America was hesitant to participate in World War 1. In August 1914 when war broke out in Europe, President Woodrow Wilson issued a declaration of neutrality. America wanted to remain out of the war.

The U.S entered World War for several reasons. One was that the Germans said that there would be unlimited German submarine warfare. The second was the Zimmerman note. One of the worst incidents was the sinking of the Lusitania, which was a British luxury liner that the Germans sunk without first warning the ship.

The Germans had killed 128 Americans that we on the Lusitania. When the call for men to join the army was issued Henry Lipsitz was one of the young men that joined the army and wanted to defend his country. Henry Lipsitz was from Wisconsin Rapids. He was the son of Jacob Lipsitz. Henry was born in 1891, which made him 23 when the war started. He was with Company A in the Mexican Border Campaign.

As said in the History of the 127th Infantry. "It was the same mother that Company A ventured home from her border service that Hun U-boat warfare policy took bitter effect." Company A was mobilized on July 15, 1917. On September 24, 1917, the rest of the regiment was drafted into 127th U.S infantry. Company A was part of this regiment.

They got to camp Merit on January 28. There they learned the news that they would be going to France. They arrived into Brest Harbor on March 7,1918. They trained getting ready for their first big fight. On July 31st they made their first attack.

Libby Mingus-Grimes
East Junior High School