Records of the American Expeditionary Forces (World War I)
(Record Group 120)
1848-1928 (bulk 1917-25)
26,016 cu. ft.
Table of Contents
- 120.1 ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY
- 120.2 RECORDS OF GENERAL HEADQUARTERS (GHQ) AEF
1917-21
960 lin. ft. and 132 rolls of microfilm
- 120.2.1 Records of the office of the commander in chief
- 120.2.2 Records of the chief of staff
- 120.2.3 Records of the secretary of the general staff
- 120.3 RECORDS OF THE GENERAL STAFF, GHQ AEF
1911-27 (bulk 1917-19)
1,478 lin. ft.
- 120.3.1 Records of the First Section, G-1 (Administration)
- 120.3.2 Records of the Second Section, G-2 (Intelligence)
- 120.3.3 Records of the Third Section, G-3 (Operations)
- 120.3.4 Records of the Fourth Section, G-4 (Coordination)
- 120.3.5 Records of the Fifth Section, G-5 (Training)
- 120.3.6 Records of the Historical Section
- 120.4 RECORDS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, GHQ AEF
1917-26 (bulk 1917-19)
1,002 lin. ft.
- 120.4.1 Records of the adjutant general
- 120.4.2 Records of the inspector general
- 120.4.3 Records of the judge advocate general
- 120.4.4 Records of the chief chaplain
- 120.4.5 Records of the headquarters commandant
- 120.5 RECORDS OF THE TECHNICAL STAFF, GHQ AEF
1917-19
543 lin. ft.
- 120.5.1 Records of the chief of the Air Service
- 120.5.2 Records of the chief of artillery
- 120.5.3 Records of the Railway Artillery Reserve
- 120.5.4 Records of the Anti-Aircraft Service
- 120.6 RECORDS OF ADVANCE GENERAL HEADQUARTERS
1915-19 (bulk 1918-19)
56 lin. ft.
- 120.7 RECORDS OF HEADQUARTERS SERVICES OF SUPPLY
1916-21 (bulk 1917-19)
3,153 lin. ft.
- 120.7.1 Records of the Line of Communication
- 120.7.2 Records of the Service of the Rear
- 120.7.3 Records of the commanding general
- 120.7.4 Records of the general staff
- 120.7.5 Records of the administrative staff
- 120.7.6 Records of the chief ordnance officer (technical staff)
- 120.7.7 Records of the chief surgeon (technical staff)
- 120.8 RECORDS OF SOS GEOGRAPHICAL SECTIONS
1917-20
1,121 lin. ft.
- 120.8.1 Records of Base Sections 1-8
- 120.8.2 Records of the Intermediate Section
- 120.8.3 Records of the Advance Section
- 120.8.4 Records of the District of Paris
- 120.9 RECORDS OF AEF TACTICAL UNITS
1917-22 (bulk 1917-19)
3,983 lin. ft.
- 120.9.1 Records of the First-Third Armies
- 120.9.2 Records of I-IX Corps
- 120.9.3 Records of combat divisions
- 120.9.4 Records of other tactical units
- 120.10 RECORDS OF THE AMERICAN FORCES IN FRANCE
1919-20
79 lin. ft.
- 120.11 RECORDS OF THE AMERICAN FORCES IN GERMANY
1918-23
745 lin. ft.
- 120.11.1 General records
- 120.11.2 Records of the general staff
- 120.11.3 Records of the administrative staff
- 120.11.4 Records of the technical staff
- 120.12 RECORDS OF THE AMERICAN POLISH RELIEF EXPEDITION
1919-21
4 lin. ft.
- 120.13 RECORDS OF THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES, NORTH RUSSIA
- 120.14 RECORDS OF U.S. REPRESENTATIVES TO WORLD WAR I
INTERNATIONAL BODIES
1917-28 (bulk 1917-25)
74 lin. ft.
- 120.14.1 Records of the Supreme War Council
- 120.14.2 Records of the American Section of the Military Board of
Allied Supply (MBAS)
- 120.14.3 Records of the American Military Mission at British
General Headquarters
- 120.14.4 Records of the American Military Mission at French
General Headquarters
- 120.14.5 Records of the American Military Mission to Italy
- 120.14.6 Records of the American Section of the Permanent
International Armistice Commission (PIAC)
- 120.14.7 Records of the American Commission to Negotiate Peace
- 120.15 CARTOGRAPHIC RECORDS (GENERAL)
1848-1924 (bulk 1917-19)
15,168 items
- 120.16 STILL PICTURES (GENERAL)
1915-20
4,759 images
- 1917-19
14 lin. ft.
Established: Under the War Department by General Order 1, Headquarters American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), May 26, 1917, pursuant to letter, Secretary of War Newton D. Baker to General John J. Pershing, same date, transmitting Presidential instruction.
Functions: Conducted military operations against Germany during World War I. Conducted military operations in North Russia. Provided medical and sanitary relief in Poland. Occupied Germany after the war.
Abolished: Effective August 31, 1920, by General Order 49, War Department, August 14, 1920, which discontinued General Headquarters AEF.
Successor Agencies: American Forces in Germany (AFIG, 1919-23); American Forces in France (AFIF, 1919-20).
Finding Aids: Aloha Broadwater, Kathryn M. English, Elaine C. Everly, and Garry D. Ryan, comps., "Preliminary Inventory of the Textual Records of the American Expeditionary Forces (World War I), 1917-23, Part I," NM 91 (Feb. 1968); Aloha Broadwater, Elaine C. Everly, and Garry D. Ryan, comps., "Preliminary Inventory of the Textual Records of the American Expeditionary Forces (World War I), 1917-23, Part II," NM 92 (Apr. 1968).
Related Records: Record copies of publications of the American Expeditionary Forces (World War I) in RG 287, Publications of the U.S. Government. Records of the American Expeditionary Forces in Siberia, in RG 395, Records of U.S. Army Overseas Operations and Commands, 1898-1942. Cablegrams relating to AEF in RG 407, Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1917- .
Subject Access Terms: World War I.
RECORDS| RECORD TYPES | RECORD LOCATIONS | QUANTITIES |
|---|---|---|
| Textual Records | Washington Area | 25,653 cu. ft. |
| Maps and Charts | Washington Area | 62 items |
| College Park | 25,251 items | |
| Arch/engrg Plans | Washington Area | 896 items |
| College Park | 443 items | |
| Aerial Photographs | College Park | 16,957 items |
| Still Pictures | College Park | 5,760 images |
120.2 RECORDS OF GENERAL HEADQUARTERS (GHQ) AEF
1917-21
960 lin. ft. and 132 rolls of microfilm
History: GHQ AEF organized by General Order 8, Headquarters AEF, July 5, 1917. Consisted of the personal staff of the commander in chief; chief of staff; general staff; secretary of the general staff; and administrative and technical staff, including logistical functions vested in commanding general of the Line of Communication (LOC). GHQ reorganized by General Order 31, Headquarters AEF, February 16, 1918, which separated LOC and certain technical staff elements from GHQ and designated them collectively as Service of the Rear (SOR). GHQ located in Paris, June 1-September 13, 1917, subsequently at Chaumont. GHQ transferred to Washington, DC, effective September 1, 1919, pursuant to General Order 88, Headquarters AEF, August 22, 1919, and was formally abolished, effective August 31, 1920, by General Order 49, War Department, August 14, 1920.
120.2.1 Records of the office of the commander in chief
Textual Records: General correspondence, 1917-19 (550 ft.), with indexes (including 132 rolls of microfilm). Correspondence relating to AEF schools ("Training File"), 1917-19. Correspondence of Headquarters, General of the Armies, Washington, DC, 1920-21. Reports of inspections of U.S. military installations by General Pershing, 1919-20.
