Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-12-03
FIRST YANKS FROM
OVERSEAS ARRIVE IN
NEW YORK HARBOR
Four Thousand Men, Mostly
Non-Combatant Troops
From England Are Greeted
by Mayor of City

NEW YORK, Dec. bearing the
first load OF American troops to come
home from Europe since the war
ended. the big Cunard liner Maure-
tania emerged from the foss that
shrouded the lower bay today, re-
ceived a vociferous welcome, and
docked at her Fourteenth street
pier.
There the 1900 troops. mostly
aviation units that had been train
ing in England, were transferred to
ferry boats and taken around the
lower end Of Manhattan to Long Is
land City, where they entrained for
Camp Mills.
New York greeted the first home
bound transport with a New Years
eve uproar of whistles and sirens.
a fluttering of scraps of paper from
roofs of sISyscrapers, and a cheering
and fiourishing of handkerchiefs
from ferry boats and windows Of
buildings as the ship, in her check
erboard camouhage, her upper decks
mass Of khaki-uniformed men,
moved majestically up the river. The
ferries carrying the boys 10 Long
Island City received similar greet
ings all along the way.
Shortly before the Mauritania
dropped anchor the hospital ship
Northern Pacific, with 100 wound.
ed soldiers and marines aboard,
passed up the bay unheralded and
locked at Hoboken. Nearly half of
the heroes aboard were badly wound
ed, one section being given over to
men who have lost legs and another
to those who have had arms ampu-
tated. Red Cross nurses supervised
the work of removing the men to
nearby army hospitals today.
The Mauritania passed quarantine
and proceeded up the harbor past
the battery. and into the North River,
where she was to dock shortly after
10 a. M. Her decks were crowded
with the khaki clad homecoming
Yankees. a great footing of whistles
greeted her. Many harbor claft un-
loosened their sirens. Passengers in
ferry boats lined the rail TO cheer
the troops. Some persons sought
vantage points in upper windows OF
skyscrapers commanding a view of
the bay and a crowd gathered in Bat
terry Park to veil their welcome.
Three other large vessels loaded
with American troops probably will
arrive today and tomorrow. They
are the Lapland. the Cretic and the
Minnekahda. These three had a two
day start over the Mauritania which
arrived last evening and anchored
until early today in Gravesend Bay
Most Of the men arriving on the
Mauritania have been stationed in
England. They are for the most
part from the air service and from
the construction and radia branches
of the army.
Troops aboard the Mauretania,
numbering 4,205. according to a
statement by the military authori-
ties. included $50 wounded men from
the DdIIleneluS france.
When the big liner left Gravesend
bay for her North river pier Mayor
Hylan and his party were aboard.
The mayor announced that Secretary
Baker had denied his request that
the troops he paraded in New York
before going to camp.
The cheering doughboys were IN
gay mood. They were frivolous and
were most interested in what ar
engagements had been made to satisfy
their appetites.
Often and anxious was the query:
Has New York gone dry yet?"
New York is proud Of every one
Of YOU" was the first wireless greet
ing Of Mayor Hylan to the soldiers.
land welcomes YOU with It's warmest
welcome"
And then came the reply. the first
message of returning American troops
TO the folks at home:
when do we eat?''
Almost coincident with the first
was the second answer with enthus-
iasm: "Oh. how dry we are"
As the police boat drew near to
the big liner the doughooys hung
over the rail shouting greetings to
the mayors party. intermiugling
cries for Chow" and thirst quenoh
ers.
Mayor Hylan and city officials went
aboard the ship and extended a hear
~ welcome 20 Colonel II. {. Pratt,
Of the air service. senior American
officer on board. and Captain a. H.
Rostron. commander Of the Maure-
tania. The boys also went wild
shaking hands with the mayors
party.
GRAY HAIR BAHIsHED