U.S. Romanian's who joined up in the U.S.A. to fight in W.W. 1. Largest Ethnic Group

[Connaught Ranger]

Recently while doing some research I came across the following comment posted on a Romanian site with regards Romanian's from the U.S. who joined the U.S. military to fight in World War 1.

http://www.worldwar2.ro/forum/index.php?showtopic=4424

In 1917, a battalion of Romanian American Volunteers was formed in Youngstown, Ohio, by Dean (protopop) Ioan Podea. There is a reference to it at this link.

http://smroc.link2net.net/history.html

(Not working)

Adresându-se atunci oficial Ligii, congresmanul american Cooper arăta că "… românii din America, în proporţie cu numărul lor, au dat Statelor Unite mai mulţi soldaţi decât oricare alt popor din America. Jertfa acestor voluntari - a mai spus el - nu este a noastră, ci a neamului românesc, în primul rând".

1. American officials acknowledged that Americans of Romanian origin " provided the largest contingent of the American army in WW1", considering the ratio of Romanians agains total American population.

NOTE :- C.R. Quote and Italics.

See confirmation on this site

http://www.crisana.ro/stiri/reportaj...uri-40781.html

(Senator Cooper also said that their sacrifice is not America's, but of the Romanian people, first of all).

And

The largest Romanian community was in Ohio state. I. Podea, the "protopope" (head of Romanian priests in Ohio, later became a bishop), suceeded in 1917 to set up the Battery 112, 100% Romanian. Cpt. A. S. Pielon, commander of the company that included Battery 112, wrote to Podea and thanked for the help in setting up the company. Three weeks later, col. Weybrecht, commander of Regiment 10 Ohio also thanked to Podea as his officers reported "to my joy, that Romanians answered everywhere to the call to arms " (volunteers), that contributed to the State of Ohio "to be among the first American states also as regards organization of the war army".

1917 - this means BEFORE Pershing's expeditionary forces landed in France ! Congratulations, Romania !

While not wishing to tarnish or demean the service of the brave men who joined and fought in the service of the United States military in World War 1 something about the Romanian's being the largest ethnic group who joined up does not quite ring true.

The poster above in quotes seems to have jumped the gun in a rush of National Pride.

I have seen a period postcard showing a company of U.S. troops divided by their nationality including Romanians.

Connaught Ranger

[SkyUS]

Hmm... Can you post some stats?

I know that there were about 23k of Polish Americans who joined up Haller's Army and fought for Poland in WW1.

The first units were formed after the signing of a 1917 alliance by French President Raymond Poincaré and the Polish statesman Ignacy Jan Paderewski. A majority of recruits were either Poles serving in the French army, or former prisoners of war from the German and Austro-Hungarian imperial armies (approximately 35,000 men). An additional 23,000 were Polish Americans. Other Poles flocked to the army from all over the world as well — these units included recruits from the former Russian Expeditionary Force in France and the Polish diaspora in Brazil (more than 300 men).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Army_(Poland)


This seems to be quite common at the time for the newly emigrated people to return from USA to their old countires and fight during both World Wars.

[Connaught Ranger]

Hmm... Can you post some stats?

I know that there were about 23k of Polish Americans who joined up Haller's Army and fought for Poland in WW1.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Army_(Poland)


This seems to be quite common at the time for the newly emigrated people to return from USA to their old countires and fight during both World Wars.

With regards the Romanians, my question has to do with them (Romanians) enlisting in the U.S. military and the claim that they were the largest ethnic body to do so (which I find very doubtful). Not only did the U.S. enter into the war at a very late stage, but the kingdom of Romania did not participate in hostilities until 1916, so there were no large troop or male passenger movements from the USA going to Romania which was virtually land-locked as the Turks controlled the Bosporus to the Black Sea, the Western land approaches were blocked by the warring nations, and it would have taken to long to sail from the US to enter via Imperial Russia.

Connaught Ranger.

[baboon6]

With regards the Romanians, my question has to do with them (Romanians) enlisting in the U.S. military and the claim that they were the largest ethnic body to do so (which I find very doubtful). Not only did the U.S. enter into the war at a very late stage, but the kingdom of Romania did not participate in hostilities until 1916, so there were no large troop or male passenger movements from the USA going to Romania which was virtually land-locked as the Turks controlled the Bosporus to the Black Sea, the Western land approaches were blocked by the warring nations, and it would have taken to long to sail from the US to enter via Imperial Russia.

Connaught Ranger.