Maps (18 items): Operations maps, Saint-Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne sectors, accompanying Commander in Chief's report of November 20, 1918 (2 items). Communications network diagram, 1918 (1 item). Operations in North Russia, n.d. (14 items). "Instructions Concerning Maps," 1918 (1 item). SEE ALSO 120.15.
Microfilm Publications: T900.
120.2.2 Records of the chief of staff
Textual Records: Correspondence, memorandums, cablegrams, and miscellaneous records, 1917-19.
120.2.3 Records of the secretary of the general staff
Textual Records: Historical reports and monographs, 1917-19. War diaries, 1917-19 (202 ft.).
120.3 RECORDS OF THE GENERAL STAFF, GHQ AEF
1911-27 (bulk 1917-19)
1,478 lin. ft.
120.3.1 Records of the First Section, G-1 (Administration)
Textual Records: General correspondence of the Administrative Division, 1917-19. Correspondence of the American Red Cross representative at GHQ, 1917-18. General correspondence and tables of organization of the Organization and Equipment Division, 1917- 19. Records of the Personnel Division, including the AEF Order of Battle and reports and summaries of troop arrivals and movements, 1917-19. Personnel and equipment reports of the Statistical Division, 1917-20. Records of the Liaison Office, 1917-19. General correspondence, official history, and other records of the provost marshal general, 1917-19. Records of the Division of Criminal Investigation and Prisoner of War Division, 1917-19.
Maps (4 items): Administrative maps, 1918 (2 items). "Map Index of France," 1918 (2 items). SEE ALSO 120.15.
120.3.2 Records of the Second Section, G-2 (Intelligence)
Textual Records: General correspondence and other records of the assistant chief of staff (G-2), 1917-19. Records of the Information Division (G-2-A), including histories of German and Austrian divisions produced by the Battle Order Section (G-2-A- 1); captured German documents maintained by the Artillery Materiel, Economics, and Translations Section (G-2-A-2), 1917-18; records of the Enemy Works Section (G-2-A-3) relating to European towns and cities ("Town File"), 1917-19; records of the Radio Intelligence Section (G-2-A-6) relating to enemy codes and ciphers, 1917-19; records of the Air Intelligence Section (G-2-A- 7) relating to enemy air installations and Allied bombing targets, 1917-19; and retained copies of intelligence summaries prepared or distributed by the Dissemination and Filing Section (G-2-A-8), 1917-19, including copies of The Stars and Stripes, 1918-19. Records of the Secret Service Division (G-2-B), including general correspondence, 1917-19, and records of the Negative Intelligence Department of the American Commission to Negotiate Peace, 1918-19, maintained by the Administrative Section (G-2-B-1); intelligence and other reports of military attaches, maintained by the Positive Intelligence Section (G-2-B- 2), 1917-19; records of the Counterespionage Section (G-2-B-3), 1917-19; and records of the Suspects and Circulation Section (G- 2-B-4), 1917-19, including a name card file of Bolsheviks, n.d. Records of the Topographical, Map Supply, and Sound and Flash Ranging Division (G-2-C), 1917-19. Records of the Censorship and Press Division (G-2-D), 1917-19, including general correspondence of the Office of The Stars and Stripes. General correspondence and other records of the Visitors' Bureau (G-2-E), 1917-19. Records of the American Mission of the Interallied Bureau, 1918- 19.
Maps (2,076 items): G-2 maps, 1917-19 (50 items), including maps from the Military Mission at Archangel, operations maps (Saint- Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne sectors), and maps showing proposed boundaries for Trieste. G-2-A-1 maps showing enemy order of battle, Western Front, 1917-18 (89 items); and Eastern Front, 1917-19 (26 items). G-2-A-2 mineral resource maps of Austro- Hungarian area of Ratschach and of French Lorraine, 1918 (3 items). G-2-A-3 maps of German defenses, facilities, and transportation networks; frontlines; Allied and enemy operations; and geology and water supply (American sector), 1918 (459 items). G-2-A-6 maps of German artillery wireless stations and field radio stations, 1918 (137 items). G-2-A-7 maps of German airfields (28 items) and Allied bombing targets (50 items), 1918; French maps of German towns, 1916-18 (188 items); French air charts showing bombing targets, 1916 (39 items); British Air Packets, consisting of maps and aerial photographs of European areas, 1916 (66 items); exhibits accompanying the air order of battle and bomb target reports, 1918 (120 items); and aerial photo maps and mosaics of strategic and industrial cities, 1918 (79 items). G-2-B map of Bolshevist activity in Germany, 1919 (1 item). G-2-C general maps and related material, 1917-19 (218 items); sample file of maps produced by G-2 and its French and British counterparts, 1917-19 (32 items); commercially published maps of areas in Europe, 1911-27 (90 items); topographic survey and other maps produced by the 29th Engineers, 1917-19 (48 items); miscellaneous maps produced at the Base Printing Plant, including reprints of French and German maps, 1918-19 (344 items); topographic maps of the Argonne-Montfaucon area, produced as a map exercise by the Mobile Topographic Unit, 1919 (2 items); and topographic survey and other maps produced by various engineer regiments, 1917-19 (7 items). SEE ALSO 120.15.
Aerial Photographs (16,333 items): American, French, and some German aerial photographs and index maps relating to the Western Front, 1917-19 (16,291 items). G-2-C volume of British aerial photographs of the Battle of Messines, 1917 (42 items). SEE ALSO 120.15.
120.3.3 Records of the Third Section, G-3 (Operations)
Textual Records: General correspondence, 1917-19. Reports of special operations, 1917-19. Journals of operations, 1917-19. AEF headquarters war diary, 1917-18. Charts showing composition of AEF infantry divisions, 1917-19. Divisional history charts, 1917- 18. G-3 library, 1917-19.
Maps (2,230 items): General maps, 1918-19 (108 items). Operations and other special maps, 1918-19 (28 items). Frontline maps, 1918- 19 (122 items). Maps annotated to show 1918 advances and other movements of American divisions, 1919 (155 items). Area and boundary maps, 1917-19 (149 items). Combined order of battle maps, 1919 (36 vols., 1,103 items). Situation and movement maps, 1918-19 (519 items). Comparison map overlays of German offensives, 1918 (15 items). Blueprint maps used for visibility studies, 1918 (31 items). SEE ALSO 120.15.
120.3.4 Records of the Fourth Section, G-4 (Coordination)
Textual Records: General correspondence, daily situation reports, and other records of the assistant chief of staff (G-4), 1917-19. Correspondence, reports, and other records of the Engineering and Construction Division (G-4-C), Quartermaster Activities Section (G-4-E), and Troop Assignment Section (G-4-H), 1917-19. Records of the Railheads and Regulating Stations Section (G-4-I), including stations at Connantre, Creil, Dunkerque, Is-sur-Tille, Le Bourget, Liffol-le-Grand, Nantes, Noisy-le-Sec, and Saint Dizier, 1918-19.
Maps (52 items): Maps, some prepared jointly with G-3, relating to organization and activities of the Services of Supply, 1917- 19. SEE ALSO 120.15.
120.3.5 Records of the Fifth Section, G-5 (Training)
Textual Records: Correspondence, reports, and other records of the assistant chief of staff (G-5), 1917-19. Correspondence and other records of the chief athletic officer, 1917-19. Correspondence of the Army Educational Commission, 1918-19. Records of Headquarters Army Schools, Army General Staff College, Army School of the Line, Army Candidates School, Army Center of Artillery Studies, Army Engineer School, Army Gas School, Army Infantry Specialists School, Army Intelligence School, Army Machine Gun School, Army Sanitary School, and Army Signal School, all at Langres, 1917-19. Records of AEF University (Beaune), 1918-19. Records of Bandmasters and Musicians School (Chaumont), 1917-19. Records of Infantry Candidates School (La Valbonne), 1917-19. Records of I Corps School (Gondrecourt), II Corps School (Chatillon-sur-Seine), and III Corps School (Clamecy), 1917-19.
