American Field Service Medal at the Sons of Liberty Museum
Closeup of the AFS medal.
The American Field Service Medal commemorates the service of volunteers who served with the American Field Service (AFS) ambulance corps during World War I. Before the United States officially entered the war, American volunteers provided crucial medical transport support to French forces on the Western Front.
The American Field Service was a volunteer ambulance corps that operated from 1914 to 1917, composed primarily of American college students and graduates. These volunteers served alongside French forces before the United States entered World War I in April 1917.
Nearly 2,500 AFS volunteers operated ambulances in direct support of French combat divisions during the war. These volunteers transported wounded soldiers from front-line positions to field hospitals, often working under perilous conditions and heavy fire. Their humanitarian service represented a significant American contribution to the Allied war effort before official U.S. military involvement.
The American Field Service Medal was awarded to volunteers who served with distinction in the ambulance corps. This medal recognizes the courage, dedication, and humanitarian service of Americans who aided Allied forces during one of history's most devastating conflicts.
This American Field Service Medal is part of the Sons of Liberty Museum collection and represents an important chapter in American military and humanitarian history.