ww ii

[nedflanders]

When did american troops actually first engage German troops? Was it not until June 6 1944 or was there any major clashes before this?

[Octavius]

June 1918 ?

[Octavius]

Sorry I misread the Q.

American troops were involved in the Dieppe Raid which was August 1942.

[kempie]

As Octavius states, the Dieppe Raid (Operation Jubilee) included 50 US Army Rangers distributed among British Commando units to gain battle experience, and were to suffer the first American land casualties of the war in Europe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieppe_Raid

In November of 1942 sizeable numbers of US troops made up the invasion force for Operation Torch, an Anglo-American invasion of northwestern Africa.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Torch

[Clanad]

Additionally, The Allied invasion of Sicily began on the night of the July 9-10 July 1943 and involved, along with the Brits, the U.S. 7th Army ... General George Patton played a key role in the successful invasion...

[maxximus]

lucky luciano played the key role in the invasion of sicily, patton it would appear, got all the credit.

[Bigun1_6605]

Actually the earliest combat with Germany occurred in the spring/summer 1941. Roosevelt and Hitler's undeclared naval war. Our destroyers escorted Britian's convoys to Iceland. The DD Kearney was shot at (torpedo missed), the DD Geer was hit (made it to Iceland) and the DD Ruben James was sunk. These are the earliest I can find, though some US merchantment were sunk in 1939/40/41.

I dispute the answer prior to this about "Lucky Luciano's" help at Sicily. Montgomery was the overall commander, Patton ran the 7th Army. 'Lucky's' help was confined to the NY Docks (if indeed we got any help at all).

[kempie]

Bigun1_6605 - although you are correct with your accounts of military engagements between US and German personnel prior to 1942, the term "troops" generally signifies ground forces rather than those of the Navy (or Air Force).

This is an extract from the German Declaration of War against the US - December 11, 1941...

"On September 11, 1941, the President of the United States publicly declared that he had ordered the American Navy and Air Force to shoot on sight at any German war vessel. In his speech of October 27, 1941, he once more expressly affirmed that this order was in force. Acting under this order, vessels of the American Navy, since early September 1941, have systematically attacked German naval forces. Thus, American destroyers, as for instance the Greer, the Kearny and the Reuben James, have opened fire on German submarines according to plan. The Secretary of the American Navy, Mr. Knox, himself confirmed that American destroyers attacked German submarines.

Furthermore, the naval forces of the United States, under order of their Government and contrary to international law have treated and seized German merchant vessels on the high seas as enemy ships."

[Scylax]

Kempie's answer was as near as possible to answering this question about a major land confrontation between US forces and Germans. The Kasserine Pass is a battle best
forgotten if you are a Yank.