
The Meuse–Argonne offensive begins
On 26 September 1918 the Americans attacked between the Meuse and the Argonne, the French in Champagne. The first German position fell, but Montfaucon held.
November
06
Americans at Sedan
On 6–7 November 1918, racing for Sedan, the Americans reached the heights above the town and cut the German railway. But Foch sent the French into Sedan.
20
Americans enter Luxembourg
Around 20 November 1918 the US Third Army, marching to the Rhine, entered Luxembourg. People greeted it with flowers after more than four years of occupation.