The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #140787 Message #3237374
Posted By: Q (Frank Staplin)
11-Oct-11 - 04:12 PM
Thread Name: BS: Columbus Day
Subject: RE: BS: Columbus Day
Don't forget Columbus, New Mexico. Pancho Villa and est. 500 troops raided the town on March 9, 1916. One-half of Villistas were casualties, and 16 Americans were killed.
General Pershing headed an expeditionary force of 10,000 into Mexico, but never caught up with Pancho. In all, 20,000 men gained experience in the fiasco er- foray. The force was notable for using trucks and motorcycles bought in El Paso, and a new tank or two, the first time mechanized vehicles were used in combat. The railroad station, the object of the Villistas' incursion, is now a museum.
Brief account- http://www.southernnewmexico.com/Articles/Southwest/Luna/Columbus/ColumbusNewMexico-PanchoV.html (or google Columbusnm)