Maps (260 items): Maps showing locations of training areas and facilities, 1918-19 (99 items). Instructional maps, 1917-18 (159 items). Target range maps, Saumur Artillery School, Fontevrault, 1918 (2 items). SEE ALSO 120.15.
Photographic Prints (864 images): Air Service facilities in France, 1917-19 (AS). SEE ALSO 120.16.
120.3.6 Records of the Historical Section
Textual Records: General correspondence, 1918-19. Correspondence relating to war diaries, American Indians serving in the AEF, and AEF administration, 1917-19. Reports relating to AEF unit histories, 1917-19. Reports of military observers with the French Army, 1915-17. Inspector General's report of an investigation of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), 1917-19. Report on the history of the Postal Express Service, 1917-19.
120.4 RECORDS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, GHQ AEF
1917-26 (bulk 1917-19)
1,002 lin. ft.
120.4.1 Records of the adjutant general
Textual Records: General and special orders, general court- martial orders, and other issuances, 1917-20. Reference library, 1917-19. Cablegrams sent and received by the Cable Division, 1917-19 (171 ft.). Records of the Miscellaneous Division, including station lists and troop movements files of the Troop Movement Section, 1917-19; and correspondence of the Army Field Clerk Section, 1917-19. Correspondence of the Motor Dispatch Service, 1918-19. Correspondence and efficiency reports of the Officers' Division, 1917-19. Records of the Permit Division, 1917-19. Correspondence, case files, and other records of the Personnel Division, 1917-19. Records of the Postal Express Service, 1918-19. Records of the Statistical Division, including general correspondence, 1917-19; records of the Officers' Roster Section, Station List Section, and Strength Return Section, 1917- 19; name files maintained by the Casualty Information and Check Section of dead and wounded and of men reported missing in action or prisoners of war, 1918 (283 ft.); correspondence and lists of the Central Records Office relating to American prisoners of war in Germany, and of German and Austro-Hungarian prisoners held by the AEF, 1918-19.
Microfilm Publications: M930.
Maps (765 items): Activities, 1917-19, of American divisions and German troops on the Western Front, in atlases, n.d. (565 items). Related materials, including a general map index, lists, and a study of German military maps, 1917-26 (200 items). SEE ALSO 120.15.
Aerial Photographs (300 items): American aerial photographs and index maps relating to the Western Front, 1918-19, and an aerial photograph index list, 1925. SEE ALSO 120.15.
120.4.2 Records of the inspector general
Textual Records: General correspondence, 1917-19. Inspection reports, 1917-19. Correspondence relating to an investigation of YMCA property sales in France, 1917-19.
Maps (170 items): General maps and French commercially published maps of Europe, 1917-23, with related material. SEE ALSO 120.15.
120.4.3 Records of the judge advocate general
Textual Records: General correspondence, 1917-19. General court- martial orders, 6th-78th Infantry Divisions, 1917-19.
120.4.4 Records of the chief chaplain
Textual Records: Correspondence, 1917-19.
120.4.5 Records of the headquarters commandant
Textual Records: General correspondence, 1917-19. Issuances, 1917-19. Correspondence, issuances, and other records of Companies A-D, Headquarters Battalion, 1917-19; Casual Companies 1 and 2, 1918-19; Provisional Infantry Company, 1918-19; and other headquarters elements, 1917-19.
Architectural and Engineering Plans (153 items): Blueprints of AEF storage buildings in France, 1917-18 (147 items). Portable aerial ropeway system for use in trenches, 1917-18 (6 items). SEE ALSO 120.15.
120.5 RECORDS OF THE TECHNICAL STAFF, GHQ AEF
1917-19
543 lin. ft.
120.5.1 Records of the chief of the Air Service
Textual Records: General correspondence, 1917-19 (110 ft.). "History of the U.S. Army Air Service," compiled by Col. Edgar S. Gorrell, 1917-19 (286 vols.), with indexes. Card files of casualties, 1917-19. Special reports, histories, and other records relating to Air Service offices, installations, and units, 1918-19 (114 ft.). Records of the 1st Air Depot (Columbey- les-Belles), Air Service Production Center No. 2 (Romorantin), Spare Parts Subdivision (Nanterre), Treves Airdrome, and 1st-9th Casual Companies, 1918-19. Records of the 2d, 3d, and 7th Aviation Instruction Centers; and 1st-4th Mechanics Regiments, 1917-19. Records of the 1st-3d Air Parks, 1917-18. Records relating to balloon operations, including correspondence of Balloon Wing Companies D-F, 1918-19.
Microfilm Publications: M990.
Maps (246 items): Location maps for Allied and enemy air installations and targets, 1918 (194 items). Weekly enemy works and activity maps of the Western Front, 1918 (52 items). SEE ALSO 120.15.
Aerial Photographs (324 items): American and a few German aerial photographs relating to the Western Front, some with interpretations, 1918 (170 items); and related American and British aerial photography interpretive materials, 1918 (154 items).
Photographic Prints (137 images): Work of the Camouflage, Bridging, and Mining Section of the Army Engineer School, in albums, ca. 1918 (ESC). SEE ALSO 120.16.
120.5.2 Records of the chief of artillery
Textual Records: General correspondence, telegrams, issuances, and miscellaneous records of the Office of the Chief of Artillery, 1917-19. Records of the Field Artillery Section, 1918- 19, including records of Field Artillery Training Camps (Coetquidan; Souge; Camp Hunt, Le Courneau), Field Artillery Replacement Regiment (Camp Hunt, Le Courneau), and Field Artillery Motor Training Center (Le Blanc), 1918. Records of the Heavy Artillery Section, 1917-19, including records of the Heavy Artillery School (Angers), 1917-19; Tractor Artillery School (Gien), 1918; Organization and Training Centers 1-5 (Libourne, Limoges, Clermont-Ferrand, Angers, Angouleme), 1918-19; and the Montmorillon firing range, 1918. Records of the Materiel Section, 1917-19.
120.5.3 Records of the Railway Artillery Reserve
Textual Records: General correspondence, 1918-19. Correspondence and other records of the 30th Artillery Brigade, 1917-18. Issuances, 1918-19. History (July 1917-Dec. 1918) of the Railway Artillery Reserve, December 1918.
Maps (2 items): Construction plans, Railway Artillery Reserve camp at Haussimond, 1917-18. SEE ALSO 120.15.
120.5.4 Records of the Anti-Aircraft Service
Textual Records: General correspondence, 1917-18. Records of the Anti-Aircraft School (Arnouville), 1918; the 1st-9th Anti- Aircraft Sectors, 1917-19; and the 1st-6th Anti-Aircraft Battalions, 1918.
120.6 RECORDS OF ADVANCE GENERAL HEADQUARTERS
1915-19 (bulk 1918-19)
56 lin. ft.
History: Located at Ligny-en-Barrois, October 25-December 3, 1918, and subsequently at Trier (Treves). Superseded by Third Army pursuant to telegraphic instruction, assistant chief of staff (G-3), to Advance GHQ, June 1, 1919.
Textual Records: General correspondence, 1918-19. Issuances, 1918-19. File containing general information on the Rhine Valley, 1918-19. Correspondence of the Secret Service Division (G-2-B), 1918-19. Correspondence and other records of the Operations Section (G-3), 1919. Records of the civil affairs officer, 1918- 19.
Maps (61 items): Situation maps, 1918-19 (30 items). French maps of France and Germany, 1915-16 (31 items). SEE ALSO 120.15.
120.7 RECORDS OF HEADQUARTERS SERVICES OF SUPPLY
1916-21 (bulk 1917-19)
3,153 lin. ft.
