A History of Troop A Cavalry, Connecticut National Guard and Its Service in the Great War as Co. D, 102d Machine Gun Battalion

The book opens by honoring a fallen captain and the men of Troop A, a Connecticut National Guard unit whose roots stretch back to an 1808 cavalry charter. It paints a vivid picture of a civic militia that once paraded in polished uniforms, escorted dignitaries, and served as a social hub for New Haven’s elite. The narrative then follows the unit’s slow transformation as automobiles replaced horses and the state capital moved, prompting a shift from ceremonial duties to a more serious military role.

As the United States entered the Great War, the troop traded their saddles for machine‑guns, undergoing rapid mobilization, intensive training, and an arduous journey across the Atlantic. The early chapters capture the anticipation and uncertainty of that transition, detailing the soldiers’ camaraderie, their first impressions of modern warfare, and the bittersweet mix of pride and fear that marked their arrival on French soil.