Assistance in identifying us army

[Lanayca]

I have just found out that I had two distant relatives in the us army in ww1. I know nothing about the us forces. The attached files are for two different people. One document states 11th cavalry and world war service however the 11th didn't seem to serve in France after a very quick internet search. The other is of a different chap in uniform , can anything be derived from the photo?

thanks david

[johnmelling1979]

I think your right  about the 11th Cavalry not being over in france, they were on US soil 

 

As I found this - which you may of already seen ?

 

http://blackhorse.org/regimenthistory.cfm

 

 

THE ZIMMERMAN TELEGRAM
International Intrigue affects the 11th Cavalry

1 March 1917 saw the publication of a German memorandum proposing a defensive alliance with Mexico in case of war between Germany and the United States with the proviso “…that Mexico is to recover the lost territory in New Mexico, Texas and Arizona…” which caused a wave of American outrage. Alfred Zimmerman, German Foreign Secretary, had sent the coded message on 19 January, which also contained the suggestion that Mexico urge Japan to join the Central Powers, to von Eckhardt, the German Minister to Mexico. British Naval Intelligence intercepted and decoded it, giving a copy to the U.S. Ambassador to Britain on 24 February. After verification, it was released to the press 1 March. At the time, the British Navy had the German merchant fleet bottled up in the Gulf of California port of Santa Rosalia.

The United States' declaration of war on Germany, enacted by Congress on 6 April 1917, found the Regiment pausing at Ft. Bliss, Texas as part of a provisional First Cavalry Division. Due to the threat outlined in the Zimmerman telegram and the proximity of the German merchant fleet, a detachment of the 11th was stationed on the border at Camp John Beacom in Calexico, California (nearest border crossing to the German fleet) while another was stationed in the Campo area. These detachments continued border duty until 1920. Within a month new orders came and Colonel James B. Irwin (6th COLONEL OF THE REGIMENT) led the remainder of the Regiment back to Chickamauga Park, Georgia, near Ft. Oglethorpe. The next two years saw various elements of the 11th Cavalry scattered throughout the South and West.

 

Thanks 

 

John

[Lanayca]

Excellent explanation and would suggest that it would still count as war service. Just found another in the Australian army this time!

 

[JOVE23]

The uniform in the photograph doesn't appear to have anything special on it to help determine a unit.

[Lanayca]

I have subsequently found additional information that suggest a balloon squadron in the aviation part of the signal corps.

david