Original U.S. WWI French Army Volunteer Ambulance Services Sanitary Section 623 (Section 65) Croix de Guerre with Citation

Original Item: Only One Available. While the United States remained a neutral power up to April 1917, American volunteers contributed a total of over 3,500 personnel to ambulance work between 1914 and 1917, primarily serving with the French army. Three principal ambulance corps were involved: the American Field Service, the Harjes Formation, and the ‘Anglo-American’ Corps. Around one-third went on to serve in the American Expeditionary Force and other Allied armies and air services. The Croix de guerre 1914–1918 is a French military decoration, the first version of the Croix de Guerre. It was created to recognize French and allied soldiers who were cited for valorous service during World War I, similar to the British mentioned in dispatches but with multiple degrees equivalent to other nations' decorations for courage. Soon after the outbreak of World War I, French military officials felt that a new military award had to be created. At that time, the Citation du jour ("Daily Citation")