History: Logistical functions vested in Line of Communication (LOC), established as a component of the administrative and technical staff, GHQ, by General Order 8, Headquarters AEF, July 5, 1917. LOC and certain elements of the technical staff separated from GHQ by reorganization pursuant to General Order 31, Headquarters AEF, February 16, 1918, and designated collectively as Service of the Rear (SOR), with headquarters at Tours. SOR redesignated Services of Supply (SOS), March 13, 1918, by corrected General Order 31, Headquarters AEF, February 16, 1918. SOS abolished by General Order 88, Headquarters AEF, August 22, 1919, with functions and personnel absorbed, effective September 1, 1919, by newly created American Forces in France, successor to AEF. SEE 120.10.
120.7.1 Records of the Line of Communication
Textual Records: Cablegrams, 1917-18. Issuances, 1917-18.
120.7.2 Records of the Service of the Rear
Textual Records: Issuances, 1918.
120.7.3 Records of the commanding general
Textual Records: General correspondence, 1917-19 (120 ft.). Confidential correspondence, 1917-19, including some for Headquarters, LOC and SOR. Cablegrams, 1918-19. Issuances, 1918- 19. SOS historical file, 1917-19 (91 ft.). Station lists for SOS units, 1918-19.
120.7.4 Records of the general staff
Textual Records: Records of G-1, 1918-19, including general correspondence; weekly reports of equipment shipped overseas; records of SOS Casual Companies 1-6912; records of the Entertainment Bureau, Entertainment Officer, and Provisional Entertainment Detachment; and histories of the Bureau of Prisoners of War, Prisoner of War Division, and Prisoner of War Labor Companies 2-272, 1918-19. Records of G-2, 1918-19, including general, administrative, and personnel correspondence; correspondence of the administration officer, G-2 (Paris); and correspondence of the intelligence officer (Dijon), 1918-19. General correspondence, G-4, 1918-19.
120.7.5 Records of the administrative staff
Textual Records: Correspondence of the athletic officer and Recruiting Division, 1919. General correspondence of the inspector general and judge advocate general, 1918-19. Records of the headquarters commandant (Tours), 1918-19, including general correspondence; issuances; and correspondence and other records of various headquarters offices, detachments, and staff officers.
Maps (112 items): Communication lines and locations of storage and support facilities in Europe, 1918-19. SEE ALSO 120.15.
120.7.6 Records of the chief ordnance officer (technical staff)
Textual Records: General and administrative correspondence of the chief ordnance officer (Chaumont), 1917-18, including correspondence of the Personnel Division. General and administrative correspondence, telegrams, cablegrams, and issuances of the chief ordnance officer (Tours), 1918-19. Records of the Ammunition Supply Board, 1918-19. Records of Headquarters U.S. Ordnance Detachment, German Armistice Material Section, 1918-19. Correspondence, reports, and other records of the Administrative Division, 1918-19, including the Statistical Section of the Inter-Allied Munitions Council. Records of the chief purchasing officer, 1917-19, including correspondence of the Inspection Division, 1918-19, and the Purchasing Division, 1917-19. Records of the Construction and Maintenance Division, 1917-19. Records of the Engineering Division, consisting of correspondence of its Administrative, Aircraft Armament, Artillery Ammunition, Equipment, Field Artillery, Heavy Artillery, Machine Gun and Small Arms, Motor Equipment, Planning, Proving Ground and Laboratory, and Trench Warfare Sections, 1917- 19. Correspondence of the Personnel Division, 1918-19. Correspondence of the Supply Division and its Ammunition and Depot Sections, 1917-19. Records of the 1st-6th Provisional Ordnance Battalions, 1st-8th Heavy Mobile Ordnance Repair Shops, and 1st-601st Mobile Ordnance Repair Shops, 1917-19.
Maps (63 items): Construction plan, Advanced Ordnance Depot 4 (Jonchery-Villers-le-Sec), 1918 (1 item). Blueprints, drawings, and maps of the Administrative Division, 1917-19 (62 items, in Washington Area). SEE ALSO 120.15.
120.7.7 Records of the chief surgeon (technical staff)
Textual Records: Correspondence (150 ft.), cablegrams, issuances, and reports of the Office of the Chief Surgeon, 1917-19. Correspondence and other records of the Finance and Accounting Division and Personnel Division, 1917-19. Daily reports of casualties, compiled monthly reports of diseases, and other records of the Hospitalization Division, 1917-19. Sanitary reports, consolidated reports of sick and wounded, venereal disease reports, and other records of the Sanitation and Inspection Division, including records of the Division of Laboratories and Infectious Diseases (Dijon), 1917-19. Correspondence of the Veterinary Division, 1917-19. Records of hospitals and hospital units, including veterinary hospitals; hospitals operated by the American Red Cross, including a hospital in Padua, Italy; base, camp, and evacuation hospitals (259 ft.); and hospital trains, 1917-19. Records of AEF infantry division medical officers, offices, and units, 1917-19 (265 ft.). Records of brigade, regimental, and battalion infirmaries, 1917- 19. Historical records of evacuation ambulance, motor ambulance, and nondivisional field hospital companies, 1917-19.
Maps (71 items): Hospital, camp, and depot sites in England, 1917-18 (63 items). Printed outline maps of France, showing location of fixed medical units and hospitals, 1918 (8 items). SEE ALSO 120.15.
Architectural and Engineering Plans (1,186 items): Blueprints and drawings of hospitals, camp buildings, depots, and other AEF facilities in England, 1917-19 (290 items). Hospitalization Division blueprints and drawings of Medical Department facilities in France, 1917-19 (896 items, in Washington Area). SEE ALSO 120.15. 120.7.8 Records of other technical staff officers
Textual Records: Records of the Army Service Corps, 1918-19, including correspondence and issuances of the Director's Office; records of the Labor Bureau; and records of administrative labor companies, cement mill companies, censor and press companies, cook companies, guard and provisional guard companies, and prisoner of war escort companies. Records of the chief engineer, including an historical report on engineer activities in the AEF (78 ft.), 1917-19. Records of the Finance Bureau, including general correspondence, issuances, reports, periodic statements of disbursements and expenditures, and correspondence of the Board of Contracts and Adjustments, 1918-19. Correspondence, telegrams, cablegrams, reports, and miscellaneous records of the general purchasing agent and field purchasing agents for Great Britain, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland, 1918-19. Correspondence and other records of the Leave Bureau, 1918-19. Records of the Motor Transport Corps, including unit records of administrative and motorcycle companies, 1917-19; motor overhaul, motor reception, and motor transport service parks, 1918-19; and service park units, 1917-21. General correspondence, 1917-19 (126 ft.), and other records of the chief quartermaster, 1916-21; and records of the Graves Registration Service, Remount Division and depots, Salvage Service, and Supply Division, 1918-19. Records of the Renting, Requisition, and Claims Service, 1918-20. Records of the chief signal officer, including general correspondence, 1917- 19 (156 ft.); an historical file, 1917-19; records of the Pigeon Service, 1918-19; records of the Division of Research and Inspection, 1917-19, and Telephone and Telegraph Division, 1918- 19; and records of signal depot battalions, 1917-19, and telegraph battalions, 1916-21. Records of the Transportation Corps, including general correspondence of the Director General of Transportation and of the General Manager of the Transportation Corps; records of the U.S. Army Ambulance Service with the French Army; and records (205 ft.) of grand divisions, railway engineer regiments, transportation corps companies, and stevedore regiments, 1917-19. Records of the War Risk Insurance Section, 1918-19.
Maps (219 items): Blueprint and printed construction plans, and base, road, and training area maps of the chief engineer, 1917-18 (11 items). Combat railway line and other maps produced by the Division of Military Engineering and Engineering Supplies, Division of Construction and Forestry, Division of Light Railways and Roads, and 16th, 17th, and 21st Engineer Regiments, 1917-19 (52 items). Geologic and water-supply maps produced by the Geologic Section, Assistant Chief Engineer (Chaumont), 1918 (102 items). Billeting map, by the chief billeting officer, 1918 (1 item). Truck route map produced by the Motor Transport Corps, 1918 (1 item). Transportation Corps maps of lines of communication, rail and dock construction, and locomotive and water facilities, 1917-19 (46 items). Communications networks maps produced by the chief signal officer, 1918-19 (3 items); and blueprints and drawings of the Telephone and Telegraph Division, 1918-19 (3 items). SEE ALSO 120.15.
