Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-28
HOW MARINES
WENT TO WAR
Impressive Scene Marked
Departure From Philadel-
phia Navy Yard
EAGER FOR THE FRAY

EAGEh run llLH
The departure Of the United states
marines now in France from this city for
the battlefelds Of Europe on Saturday
afternoon June 9, was one of the most i'm
presslve scenes ever witnessed at the Phil
adelphia navy yard.
Drawn up in double file along Broad
street. from a point a few yards WITHIN
the gate 20 the commandants building, the
men stood st attention while Major Cen
eral Barnett. commander OF the marine
corps. and his stan, including Brigadier
General L. w. T. Waller, General Lajeune
and Colonel Long reviewed them
General Barnett and his stan walked down
the line. The formers face was drawn
slightly and despite his efforts to remain
stole tears were seen 20 come TO his eyes.
Upon his return to the commandant's build
ing General Barnett addressed the officers
and men
1T it needless for me to say that you
men will give a good account of your
selves" he said. you have proved your
steel in many other emergencies; you are
veterans upon whom dependence can be
placed with the utmost confidence. 1 am
proud Of you and you have every reason
to be proud Of yourselves l have come here
to wish you godspeed You are the first to
go to the succor of our allies, but you
will he joined shortly by many others. We
expect Of you to give as good account of
yourselves as you have in the past"
The men were visibly affected by their
commanders words, and when the command
given for them to proceed toward the
gate many were seen to brush away the
tears which had moistened their eyes,
AN IMPRESSIVE BODY
Except to say that there were hundreds
and hundreds Of these soldiers Of the sea"
who left this city, it is not considered fitting
at this time TO give exact figures. The fact
remains. however. that a more representa-
tive body Of American manhood, that which
personifles the highest ideals for which this
country has become famous, made up this
first contingent Of Uncle Sans fighting
forces which are now in France prepared
to uphold their Government IN its battle for
democracy
With few exceptions. this fighting force
which left League Island was made up of
veterans; men who are not strangers to the
heat Of battle; men who know what It is to
be under fire" Trench warfare, as fought
in Europe, may have some new wrinkles in
store for these men, but when It comes TO
hand.to-hand fighting they are past.masters
at the art. Without mentioning the names
OF the regiment or regiments, 1t is enough
to state that these are the same men who
crushed revolutions in Haiti, Nicaragua,
Cuba, Santo Domingo and other turbulent
regions, These are the same men who
landed at Vera Cruz under a heavy fire, and
as has so often been reported as to become
n HNha "A aTi 10
mentioned, soon had the situation well in
hand"
Some Of these sea soldiers were brought
to League Island from the Marine Depot at
Port Royal. South Carolina, on transports.
These men arrived at the yard at IL so
o'clock on June 9. They were Joined by the
forces in the yard. reviewed. and were on
their way to France at 1877 o'clock. The
dispatch with which the men were sent on
their journey was revelation.
WOMEN WEEP AS MEN MARCH
As the men marched through the gate
leading out of the yard the Marine Band
struck up a lively march. Outside the gate
a number of women were gathered Whether
they had hint that their sons husbands
or syyeethearts, as the case happened to be, |
were about to go away or were there only
by coincidence is problematical, No
sooner had the men filed outside the gate,
however, than these women burst forth In
a chorus Of sobs.
one woman, probably more emotional
than her sister, dashed up to the line Of
soldiers throwing her arms about the neck !
of a young giant. cxclaiming, "Oh, my boy |
why are they sending you away" With |
out the slightest sign of emotion, the SOL |
der disentangled himself from his mothers |
grasp. kissed her a fond good-by and |
quickly coming to attention, said TO her. |
Mother you know | am only doing my |
duty"
The men boarded trains which had been |
hauled along the siding just outside the |
navy yard on the west side of Broad street |
Some of the men scrawled the words, ION |
TO France" along the side OF the cars with |
white chalk The discovery of this by the |
officers resulted in an order for its eradica- |
tion. Consequently the men rubbed out the |
words as best they could with cotton waste |
obtained from the car journals.
One OF the most peculiar things incident |
to the arrival and departure OF this fight |
ing force from the navy yard was the fact |
that the men never once broke ranks.
CHEERS LACKING AT DEPARTURE |
In striking contrast to the departure of
troops from this city in the past was this
smooth machine-like leave-taking Of United
States marines from League Island for
Somewhere in France"
The great multtudes lining the thoroRh- |
fares through which the departing troops |
marched before entraininE for their des- |
tinatlon in the past, sending up mighty |
chorus Of cheers for their heroes were con-
spicuous by their absence.
These soldiers did not march through
streets bedeCked with flags, or lined with
grams stand" instead their path led them
by sSaber looking warships Of ashen gray
whose guns, as we'll as every object within
the scope of the eye. bespoke grim warfare
The steady tap-tap of the pneumatic ham
mer, the familiar buzz of a circular saw.
the grinding sound of wheels Of number
less vehicles, and a general routine of ac-
tivity' such as has never before been ex-
perienced within the confines OF that great
naval base; this was the only farewell
Philadelphia accorded these brave soldiers
upon their departure. New warfare and NOT
new ideas however, brought about this con-
dition' or course the men appreciated this
fact They knew full well that grast
demonstration would have been given In