Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-09-12
AMERICAN ARMADA
SEEN DISSEMINATING
Sight of $4,000 Yankees Step.
ping Onto French Soil Was
Inspiring One,

4lSPAAAAS Vic,
American Port in Western France.
(by mail.)-An American Armada of
13 great transports bringing 36,0OD
fighting men to France had como
quietly into port during the night and
the landing of this little army was
Associated Press correspondent had
an opportunity to see the equipment
for this huge undertaking, and how thu
men had lived and Jared on their trip
across. L was a long. climb up tho
rope ladder to the deck OF q former
Ward liner rebuilt as a transport. Sob
diers packed the decks and were thick
as flies in every cabin, hatch and be-
tween decks down TO the very bowels
of the ship. The spacious promenade
deck had disappeared, and in its place
were long lines of "standees." or metal
hammocks, for The men sleep in the
open on deck as we'll as between decks.
The men looked web and the report
from the sick bay showed only six
cases Of sickness out of 5000 men
aboard. a very good showing, said tire
doctor. In the mess hall q relief Of
men were taking their breakfast. There
soon to begin.
Going on board the transports The
stood at high troughs. very clean and
very PRACTICAL, a man with his own
tin plate, knife, fork and spoon. tossing
off with relish the hot coffee and good
white bread and butter. We tasted this
bread and found 1t n revelation-realt
bread. SO different from the potato
bread we are used TO as war diet. And
real butter, n luxury for soldiers only,
which no one begrudged them.
Between decks tiny blue lights were
about with some degree Of freedom.
These are the only lights aboard, no.
lights on deck Of any kind to avoid
danger of fire. At night the men felt
their way about.
The living quarters between decks
aioat there was not a trace Of odor,
the floors were scrubbed and there was
no litter about. 1T would have cheered
the heart OF an exacting housekeeper.
The admiral says 1t is the cleanest
transport ~afloat," said tho naval or
ticer with as much pride in the record
as one IN craftsmanship. In the wash
rooms, the men were at long porce-
lain wash troughs. Everything showed
,lcient nayai management. In the
kitchen galley sayory dishes were be-
ing prepared, and in the bread making
plant the long line of ovens were
turning u stacks OF white bread for
these 5000 hearty eaters. This was q
meatless day, for civilians. but one Of
the negro cooks offered us a taste Of
the steaming meat curry, which would
have done credit to n Paris chef.
An exciting event Of the trip was
learned as we passed along. Most Of
the voyage had been uneventful. But,
nearing this side a lookout had sig
nailed the appearance Of q periscope.,
soon the deck guns got into action, and
Two depth charges We're dropped over
me spot where the p%eriscope was last
soon RnS fv1ntsn ~-n, ~ -, - -
hostile craft. If the depth charges took
effect they left no trace for there was
no wreckage on the water. Very soon
the incident had passed and some Of
the ships did not even know anything
unusual had occurred.
On the upper deck we saw the deadly
depth charges and the long toboggan
slide along which they are started on
taeir GRAND. The charges were in
metal cylinders the size of a cask, two
on each side ready to drop over.
Besides these the gunnery Officer
was proud of the possession of guns
made for. use on battleships but
mounted here on deck.
They will outslloot any submarine
af'oat," said the officer. patting his big
weapons as though they were pets.
In the officers mess hall one of the
officers summed up the results OF the
trip. Most of the men, he said, were
from the west, with a large number of
farmer boys who had never been on
the water before. This was a great ex-
p%erience. a greet adventure. and they
were eager for IT. There was little sen
sickness after the first few days. The
men looked forward a%nxiously to get
ting into the fighting front. for there
was one common impulse running
through them all. az shown by theil
letters home-that there was q big fob
ahead which had to be done, and thor
wished TO do Il and have done with Il
30 AZ to return home.
As we am ashore two American
airplane sections were being debarked.
with their Liberty motors and ali tho
paraphernalia Of flight. These arrivals.
long deferred but. nov. coming strone
and fast. were .almostSea cheering 8
the a!!3val { md tossthsr they
machine8 that America would coon ~