120.8 RECORDS OF SOS GEOGRAPHICAL SECTIONS
1917-20
1,121 lin. ft.
120.8.1 Records of Base Sections 1-8
History: Base Sections, centered on coastal ports, were established to facilitate movement of troops and supplies. Base Sections 1-7 were responsible for deliveries to American forces in France; Base Section 8, to American troops in Italy; and Base Section 9, to American occupation forces in Germany. There are no separately maintained records of Base Section 9 in the National Archives.
Le Havre designated as headquarters for Base Section 3, including SOS elements in England, August 13, 1917. Separate headquarters established in London, October 2, 1917. Base Section 3 divided, November 27, 1917, with Le Havre designated headquarters of Base Section 4, and a new Base Section 3 (London) established.
| Base Section | Established | Transferred (To) | Abolished (Successor) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 08/13/17 | 09/01/19 (AFIF) | 10/20/19 |
| 2 | 08/13/17 | 09/01/19 (AFIF) | 09/30/19 (HQ AFIF) |
| 3 | 08/13/17 | 11/27/17 (Base Section 4, SOS) | |
| 3 | 11/27/17 | 06/15/19 (HQ SOS) | |
| 4 | 11/27/17 | 04/16/19 (Intermed. Section, SOS) | |
| 5 | 11/27/17 | 09/01/19 (AFIF) | 01/04/20 |
| 6 | 06/28/18 | 6/15/19 (Intermed. Section, SOS) | |
| 7 | 06/28/18 | 4/25/19 (Base Section 2, SOS) | |
| 8 | 10/22/18 | 05/20/19 (HQ SOS) | |
| 9 | 04/08/19 | 08/15/19 (AFIG) |
| Base Section | Headquarters (Established) | Base Ports (Opened) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint-Nazaire (06/24/17) Camp Montoir (07/19/19) Les Sables d'Olonne (08/31/17) |
Saint-Nazaire(06/22/17) Nantes (07/11/17) |
| 2 | Bordeaux (09/08/17) Saint-Sulpice (07/04/19) |
Bordeaux (08/30/17) |
| 3 | Le Havre (08/13/17) | Rouen (Sub-Base) (05/25/17) Le Havre (08/02/17) |
| 3 | London (10/02/17) | None |
| 4 | Le Havre (11/27/17) | Rouen (Sub-Base) (05/25/17) Le Havre (08/02/17) Calais (Sub-Base)(06/28/18) |
| 5 | Brest (11/10/17) | Brest (11/10/17) Cherbourg (Port) (05/25/18) Granville (Coal Port) (10/12/18) |
| 6 | Marseille (05/30/18) | Marseille (05/30/18) Toulon (Port) (08/25/18) |
| 7 | La Pallice (07/09/18) La Rochelle (07/18/18) |
La Pallice (07/09/18) Rochefort (Port) (01/26/18) Marans (Port) (08/13/18) |
| 8 | Padua (10/22/18) | Genoa (Port) (06/14/18) |
| 9 | Antwerp (04/08/19) | Rotterdam (Sub-Base) (03/01/19) Antwerp (03/22/19) |
Textual Records: General correspondence, issuances, and historical files of Headquarters Base Section 1, 1917-19; records of section staff officers, 1917-19; and records of section installations at Angers, Camp Coetquidan, Camp de Meucon, Montoir, Nantes, Saint Nazaire, Saumur, Savenay, and Vannes, 1918-19. General correspondence, issuances, and historical files of Headquarters Base Section 2, 1917-19; records of section staff officers, 1917-18; and records of section installations at Camp Ancona, Bassens, Bayonne, Beau Desert, Biarritz, Bordeaux, Coutras, Camp de Souge, Limoges, Pau, Pauillac, Perigueux, and Saint Sulpice, 1918-19. General correspondence, issuances, and historical files of Headquarters Base Section 3, 1917-19; records of section staff officers, 1917-19; records of the U.S. Army Liquidation Mission in England, 1919-20; and records of section installations at Boscombe Down, Sheffield, Slough, and Witney, England, 1918-19. General correspondence, correspondence of the Section Commander, issuances, and historical files, including a section history, of Headquarters Base Section 4, 1917-19; records of section staff officers, 1918-19; and records of section installations at Calais, Le Havre, and Rouen, 1917-19. General correspondence, issuances, and historical files of Headquarters Base Section 5, 1917-19; records of staff officers, 1918-19; and records of section installations at Fort Bouguen, Brest, Cherbourg, Fort Federes, Camp Pontaezen, Camp President Lincoln, Rennes, and Saint Servan, 1918-19. General correspondence, issuances, and historical files of Headquarters Base Section 6, 1918-19; records of section staff officers, 1918-19; and records of section installations at Cannes, Camp d'Ail, Lamalon, Marseille, Miramas, Saint Raphael, and Camp Victor Hugo, 1918-19. General correspondence, telegrams, issuances, and historical files of Headquarters Base Section 7, 1918-19; and records of Headquarters U.S. Troops at La Rochelle-La Pallice and Headquarters U.S. Troops at Rochefort, 1918-19. General correspondence, telegrams, and historical files of Headquarters Base Section 8, 1917-19; and records of the U.S. Ambulance Service with the Italian Army, 1918-19.
Maps (13 items): Base Section 1 construction area map, 1918 (1 item). Base Section 2 dock plans, 1918 (6 items), and communication network, 1918 (1 item). Base Section 5 construction plans, 1918 (5 items). SEE ALSO 120.15.
120.8.2 Records of the Intermediate Section
History: Established August 13, 1917, with headquarters, effective September 17, 1917, at Nevers. Served as a transfer point for supplies and services between the various base sections and the Advance Section. Placed under AFIF, September 1, 1919, and discontinued September 25, 1919.
Textual Records: Headquarters general correspondence, 1917-19. Issuances, 1917-19. Historical files, 1917-19. Correspondence, reports, and other records of section staff officers, 1918-19. Records of Intermediate Section installations at Allerey, Blois, Bourges, Chateau du Loir, Chateauroux, Clermont-Ferrand, Cosne, Cour Cheverny, Gievres, Issoudon, La Courtine, La Guerche, La Valbonne, Lyon, Mars-sur-Allier, Mesvres, Montierchaume, Nevers, Noyers, Pacy-sur-Armancon, Tours, Verneuil, Vichy, and Vouvray, 1918-19. Records of the American Embarkation Center, Le Mans, 1918-19. Records of the First Replacement Depot, Saint Aignan, 1917-19.
120.8.3 Records of the Advance Section
History: Established at Nevers, July 4, 1917. Responsible for delivering supplies from Intermediate Section and the various base sections to combat forces immediately behind the front lines. Headquarters transferred successively to Is-sur-Tille, September 17, 1917; Neufchateau, November 1, 1917; Langres, January 20, 1918; Nogent-en-Bassigny, June 15, 1918; Neufchateau, October 23, 1918; and Is-sur-Tille, June 12, 1919. Transferred to AFIF upon discontinuation of SOS, September 1, 1919. Absorbed by AFIF, October 8, 1919.
Textual Records: Headquarters general correspondence, 1917-19. Issuances, 1917-19. Correspondence and other records of section staff officers, 1917-19. Historical file, 1917-19. Records of Advance Section installations at Bar-le-Duc, Bazoilles, Beaune, Besancon, Briey, Chaumont, Commercy, Dijon, Gondrecourt, Is-sur- Tille, Joinville, Jonchery, Langres, Le Valdahon, Lieusaint, Liffol-le-Grand, Luxembourg, Nancy, Neufchateau, Rimaucourt, Saint Dizier, Souilly, Toul, and Vittel, 1917-19.
