- H ung arian ▁forces . ▁Late ▁in ▁the ▁war ▁American ▁units ▁also ▁fought ▁in ▁Si ber ia ▁and ▁North ▁Russia . ▁ ▁President ▁Wood row ▁Wilson ▁created ▁the ▁A EF ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁originally ▁appoint ing ▁Major ▁General ▁John ▁J . ▁Pers hing , ▁who ▁was ▁later ▁promoted ▁to ▁general , ▁as ▁commander . ▁B are ly ▁any ▁American ▁troops ▁were ▁sent ▁to ▁Europe ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁since ▁Pers hing ▁ordered ▁all ▁A EF ▁forces ▁to ▁be ▁well - tra ined ▁before ▁going ▁over se as . ▁ ▁The ▁tro op ▁ships ▁used ▁to ▁transport ▁the ▁A EF ▁were , ▁at ▁first , ▁any ▁ships ▁that ▁were ▁available . ▁Cru is ers , ▁German ▁ships ▁seized ▁by ▁the ▁Navy , ▁ships ▁borrow ed ▁from ▁the ▁Al lies , ▁and ▁many ▁other ▁ships ▁were ▁used ▁to ▁ship ▁troops ▁to ▁Europe ▁from ▁ports ▁in ▁New ▁York , ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁and ▁Virginia . ▁By ▁June ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁only ▁ 1 4 , 0 0 0 ▁soldiers ▁had ▁made ▁it ▁to ▁the ▁front ▁lines , ▁but ▁by ▁May ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁over ▁two ▁million ▁American ▁troops ▁had ▁reached ▁Europe , ▁with ▁around ▁half ▁of ▁them ▁on ▁the ▁front ▁lines . ▁ ▁The ▁A EF ▁helped ▁the ▁French ▁Army ▁on ▁the ▁Western ▁Front ▁during ▁the ▁A is ne ▁Off ensive ▁( at ▁Ch âteau - Th ier ry ▁and ▁Belle au ▁Wood ) ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 1 8 ,