The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-02-01
GEORGE COUNTS OF THE NAVY
VISITS HIS PARESTS

One Of Newberry's Representatives
in the United States Navy, George
.ru;,.-3, wac 2 member IF the crew
of the transL Sc. .a1r-;? vs., hineton.
has been spending Q ten days fur
Tough with his parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
Allen Counts. This furlough was
granted while the George Washington
is in dry dock at Norfolk for repairs,
having just returned from trip to
the shores of France.
Young Mr.. Counts, although having
enlisted as fireman, served as mess
cook on the transport during this trip,
at which time large contingent of
American soldier were carried to the
battlefields of France Although very
reticent about answering any and
all questions which were fired at him
by his many friends in Newiberry, the
Young sailor was enabled to tell
enough interesting things about his
trip to make him continually the cen
ter of groups of interested friends.
The George Washington left New
York on December 4th for somewhere
in France" with a cargo Of 'sSammies' ',
and although a severe storm vas en-
countered enroute, the trip was made
without mishap in about sixteen days.
AS a result of the rough voyage there
was much seasickness on board, the
young Nowberrian being numbered
amcng these unfortunates, but re-
coveries were general within a few
days
The crew OF the transport were
granted shore leave in France, spen-
ding sixteen days there. MIR. Counts
was very much impressed with the
French people, every possible courtesy
and attention being paid to the Amer
leans sailors and scldies. This was
especially true in the case Of the
pretty young French women, who saw
to it that the boys from the United
States did not suffer from lonesomen-
ess while on shore. The port at which
the transport landed is about two
hundred miles from the battlefront,
hence Mr.. Counts did not see the grim
evidncs Of war that are to be seen
further inland
Askei about ho-v he felt whiie pass
ing through the war zone, the young
sailor admitted that this feeling was
not altogether the most comfortable
and easy, as it was not known just
when the George washington would
be made a target for submarines
torpedo. With no lights on deck, eX-
cept an occasional blinking" of sig
nails, the transport crept through the
danger zone-and safely delivered it's
human cargo on the shores Of France.
No submarines were sighted by the
George Washington on either of its
trips across the Atlantic, the war-zone
Being passed through without mishap
on both trips.
Mr.. Counts said that his duties as
''mess cook were net very hard, and
that he was well-treated by the
officers and men of the crew. The
men on the transport were well-fed,
the food being very much like that
received ordinarily at ones heme and
in suffice init quantitp to satisfy
almost any appetite. When reminded
of the fact that the feeding of the
navy was largely in charge OF the
distinguished South Carclinian, Ad-
miral Samuel H. MCGOWAN, the yoang
man was not surprised that the food
was all that it should be.
The young sailor left on Thursday
afternoon for Norfolk, his fur'o"gl
having expired, where he will rejoin
th2 c~ew CT tfe George Washington.
The transport, which is one Of he
largest n the service. will proceed, at
an early date for New York, there to
await further orders.