Maps (1 item): Construction progress chart, Advance Section engineer, 1918. SEE ALSO 120.15.
120.8.4 Records of the District of Paris
History: American forces in the Paris area formally designated for purposes of discipline and general administration as U.S. Troops in Paris, November 3, 1917. Command vested initially in assistant provost marshal. Made separate command under LOC, December 3, 1917. Superseded by District of Paris, SOS, May 6, 1918. Geographically within, but independent of, Intermediate Section. Transferred to AFIF, September 1, 1919. Discontinued, October 7, 1919.
Textual Records: Correspondence of Headquarters U.S. Troops in Paris, 1917-18; and of the Assistant Provost Marshal, U.S. Troops in Paris, 1917-18. Correspondence of Headquarters District of Paris, 1918-19. District issuances, 1918-19. Correspondence and other records of district staff officers and headquarters units, 1918-19. Records of district installations at Clichy, Clignancourt Barracks, Corbeil-Essonnes, La Roquette, and Neuilly, 1918-19.
120.9 RECORDS OF AEF TACTICAL UNITS
1917-22 (bulk 1917-19)
3,983 lin. ft.
History: AEF combat forces organized into 3 armies, 9 army corps, 43 divisions, and various tactical units.
120.9.1 Records of the First-Third Armies
History: First Army organized, August 10, 1918, implementing General Order 12, Headquarters AEF, July 24, 1918; discontinued, effective with formation of embarkation detachments at Marseille, April 30, 1919, pursuant to General Order 68, Headquarters AEF, April 19, 1919. Second Army headquarters established September 20, 1918; organization announced by GHQ AEF, October 10, 1918; dissolved, April 15, 1919, with headquarters embarkation at Marseille, April 22, 1919. Third Army established pursuant to General Order 198, Headquarters AEF, November 7, 1918, with formal organization effective November 15, 1918; discontinued, July 2, 1919, with headquarters, personnel, and component units redesignated American Forces in Germany (SEE 120.11), July 3, 1919.
Textual Records: Records of the First Army, including headquarters general correspondence, issuances, and historical files, 1918-19; records of general staff elements G-1 through G- 5, 1918-19; correspondence and other records of the inspector general and judge advocate, 1918-19; records of the chief of the Air Service, including records of the 1st-3d Pursuit Groups and the Observation Group, 1918-19; records of the chief of artillery, including records of First Army Artillery and First Army Artillery Park, 1918-19; and records of the chief engineer, chief ordnance officer, provost marshal, chief quartermaster, and chief surgeon, 1917-19. Records of the Second Army, including headquarters general correspondence, issuances, and historical files, 1918-19; records of miscellaneous headquarters units, 1918-19; correspondence of the adjutant general and inspector general, 1918-19; records of the 4th and 5th Pursuit Groups (Air Service) and Second Army Observation Group, 1918-19; correspondence of the chief of artillery, 1918-19, including the Anti-Aircraft Service and the Second Army Artillery Park, 1918; correspondence and other records of the chief surgeon, 1917-19; and correspondence of the chief of the chemical warfare service, chief of engineers, chief ordnance officer, provost marshal, and chief signal officer, 1918-19. Records of the Third Army, including headquarters general correspondence, issuances, and historical files, 1918-19; records of miscellaneous headquarters units, 1918-19; correspondence of the personnel adjutant, 1918- 19; investigation reports, intelligence summaries, and an office history of the inspector general, 1918-19; records of the civil affairs officer, 1918-19; correspondence of the chief engineer, provost marshal, chief signal officer, and chief surgeon, 1918- 19; and records of miscellaneous units and organizations at Fortress Asterstein, 1918-20, and at Coblenz, Neuwied, and Trier, Germany, 1919.
Maps (1,650 items): First Army maps, including general maps, 1917-18 (90 items); G-1 circulation, road, billeting, and position maps, 1918 (51 items); G-2 and G-2-C enemy order of battle, intelligence summary, information, frontline, and related maps, 1918 (398 items); G-3 operations, frontline, and situation maps, 1918 (259 items); artillery maps, 1918 (95 items); and miscellaneous maps, 1918, of the inspector general (1 item), chief engineer (49 items), chief gas officer (13 items), and chief signal officer (3 items). Second Army maps, including map relating to the march into Germany, 1918 (1 item); G-1 circulation, area, and billeting maps, 1918 (4 items); G-2 and G- 2-C enemy order of battle, information, and related maps, 1918-19 (88 items); G-3 situation, line, and area maps, 1918-19 (145 items); railway and highway maps produced by the chief engineer, 1918 (4 items); and miscellaneous informational maps, 1918-19 (25 items). Third Army maps, including G-2 and G-2-C enemy order of battle, location, and related maps and materials, 1918-19 (191 items); G-3 operations and situation maps, 1918-19 (180 maps); an Air Service situation map, 1919 (1 item); engineer road and railroad maps and town plans, 1918-19 (12 items); Signal Service communications maps, 1919 (15 items); and miscellaneous maps, 1918-19 (25 items). SEE ALSO 120.15.
History: I-IX Corps were distributed among the three AEF field armies, and were reassigned as operational requirements dictated. They were organized and discontinued as noted below:
| Corps | Organized | Discontinued |
|---|---|---|
| I | 1/15/18 | 3/25/19 |
| II | 3/19/18 | 2/1/19 |
| III | 3/30/18 | 7/1/19 (III Corps elements to AFIG) |
| IV | 6/10/18 | 5/11/19 |
| V | 7/7/18 | 3/5/19 |
| VI | 7/23/18 | 4/11/19 |
| VII | 8/6/18 | 5/11/19 (VII Corps elements to Third Army) |
| VIII | 11/18/18 | 4/20/19 |
| IX | 11/16/18 | 5/5/19 |
Textual Records: Records of I Corps, 1918-19, including headquarters general correspondence, issuances, and historical files; records of the adjutant general and judge advocate; and records of the engineer, motor transport officer, ordnance officer, signal officer, and surgeon. Records of II Corps, 1918- 19, including headquarters general correspondence, issuances, and historical files; records of the adjutant general; and records of the surgeon and corps artillery park. Records of III Corps, 1918- 19, including headquarters general correspondence, issuances, and historical files; G-1 and G-2 Topographical Section correspondence; records of the adjutant general, personnel adjutant, and judge advocate; and records of the engineer, chief gas officer, signal officer, surgeon, and corps artillery park. Records of IV Corps, 1918-19, including headquarters general correspondence, issuances, and historical files; correspondence and telegrams of G-1 through G-4; records of the adjutant general, personnel adjutant, statistical section, and judge advocate; and records of the Military Police Company, miscellaneous technical staff elements, and the corps artillery park. Records of V Corps, 1918-19, including headquarters general correspondence, issuances, and historical files; correspondence and other records of G-1 through G-3, correspondence of the personnel adjutant, correspondence of the inspector, and reports of division inspectors; and records of the engineer, other miscellaneous technical staff elements, and the corps artillery park. Records of VI Corps, 1918-19, including headquarters general correspondence, issuances, and historical files; correspondence of the Statistical Section; and records of miscellaneous technical staff elements. Records of VII Corps, 1918-19, including headquarters general correspondence, issuances, and historical files; G-1 correspondence; correspondence and other records of the personnel adjutant, inspector, judge advocate, and message center; and records of the Motor Transport Office, Military Police Company, provost marshal, and ordnance officer. Records of VIII Corps, 1918-19, including headquarters general correspondence, issuances, and historical files; and records of the engineer, motor transport officer, quartermaster, and corps artillery park. Records of IX Corps, 1918-19, including headquarters general correspondence, issuances, and historical files; records of G-1; and records of the quartermaster and signal officer.
