The Black Cats of Amherst

The Black Cats of Amherst is the story of a World War I ambulance unit that was formed in Amherst, Massachusetts in June of 1917, a few months after the United States joined the war. They trained in Allentown, Pennsylvania and sailed to France in August. Driving Fiats and Ford Model T trucks, they served with several French army divisions during the last year of the war. They used a black cat as their unit symbol and attributed their good luck to it (only one man was wounded, and he recovered after a short hospital stay). The unit was awarded two Croix de Guerre medals by the French, and many of the men earned individual Croix de Guerre medals. The multiple awards entitled them to wear the prestigious fourragère when they returned home in April of 1919. Building on diaries, letters, and other accounts, The Black Cats of Amherst tells their story. Photographs, maps, and drawings provide additional perspective.