El Buscaderos-Cowboy Action Shooting-Feature

On March 9 1916, the Mexican outlaw, Pancho Villa, attacked Columbus, New Mexico, killing several U.S. soldiers and civilians. The next day Brigadier General John J. ("Black Jack") Pershing was directed to launch an attack into northern Mexico to capture and punish Villa. To support the so-called Punitive Expedition, he looked to the Quartermaster Corps, and the creation of the Army’s first motorized truck companies.

Even though the European armies were already employing thousands of trucks in World War I, the U.S. Army only had about 100 vehicles, located at widely scattered posts and depots throughout the country. On March 14, 1916 the Quartermaster General purchased 54 one-and-a-half ton trucks from The White Motor Company in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Jeffery Truck Company in Kenosha, Wisconsin. They left the Great Lakes region on a special southbound freight train on the 16th, and arrived at El Paso on March 18th, having covered 1,500 miles in 48 hours. The trucks were loaded and crossed the border into Mexico that same night. From March to July 1916, QM Truck Companies delivered over 4,000 tons of supplies and hundreds of troops to Pershing’s mobile force and in the process revolutionized the U.S. Army’s transport.

All totaled, the Quartermaster Corps bought 544 trucks - 13 different types from 8 different manufacturers. This created tremendous problems for supply ranging from repair to supplying the proper spare parts. Finding competent drivers was a serious problem. QM personnel had never driven a vehicle, and QM sergeants were old timers who refused to do 'jobs beneath their dignity’. Civilian drivers from Jeffery and White were hired to man Truck Companies No. 1 and 2. Many of the civilians were poorly qualified and did not know how to live in the field.

General Pershing's men were the first forces to use the motorized vehicle in wartime. Secretary of War Newton Baker recognized that "the development of the motor truck, able to traverse wild, unbroken country, transport soldiers and their supplies, will be evolved into a sounder foundation for subsequent use by the Army." Army tests concluded that while escort wagons and pack animals were still important for direct support, the makeup of Army transport had radically changed.

A young 2^nd Lieutenant pestered General Pershing for two days before the General finally relented and allowed the Lieutenant George Smith Patton Jr. to join his staff. Patton will distinguish himself when leading a small contingent they run into several of Villa’s henchmen. Returning fire, Patton will kill one of the bandits. Pershing was pleased with Patton who he called “the Bandit” and promoted him to first lieutenant. To his wife he wrote, “You are probably wondering if my conscience hurts me for killing a man. It does not. I feel about it the same as I did when I got my swordfish: surprised at my luck”.

In addition many young officers who gained prominence later were stationed along the border. Matthew B. Ridgeway was a 2nd Lieutenant serving at Eagle Pass, Texas. Lucian K. Truscott was a 2nd Lieutenant with the 17th Cavalry at Douglas, Arizona. Jonathan M. Wainwright was a Captain with the 1st Cavalry. William J. "Wild Bill" Donovan served with the NY National Guard. Leslie J. McNair served with Pershing. George C. Marshall was a 1st Lieutenant with the18th Infantry

Villa was neither captured nor killed but his forces were scattered he became much less of a threat to the border and U.S. citizens. The Expedition was declared a success and the troops were withdrawn in February 1917. Diplomatic negotiations eventually restored relations with the new Mexican government.