User:Gaarmyvet/sandbox 2

History
The 11th Engineer Regiment (Railway) was constituted as the First Reserve Engineer Regiment on March 19, 1917. On May 14, 1917, Lieutenant Colonel Charles H. McKinstry was ordered to expeditiously organize the unit at Fort Totten, New York. (McKinstry was promoted to colonel on May 15, 1917.) The regiment was re-designated as the First Engineer Regiment on June 9, 1917. Finally, the regiment was designated as the 11th Engineer Regiment (Railway) on July 10, 1917.

The 11th Engineers were transported from the U.S. to France between July 14 and August 8, 1917. The regiment was assigned the function of standard railway construction. On November 30, 1917, troops of the 11th Engineers were constructing rail lines in the vicinity of Cambrai, France. During a German counteroffensive in the Battle of Cambrai, the troops came under fire in the villages of Fins and Gouzeaucourt. The Americans joined the British 20th Division and remained with that division until the end of the battle. The 11th Engineers were the first American unit to engage in combat in World War I.

Honors and legacy
The regiments lineage is maintained by the 11th Engineer Battalion.