Jean Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, Comte de Rochambeau, known simply as "Rochambeau," was born in Vendôme, France on July 1, 1725. Rochambeau was a French nobleman and a general in the French Army. He served in several wars, including the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War. Rochambeau is most well-known amongst Americans, however, for his service during the American Revolutionary War. Commander-in-Chief of the French Expeditionary Force, Rochambeau came to America in 1780 with over 7,000 French troops and joined forces with George Washington's Continental Army. Rochambeau was important in several battles, including the Battle of the Chesapeake and the Siege of Yorktown. Rochambeau and his forces were instrumental in General Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown. Rochambeau is celebrated to this day as an American war hero, being commemorated by several U.S. presidents, including Theodore Roosevelt and Barrack Obama.