Maps (728 items): I Corps maps, 1918, including G-1 circulation maps (9 items); G-2 frontline, enemy order of battle, and information maps (60 items); G-2-C base and trench maps and town plans (20 items); G-3 operations and situation maps (20 items); and artillery (27 items), air service (2 items), engineer (4 items), and signal (6 items) maps. II Corps maps, 1918, produced by G-2 (7 items); G-3 (17 items); and the chief engineer (2 items). III Corps maps, including G-1 circulation and billeting maps, 1918-19 (11 items); G-2 enemy order of battle and information maps, 1918 (35 items); miscellaneous G-2-C printed maps, 1918-19 (17 items); G-3 operations and situation maps, 1918-19 (68 items); and maps illustrating communications networks, 1918-19 (13 items), and enemy artillery activity, 1918 (15 items). IV Corps maps, including G-2 enemy order of battle and information maps, 1918 (63 items), and a survey of German defenses, 1919 (36 items); G-2-C printed base, town, and miscellaneous maps, 1918-19 (19 items); G-3 operations and situation maps, 1918 (23 items); artillery maps, 1918 (5 items); and maps of communications networks, 1918-19 (2 items). V Corps maps, 1918, including G-1 circulation and administration maps (4 items); G-2 enemy order of battle, information, and miscellaneous maps (51 items); G-2-C printed maps (16 items); G-3 operations maps (16 items); artillery operations maps (19 items); and an engineer billeting map (1 item). VI corps maps, including maps produced by G-2, 1918 (3 items), and G-3, 1918-19 (7 items); and enemy artillery situation maps, 1918 (3 items). VII Corps maps, 1918-19, including maps produced by G-2 and G-2-C (9 items), G-3 situation maps (94 items) and position and area maps (7 items); an engineer railroad map (1 item); and communications network maps (6 items). VIII Corps maps, 1918-19, produced by G-1 (2 items), G-2 (6 items), and G-3 (1 item). IX Corps G-2 operations map, 1918 (1 item). SEE ALSO 120.15.
120.9.3 Records of combat divisions
History: Forty-three numbered divisions saw service with the AEF in Europe, with 1st-8th Divisions composed of Regular Army units, 26th-42d composed of state National Guard units, and 76th-93d composed of National Army units. The latter constituted units organized by the Federal Government for the war. Additional divisions (9th-20th and 94th-102d) were raised for the AEF but did not see overseas service.
Textual Records: For each AEF division, headquarters general correspondence, issuances, and historical files; records of general, administrative, and technical staff elements; and records of miscellaneous units, 1917-19.
Microfilm Publications: M819.
Maps (1,389 items): Report, situation, and miscellaneous maps, 1918-19, of the following divisions: 1st (138 items), 2d (280 items), 3d (73 items), 4th (28 items), 5th (19 items), 6th (7 items), 7th (24 items), 26th (88 items), 27th (24 items), 28th (39 items), 29th (11 items), 30th (9 items), 31st (1 item), 32d (32 items), 33d (141 items), 35th (14 items), 36th (32 items), 37th (22 items), 41st (5 items), 42d (113 items), 77th (112 items), 78th (35 items), 79th (11 items), 80th (25 items), 81st (15 items), 82d (20 items), 83d (3 items), 88th (5 items), 89th (16 items), 90th (19 items), 91st (16 items), and 92d (12 items). SEE ALSO 120.15.
120.9.4 Records of other tactical units
Textual Records: Records of the 1st-321st Ammunition Trains, 1917-21; 1st-317th Trench Mortar Artillery Batteries, 1917-19; 1st-9th Trench Mortar Artillery Battalions, 1917-19; 30th-64th Artillery Brigades, 1917-19; and 1st-172d Field Artillery Brigades, 1917-19. Records of the 1st Cavalry Brigade, 1917-19. Records of the lst Gas Regiment, 1918-22. Records of Headquarters and Military Police, 1st-322d Division Trains, 1917-19. Records of the 1st-319th Engineer Trains, 1917-19; and 464th-488th Engineer Pontoon Trains, 1918-19. Records of the 1st-192d Infantry Brigades, 1917-19; and 1st-816th Pioneer Infantry Regiments, 1917-19. Records of the 1st-366th Machine Gun Battalions, 1917-20. Records of the 1st and 2d GHQ Military Police Battalions, 1918-19; 122d-134th Battalions, Military Police Corps, 1918-19; and 2d-308th Military Police Companies, 1918-19. Records of miscellaneous quartermaster units, 1918-19, including butchery companies, clothing and bath units, garden service companies and detachments, pack trains, refrigeration units, salvage units, and supply trains. Records of the 1st-622d Field Signal Battalions, 1917-22. Records of the Tank Corps, 1918-19.
Maps (10 items): Tank Corps operations, 1918. SEE ALSO 120.15.
120.10 RECORDS OF THE AMERICAN FORCES IN FRANCE
1919-20
79 lin. ft.
History: Established, effective September 1, 1919, by General Order 88, Headquarters AEF, August 22, 1918, as successor to AEF for all personnel, except those previously designated American Forces in Germany. Consisted of former SOS units. Abolished January 8, 1920.
Textual Records: AFIF headquarters general correspondence, telegrams, and embarkation orders, 1919-20. Headquarters cablegrams, memorandums, and other issuances, 1919. G-1 correspondence, 1919-20. Correspondence of the inspector general and the judge advocate, 1919-20; and of technical staff elements, including the chief signal officer, chief ordnance officer, and ordnance liaison officer, 1919-20, and chief surgeon, 1919. Correspondence of the Visitors' Bureau, Headquarters Commandant, Base Section 1, District of Paris Military Police Detachment, and Advance Section, 1919; and of Army Service Corps, and Base Section 5, 1919-20.
120.11 RECORDS OF THE AMERICAN FORCES IN GERMANY
1918-23
745 lin. ft.
History: Established July 3, 1919, replacing Third Army (SEE 120.9.1). Functioned as American Army of Occupation (AMAROC) until abolished January 1, 1923.
Textual Records: General correspondence, 1919-23, with record cards and indexes. Cablegrams, 1919-23, and courier cablegrams, 1919-20, to the adjutant general. Telegrams, 1919-23. Historical files, 1919-23. Issuances, 1919-23.
Maps (5 items): Situation maps, 1919 (3 items). Sector and boundary maps, 1919 (2 items). SEE ALSO 120.15.
120.11.2 Records of the general staff
Textual Records: General correspondence, telegrams, and issuances of G-1, 1919-23. Records of G-2, including general correspondence, 1919-23; correspondence of the Secret Service Division, 1919-22; military intelligence studies, 1919-23; and records relating to The AMAROC News, 1919-23. G-3 historical files, 1919-23; and interallied defense plans, 1920-22.
120.11.3 Records of the administrative staff
Textual Records: Correspondence and other records of the adjutant general, inspector general, and judge advocate, 1919-23. General correspondence, reports, and other records of the officer in charge of civil affairs, 1919-23. Records of the American liaison officers with the British and French Armies of the Rhine, 1919- 23. Records of the Inter-Allied Rhineland High Commission, including reports of the American representative to the Secretary of State, 1920-23. Records of the Port of Antwerp Commander, 1919-22; and of the Office of the Commandant at Coblenz, 1918-23. Records of the Headquarters Detachment, 1st and 2d Brigades, and the Casual Depot, 1919-23.
120.11.4 Records of the technical staff
Textual Records: Correspondence and other records of the chief engineer, 1918-23. Correspondence and occupation cost reports of the finance officer, 1919-23, including minutes and other records of Allied committees and conferences on occupation costs, 1920- 22. Records of the chief ordnance officer, 1919-23. Records of the provost marshal, including general correspondence of the Division of Criminal Investigation, 1919-23; and registers of military personnel, 1920-22, and civilians, 1919-20, arrested at Coblenz and Andernach. Records of the quartermaster and chief signal officer, 1919-23. Records of the chief surgeon, including records of the military hospital at Coblenz, 1919-23. Records of miscellaneous units, including the Military Prison (Coblenz) and Disciplinary Barracks (Feste Alexander), 1919-22.
