Just before breakfast on the morning of March 4, Private
Albert Gitchell of the U.S. Army reported to the hospital at
Fort Riley, Kansas, complaining of the cold-like symptoms
of sore throat, fever and headache. Soon after, over 100
of his fellow soldiers had reported similar symptoms,
marking what are believed to be the first cases in the
historic influenza pandemic of 1918, later known as
Spanish flu.

The flu would eventually kill 675,000 Americans and an
estimated 20 million to 50 million people around the world, proving to be a far deadlier force than even the First World
War.