US military & Czech Legion cooperation

[Bob Hudson]

I have to admit that until recently I had never heard of the Czech Legion, let alone had any notion that they received support from the US government.

 

That is until I acquired a postcard postmarked from the US AEF Sibera Postal Agency, written in Czech to someone in San Diego. I had thought that it was a US soldier who spoke Czech sending a postcard to a family member in California. The some forum members jumped in and suggested it might be a Czech Legion member using the US Army postal service: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...showtopic=72637

 

Here's the back of the card - it not only has the US postmark, but the AEF Siberia censor stamp as well:

 

 

Well, a couple of days ago the guy who sold be the postcard shows up with a photo he found while continuing to clean out his storage space, and on this back it says:

 

 

Camp Kearny was in San Diego and much of it is now the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (formerly the home of Top Gun school when it was a Navy base).

 

I must say that if was surprised that Czech soldiers in post-WWI Russia might have used the US Army postal system, I was shocked to learn that some of the them had been transported to the US and marched in review in San Diego and part of a journey someone described as "going from Ukraine to Czechoslovakia through Mexico and San Diego." (plot that one on a globe for a real perspective on taking the long way home).

 

A government official addressing a US Congressional hearing on WWI expenditures told Congress, "Most of this took place when I was in Europe, and when I came back I found it had been agreed that a thousand of them— substantially 1.000 or 1.200—should land near Camp Kearny, rest there after the trans-Pacific journey for a few days, until they recovered—and many of them are sick, as I stated—and then they could go on to Hampton Roads and then be sent on Army transports to a French port. The British authorities will transport the balance."

 

A google search easily turns up information on the Czech Legion. Here's a nice capsule history: http://militaryhistory.suite101.com/articl...legion_19171920

 

It appears that a major reason for the AEF Siberian expedition was to assist the Czech Legion in getting out of Russia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Expe...y_Force_Siberia and as shown by the Camp Kearny photo and even the postcard, the US Army provided hands-on assistance.

 

What other kind of assistance was rendered in Siberia and further west when the Czech's broke away from Austro Hungarian Empire and fought on the side of the allies? Was there equipment and financial assistance, for instance, and did the Czechs take part in operations under US command?

 

I will open up the field to discussion of this as it is clear that the relief (or "rescue" as some put it) of the Czech Legion was a US military mission. The forum has quite a lot of posts about the "things" of the AEF Siberia, but not much about the "why" of this little-known chapter in US military history. If you have anything to shed more light on US involvement, please post it or link to it.

[Salvage Sailor]

Aloha,

 

The ordeal of the Czech Legion in 1918-1919 is a story of epic proportions. The dispatch of the AEF to Siberia was absolutely due to the necessity of the Czech Legion transiting to Vladivostok along the rail line. The AEF was posted along the trans-siberian raliway line, with their Japanese allies (another little known footnote of the Great War), to keep the rails open for the Legion.

 

A few years ago, prompted by an exhibit of original Czech Legion artifacts & documents, I conducted a study group which discussed this campaign in detail. It is primarily the story of Admiral Kolchak & his alliance with Woodrow Wilson in the face of the Bolshevik Revolution.

 

It was due to the intervention in Siberia during 1918-1920 that the 27th Regiment received the monkier "The Wolfhounds".

 

A good but brief overview of this campaign is found on this webpage:

 

The 27th Infantry in Siberia

[Bob Hudson]

A good but brief overview of this campaign is found on this webpage:

 

The 27th Infantry in Siberia

 

Thanks for that link.

 

I am still amazed at the idea that a portion of this ad-hoc Czech-Slovak army was routed through San Diego after their battles in WWI and the Russian Revolution. Is this perhaps the only time the United States brought a foreign army to the US? (well besides the WWII POW's and foreign officers training with the US militARY...).

 

Here's excerpts from a July 1919 New York Times article in which Secretary of War Newton D. Baker is grilled by a Congressional committee, some of whose members want to know if the Czechs were given transports to the US ahead of American troops. In another part of the article, Baker is asked whether the Czech transport was a humanitarian or military mission? He responds with, "You can't tell the difference between the two nowadays."

 

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

Somehow I forgot to include the image of the Czech Legion at Camp Kearny. In looking at this it amazes me to see a foreign Army marching in review in the US in the 20th century. Can anyone think of other instances where that has happened?

 

 

 

[Camp_Kearny]

I saw this photo on E-Bay and it was a little too rich for my blood, but I would have loved to get my hands on it. As far as foreign soldiers in the United States, I can think of a couple of examples, the French component of the Siberian Expedition came through San Francisco prior to the US troops being brought home. Also during WWII, the Australian Forestry Corps was sent back to Australia from Scotland through the United States. I also believe a battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were brought back to Britain from Jamaica through New Orleans. I have also seen quite a few documents from the Royal Navy picking up ships in the United States during WWII.

[Bob Hudson]

I finally got around to scanning the other photos I have of the Czech Legion in San Diego in 1919.

 

 

 

 

 

[Camp_Kearny]

Two of my favorite subjects, AEF Siberia and Camp Kearny. Those are great photos. When I check out the new San Diego Central Public Library, I might search the Union or Tribune archives for July 1919 for articles about the Czechs being at Camp Kearny. Not sure if the California Room has reopened at the Central Library.

[Bob Hudson]

Two of my favorite subjects, AEF Siberia and Camp Kearny. Those are great photos. When I check out the new San Diego Central Public Library, I might search the Union or Tribune archives for July 1919 for articles about the Czechs being at Camp Kearny. Not sure if the California Room has reopened at the Central Library.

 

I imagine these may be some of the only original photos of the Legion at Camp Kearny. I think may have one or two other such photos somewhere. I have been digging through piles and piles of photos this past week, so I am sure I may come upon it yet.

 

I looked through a couple of paid newspaper archives online and haven't found much, certainly nothing there with a photo.