120.12 RECORDS OF THE AMERICAN POLISH RELIEF EXPEDITION
1919-21
4 lin. ft.
History: Organized from AEF units in France in 1919 at the suggestion of U.S. Food Administrator Herbert Hoover. Operated mobile units that conducted delousing and sanitation activities to combat a typhus epidemic in Poland.
Textual Records: General correspondence, telegrams, and historical files, 1919-20. Issuances, 1919-20. Rosters and returns, 1919-21. Records of the chief surgeon, 1919-20. Records of the Wilno Detachment, 1920. Headquarters issuances, Post of Zegrze, 1920.
120.13 RECORDS OF THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES, NORTH RUSSIA
History: Established as Murmansk Expedition, August 8, 1918, from American forces authorized by President Wilson, July 17, 1918, and selected by General Pershing, July 30, 1918. Participated in Allied operations to defend supply lines in the Archangel- Murmansk area from Communist forces. Redesignated American North Russia Expeditionary Forces, September 12, 1918, and AEF, North Russia, April 9, 1919. Discontinued upon withdrawal of last American military units, August 5, 1919.
Textual Records: Headquarters general correspondence, issuances, and historical file, 1918-19. Correspondence of the inspector general and judge advocate, 1918-19. Records of the chief surgeon, including records of medical units, 1918-19. Passenger lists, North Russia troopships, 1918-19. Company rosters of the 339th Infantry and 310th Engineers, and weekly rosters of officers, April-May 1919. Records of Headquarters, U.S. Troops at Archangel, 1918-19. Records of the chief of the American Military Mission to Russia, 1917-19.
Microfilm Publications: M924.
120.14 RECORDS OF U.S. REPRESENTATIVES TO WORLD WAR I
INTERNATIONAL BODIES
1917-28 (bulk 1917-25)
74 lin. ft.
120.14.1 Records of the Supreme War Council
History: Established at the Rapallo Conference, November 7, 1917, by representatives of Great Britain, France, and Italy; U.S. participation began 10 days later. Prepared policy recommendations concerning conduct of the war.
Textual Records: Minutes, records of the American Section, and historical files, 1917-19.
Microfilm Publications: M923.
120.14.2 Records of the American Section of the Military Board of
Allied Supply (MBAS)
History: MBAS established at the suggestion of General Pershing and General Purchasing Agent Brig. Gen. Charles G. Dawes to ensure Allied logistic cooperation. Initial meeting, June 28, 1918. Prepared comparative studies concerning Allied and German logistic practices, 1919-22.
Textual Records: Minutes of MBAS and its editorial subcommittee, 1918-22. Correspondence, 1918-28, with registers. Miscellaneous administrative records, 1918-25. Studies and reports on transportation and supply problems, 1918-19. Records collected in studying German logistic practices, 1919-21. Preliminary and final drafts, 1924-25, of the MBA's final report, a comparative study of Allied logistic practices.
120.14.3 Records of the American Military Mission at British
General Headquarters
Textual Records: Correspondence of American officers attached to British Expeditionary Forces (BEF) headquarters, 1917-19. Reports of American casualties with the BEF, 1918-19.
120.14.4 Records of the American Military Mission at French
General Headquarters
Textual Records: Correspondence with AEF General Headquarters, 1917-19, and with French General Headquarters, 1918-19.
120.14.5 Records of the American Military Mission to Italy
Textual Records: Correspondence and reports, 1917-19.
120.14.6 Records of the American Section of the Permanent
International Armistice Commission (PIAC)
History: PIAC composed of American, British, French, Belgian, and German officers. Proposed measures for the execution of Armistice terms that concerned repatriating Allied civilians and war prisoners, protecting civilians and civil and military property in areas evacuated by the Germans, maintaining communications and transportation facilities, and delivering German war materials, locomotives, rolling stock, and trucks.
Textual Records: Daily PIAC minutes, minutes and other records of PIAC subcommittees, and Prisoner of War Subcommittee minutes and bulletins, 1918-19. Records of the American commissioner to the Inter-Allied Commission on the Repatriation of Prisoners of War, 1918-19. Final PIAC report, 1919. Correspondence, 1918-19, and telegrams, 1919, of the American section and representative. Correspondence of the Belgian, 1918-20, and British and French, 1918-19, sections. Correspondence of American troop detachments at prisoner-of-war camps, concerning Russian war prisoners and war prisoner repatriation, 1919. Records of the U.S. Military Mission to Berlin, including headquarters correspondence, Medical Department records, the final report of the Chief of Mission, and medical detachment inspection reports, 1919.
120.14.7 Records of the American Commission to Negotiate Peace
History: Organized by President Wilson, 1918, to represent the United States at the Paris Peace Conference.
Textual Records: Reports concerning European countries submitted to the commission by consuls and military attaches, 1919. Special commission orders, 1919. Daily reports from GHQ G-2-B to Gen. Tasker H. Bliss, correspondence and orders of the commission's headquarters battalion, and other reports, 1918-19.
Related Records: Records of the American Commission to Negotiate Peace, RG 256.
120.15 CARTOGRAPHIC RECORDS (GENERAL)
1848-1924 (bulk 1917-19)
15,168 items
Maps: Miscellaneous operations; frontline; area and boundary; order of battle; artillery and antiaircraft; road, railroad, and bridge; enemy information; occupation; and related maps, 1918-19 (2,858 items). Belgian maps, 1911-20 (478 items). British maps, 1909-19 (1,720 items). French maps, 1884-1924 (5,870 items). Italian maps, 1895-1919 (541 items). Austro-Hungarian Empire maps, 1894-1917 (134 items). German maps, 1848-1920 (3,324 items). Maps of Siberia, 1918-19 (27 items). Commercially published maps of Europe, 1917-23 (56 items). Organization and statistical charts relating to the AEF, 1917-22 (60 items). Related records, including maps, indexes, card files, lists, and studies, 1918-20 (100 items).
SEE Maps UNDER 120.2.1, 120.3.1-120.3.5, 120.4.1, 120.4.2, 120.5.1, 120.5.3, 120.6, 120.7.5-120.7.8, 120.8.1, 120.8.3, 120.9.1-120.9.4, and 120.11.1. SEE Architectural and Engineering Plans UNDER 120.4.5 and 120.7.7. SEE Aerial Photographs UNDER 120.3.2, 120.4.1, and 120.5.1.
Finding Aids: Franklin W. Burch, comp., Preliminary Inventory of the Cartographic Records of the American Expeditionary Forces, 1917-21, PI 165 (1966).
120.16 STILL PICTURES (GENERAL)
1915-20
4,759 images
Photographic Prints (4,640 images): Recipients of Allied valor awards, 1917-19 (AC, 1,688 images). Training program of the 116th Engineers, in album, by Capt. H.B. Boise, 1918 (HB, 383 images). Quartermaster oil and gasoline storage facilities in France and Belgium, in album, 1918-19 (GO, 49 images). Areas of France and Belgium occupied by American troops, taken under supervision of Capt. T.J. Griffin, 1918-19 (G, 2,262 images). Effects of Allied bombing, 1915-18 (AB, 190 images). AEF Memorial Day ceremonies in France, 1920 (AEFC, 68 images).
Glass Negatives (42 images): Inter-Allied marksmanship competition, Belgium, 1919 (RPM).
Posters (77 images): Miscellaneous World War I recruiting, conservation, and propaganda posters, ca. 1915-19 (WP).
SEE Photographic Prints UNDER 120.3.5 and 120.5.1.
Bibliographic note: Web version based on Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States. Compiled by Robert B. Matchette et al. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995.
3 volumes, 2428 pages.
This Web version is updated from time to time to include records processed since 1995.
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