When men who have no obligation to fight,

A rare photo. Note the caption and date.

"When men who have no obligation to fight,

who could not possibly be criticized if they did not fight, yet nevertheless decide, upon their own individual initiative, to risk their lives in defense of a cause that they hold to be dear, then we are in the presence of true heroism."

--- Gen. Henri Gouraud

Over the last few months/years, there have been a number of posts and discussions in this group, regarding the factual truth behind certain Great War "myths" (for example, the actual origins of the nicknames "Ladies From Hell" for the Scots, or "Teufel Hunden/Devil Dogs" for the US Marines, or whether football matches actually took place between troops of opposing armies during the 1914 Christmas truce), to which less-informed individuals may still cling, despite proof otherwise. In this context, I hope to dispel the misconception behind the beginning of the "Americans... Late as usual" comments, made almost exclusively by certain more-rabidly Anglocentric individuals with a clear anti-American bias (I expect to hear from them in the comments, still uncivilly denying the provided information), who persist in perpetuating this myth, diminishing, denigrating, and dishonoring (if not outright denying) the memory of those American volunteers who served, not as ambulance drivers, or those delivering food, fuel, and munitions, to Great Britain and France, but in direct combat, facing (and often finding) death alongside their comrades-in-arms, in the uniforms and service of France, England, and the British Commonwealth, during the 2 1/2 years BEFORE the US government officially declared war, on April 6, 1917. 

American citizens were there from the beginning, a trickle at first, eventually numbering in the tens-of-thousands. (Yes, you read that correctly, as will be shown in an upcoming post). Sadly, in the minds of some, regardless of for whom they served, these men apparently do not merit the same respect others give their own.