With the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria in 1914, Europe plunged into war. Prior to the United States official declaration of war in 1917, many Hoosiers volunteered to serve with foreign armies, sometimes as part of civilian organization.  One of the most well-known groups, the American Ambulance Field Service which served in France and Italy, was founded by Abram Piatt Andrew who grew up in LaPorte.

      Indiana had several "firsts" during the First World War.  The first shot fired by the American army was fired by an artillery battery commanded by Sergeant Alexander Arch (South Bend).  The first ace of the American air service was Paul F. Baer (Fort Wayne). Unfortunately, a Hoosier was also the first casualty of the American army in WWI.  James B. Gresham (Evansville) was killed when the trench he was in was attacked by the Germans.  Three Americans including Gresham were killed, five wounded and twelve taken prisoner.  

      Indiana sent more than 130,000 of its citizens to the battlefields during World War I. More than 3,000 of them died, not only in battle, but of influenza or pneumonia.