WWIS0003334-A

Mr. Sering enlisted in the Regular Army's 3d Cavalry Regiment in the summer of 1916, when it looked like that would be the quickest way to see action--in Mexico, not Europe. In fact, the entire regiment was transferred to Fort Sam Houston in March, 1917, in anticipation of further operations against Pancho Villa and other Mexican bandits. With the entry of the US into WWI on the Allied side in April, however, the 3d Cavalry was almost immediately sent overseas to establish and operate three remount depots. Never in combat, the Regiment was responsible for procuring horses and mules for the AEF. Once the American occupation forces in Germany ended their mission in 1919, the remaining animals were sold to French civilians (350,000 animals for a total of $52M). The regiment returned to the US from Brest on 4 July 1919. Unlike his brother Floyd, who left the Army that summer, Herbert opted to re-enlist in the Regular Army when his initial term of enlistment expired in December 1919.