Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-17
MONSTER TROOP SHIP
HOME W|TH8,0 VETS
More Than l,400 Wounded on
Former Vaterland: Mangled
Never Despair, Says Gen.
Barnett.


the liner Leviathan, which foiled tve sub
marine attacks while transporting troops
to France, dockcd yesterday.
The vessels speed saved her from tor
pedoes, according to officers who told Tor
the first time of the former Nateriand 5
encounters with U-boats. None of the
projectiles came dangerously near, they
said, and the big ship was at close quarters
with the foe only once.
The former German liner came up
the bav amid a din, surprising in volume
any previous welcome to a returning troop
ship. OF her sick and wotmded-l4
officers and ,42l men the majority
were on deck some with crutches and
canes while her rails were lined with almoS
5000 naval officers and men, veterans of
the submarine defense patrol of the French
and British coasts, and 900 soldiers,
with some of their commanders. heroes
Of the bitter fighting in the final weeks
of the war.
The naval contingent, largest of any
which has returned home since the signing
of the armistlce. included men both from
fleet and aviation units, which had fought
t-bOats and conveyed merchant ships
In and out of Allied ports.
PROUD or MARINES.
Major General Barnett, head of the
Marine Corps, returned from two and n
half months spent in Paris and at the front,
enthusiastic over the record of his fighters
from Chateau Thierry TO the end of the
war He said the Marines were wonder
full and the only complaints were those
of the wounded denied q chance to get
back to the front.
Its like this said the general '1f
a man loses an arm he saws, 1T might have
been leg and il he loses a leg he philoso-
phies, 1t might have been both and If
he loses and eve he reasons, II might
have been my head Most of them.
tlnd, arc worrying for fear they viii be
of no furt her use to their country and
am going to put forth every effort 20 find
places for these wounded Marines III the
service II they desire.
URGES UNIVERSAL TRAINING.
Universal military training Of American
Youths was advocated as AN absolute
necessity by Major General Barnett
Who discussed the lessons of the war
The work OF the navy without which
fhc nation could not have accomplished
Is task. wa, rated iN tie cummandaut
- the outstanding feature ct tho CON
'iici and a. an essential a. 4 properly
1alanccd navy IN peace times he adyo-
-4tcd maintenance OF the Marine Corps
- 80 600 men.
IN partial recognition Of the tiger
fkc hChtlng qualities of the marines,
Vhp undoubtedly saved Paris when
'nev stopped tho Germans at Chateau
ihcrry General Barnett outlined
U,an % retain IN the corps as many as
;,os~ihlc OF the wounded who desired
- stay in the service. with positions in
navy Yards or government plants Tor .
disabled men. Secretary Daniels and
Surgeon-Generl Breasted were agreed |
with him, he added, that legislation
should be enacted, II necessary, 10 carry
cut this scheme.
Whether there would be Jobs for
them he said, was tho wounded marines ,
chief worry
Among the army men aboard were
iS6 officers and men and a number Of
wounded from the Second Anti-Alrcratt
Battalion, which was IL action on the
foul front when hosfIlrles ceased. They
are from California. IN command of
Major James " Riley. Other aerial
Units were taken on at Liverpool.
Many OF the returned americans
wore decorations for bravery Among
them were Lieutenant G. Naling, Of
Dunkirk, \. Y, and Lieutenant Leslie
!. Faber OF Indianapolis, each of whom
had brought down Is enemy airplanes,
ICr which they were awarded the IN
sigma Of the French legion of honor
Another soldier who had been honored
was Sergeant Carter NJ. Smith, Of De
trolt, member Of the l3lst Infantry
OF the SD Division who wore the rib
hons OF Belgian and French orders.
LOST LEG on SECOND DAY.
Sergeant Smith went into the Somme
fighting on August S. The next day
German high explosive shell took
of his left leg.
Homer Weeks, of Epworth, Ga,
1I7th Infantry. came home with 4
wound received in the attack Of the |
j0th division on the HIndenburg line
near st Quentin.
There never was bunch of men
who could fight like the 30th, be !
aud. The only kick we had was our /
pihccrs would not let Us 70 ahead as /
i-9t Us We wanted to The boche Is I
some scrappcr, but We showed him i
something new III that game. Home by |
Christmas i ali we are asking now
John /. Jackson, of bridgeport, Ala. /
OF the same regiment, had ms leg still |
IN splInts from shrapnel In tie SoInme |
battle. 'Nell-lt was some fight and !
We all sure did go after them he said. ,
This little old wound OF mine Is moth !
ing TO what some OF the bows got. and /
the only thing ] feel sorry about was
that my wound stopped me Just when (
the going was getting good
Sergeant Wilbur L. Simcoe, l08th |
Infantry, OF Elmira, y. Y, said that /
after his company Of $50 men had en- |
gagged IN the fighting on September % |
there were only 10 left alive and un- |
wounded Private Robert NJ. Taylor. |
OF Fir, Wash, 38th Infantry, wounded |
at Chateau Thierry, arrived with his |
right leg in a bandage
Among Others Of the 27th and Both |
divisions who came home bearing wounds |
of honor were Lieutenant r. " Pinto, |
Of Racine, Nis., and Private Adolph |
II. Leissner, also of Racine
Many Of the troops brought trophies |
of battle and one soldier, Private James
w. Mcdaniel, of Alabama, who served /
IN the Rainbow division, marched proud /
ly down the gangplank wearing Pick
elhaube" helmet, which he had cap
tured in the Arr fonne forest, and carry
ing a German rife over his soldier.
WENT BACK WITH oNE LUNG.
Although be was gassed and 80 Sc