What number of Romanian-Americans were there at the time WW1 compared to say German-Americans, Irish-Americans or Italian-Americans? I would have thought a lot less than any of those groups. I do remember reading somewhere that almost 20% of US infantrymen in WW1 were Italian immigrants, don't know how accurate that figure is though.

[California Joe]

I would question those stats based on the sheer volume of immigrants of other nationalities that were in the US at the time or already serving... Like Baboon said, there were entire regiments of full blooded Italians and Irish already, maybe they meant recently off the boat? Like within 15 minutes of signing up? Given the gigantic immigrant communities it's rather hard to fathom....

[LineDoggie]

165th Infantry Regiment 69th New York predominently Irish and Irish American




A US Infantry Regiment of 3 battalions was 3,340 men strong.

In addition, many men of the 7th, 71st, 107th, 106th Regiments were Irish /Irish American in the New York national guard. so right there just with the 69th the number is larger than the Romanian claim.


Just my opinion, but I would wager Irish, German, Italian, British,were the largest nationalities represented in the AEF, though at what percentage I dont know.

[JUNKHO]

1. American officials acknowledged that Americans of Romanian origin " provided the largest contingent of the American army in WW1", considering the ratio of Romanians agains total American populatio

As previously stated, I'm not sure the ratio referenced (and I am not sure they mean Romanians already in the US or total Romanians in Romania) in bold could realistically be obtained to any degree of reliability.

[LineDoggie]

I remember reading somewhere the WWI US placement tests were given in 28 languages, also 160,000 Blacks served in the AEF

[JUNKHO]

My grandfather's last name, his great grandparent, is listed in Boston before the Revolution. He was in the AEF as a quartermaster/teamster working with mules and horses. Don't know that he could read or write any language. Pretty sure he identified himself as Irish.

I just don't know how this could have been measured in order to make any kind of claim.

[Connaught Ranger]

I am trying to get concrete statistics here, thats why I posted the thread in the first place.

Am I correct in assuming that the American military immediately prior to WW1 were mainly concentrated

along the Mexican Border and in oversea stations like the Philippines, I also believe they were ill equipped

with regards, transport ships, modern weapons, artillery, aircraft etc..etc.. in 1914

to engage in a European War (not beside the fact that many American politicians were against joining in as they believed it had nothing to do with them.)

And I doubt if there were any significant amounts of Romanian emigrating between 1914-early 1917 to have been recruited directly off the boats for two reasons:-

a, between 1914 and the date the U.S. went to war military recruiting was at a low in keeping with the times.

b, from 1916 Romania entered the war on the Allied side and would have been busy utilizing all available manpower for their own forces.

Outside of the above, I believe there was significant immigration from Romania post WW1.

Connaught Ranger.

[LineDoggie]

US Army 1916 Regulars 128,000
Crew Served Weapons
M1904 Maxims-287
M1895/1914 Browning Potato Digger-? less than 600 in service in a mish mash of calibers (6mm Navy, 7X57 Mauser,.30-40 Krag, .30-03, .30-06)
M1909 Hotchkiss Portative- 670

Later
M1915 Vickers-12,125(7,653 sent to france with AEF)
Mle. 1914 Hotchkiss-5,255

Modern Artillery
2.95"QF Mountain gun- 132 (most purchased during Phillipine campaign)
3" M1902/07- less than 500
4.7" M1906- Less than 500 Number 472 manufactured by Rock Island Arsenal in 1918


No Tanks
Air Service-55 Aircraft 26 qualified Pilots

Most Regulars in the PI or on the punitive expedition
National Guard federalized for Border Service saw little action but much training.

[cmc]

Considering the small number of Romanian immigrants to US (only 100 up to 1898 and less than 150000 until 1927 http://iuliumaniufoundation.org/rom_immigration.html ), I wouldn't be very surprised if percentage wise, romanians really were one of the largest ethnic group who joined up... especially considering that many of those that came up to 1898 had joined the army (same link)...

On the other hand, as I understand from the posted article, a big number of the volunteers(15000), signed up in late 1918... and I doubt many of them have actually seen combat...

[baboon6]

Considering the small number of Romanian immigrants to US (only 100 up to 1898 and less than 150000 until 1927 http://iuliumaniufoundation.org/rom_immigration.html ), I wouldn't be very surprised if percentage wise, romanians really were one of the largest ethnic group who joined up... especially considering that many of those that came up to 1898 had joined the army (same link)...

On the other hand, as I understand from the posted article, a big number of the volunteers(15000), signed up in late 1918... and I doubt many of them have actually seen combat...

Thanks that's the kind of info I was wondering about.