Trivia: What nickname was given to American troops serving in World War I?
G.I. Joes
Uncle Sams
Grunts
Doughboys
Correct Answer: Doughboys
So why is this answer correct? : The “Doughboys” nickname for U.S. soldiers likely predates WWI; it’s believed it originated with the American soldiers who fought in Mexico against the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa in 1916. Soldiers’ uniforms were often covered in white dust from clay adobe homes, spawning the nickname “dobies.” Many of these same troops served in Europe during World War I, and the moniker traveled with them overseas.