13
Private Albert Gitchell, a US soldier, marked the beginning of the Spanish Flu pandemic as the first documented military case on 4 March 1918. This outbreak subsequently escalated into a global pandemic that claimed the lives of an estimated 20 million to 50 million individuals.
Shortly after Gitchell’s illness was noted, numerous other soldiers stationed at the same base in Kansas began experiencing similar symptoms, including a runny nose, a sore throat, and profound fatigue.
As the pandemic progressed, American soldiers deployed on the battlefields of World War I played a crucial role in spreading the virus to Europe, facilitating its rapid transmission across nations.