Which branch of the U.S. military did F. Scott Fitzgerald serve in?

F. Scott Fitzgerald served in the U.S. Army. He left Princeton University in 1917 and enlisted during World War I, receiving a commission as a second lieutenant.

Fitzgerald trained at several Army camps, including Camp Sheridan near Montgomery, Alabama. Although he hoped to fight in Europe, the war ended before he was sent overseas. His military service nevertheless changed his life: while stationed in Alabama, he met Zelda Sayre, the woman who later became his wife and a major influence on his writing.

A common mix-up is assuming Fitzgerald served in the Navy because he was associated with the sea and naval imagery in some literary discussions, or in the Marines because of his officer status. In fact, he was an Army officer assigned to infantry units. His wartime experience also shaped his first novel, This Side of Paradise, whose success launched his literary career in 1920.