capturing cattle rustlers and thieves, and protecting settlers,
stagecoaches, wagon trains and railroad crews. They set a pattern
of outstanding African-American service in the Army that has
endured to the present, e.g., with the 9th and 10th Cavalry and
24th and 25th Infantry Regiments in the Spanish-American War
and the Tuskegee Airmen of WWII fame.
The almost constant campaigning in the late 1800s enabled
the Army to build a solid corps of seasoned regular soldiers and
officers that augured well for future operations. But it endured
obstacles along the way, such as reorganizations in 1878 and
1898 that impacted its numbers and funding.
Meanwhile, wars continued all over the globe that required
the Army’s participation. The United States was extending its
influence across the world as the 20th century began. That put
additional stress on the Army’s resources. Then, as now, one war
followed another or occurred simultaneously. The century began
with the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902) and the concomitant
Tuskegee Airmen
Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901). These proved to be warm-ups for
what was to come.
In 1907, the Army was operating at a maximum strength of 66,385.
Most of the soldiers were cavalry or infantry. But society was
advancing technologically. The Army had to keep pace. In 1911, it
assigned its first pilots to aeronautical duty with the Signal Corps.
That marked a major step forward in Army history, especially as its
next war was only seven years away and air combat would become
a reality. The army would need far more than 66,385 soldiers then.
To raise the needed troops the US introduced a military draft. The
Army’s historic focus on training dating back to 1800 paid off. In
early 1918, there were 85,000 US troops in France, most of them
provided by the Army. The deployment was inhibited by delays
and confusion at the onset. By September that year, there were
1,200,000 there under the command of another Army legend,
General John J. (Black Jack) Pershing. The Army had demonstrated
a proficiency in raising, training, and deploying large numbers
58 ARMY 245: Call to Duty