Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-06
A Marine at Last.

THERE'S JOY in the heart of frank
John Hamilton of Boston. Mass.
now a private in the Marine Corps.
He has found a haven at last. after
a series of hoodoo adventures that
would cause almost any one to decide
in favor Of civilian life forever.
A report of Hamiltons adventure,
ranging all the way from work on
the western front to torpedoed trans
ports and weird rescues. has just
been received at Marine Corps head
quarters in Washington.
1t was in March, 1917, that Hamil-
ton felt the urge of war. He was in
Boston at the time. and enlisted in the
Sth Massachusetts Infantry. Every
thing sailed along in lovely fashiont
until July. when Hamilton was hon
orably discharged on the grounds of
dependency. But he did not want to
be discharged. He was out for Huns
and he wanted to get them. Hur-
riedly he arranged his affairs and
then started back to his old regiment
for re-enlistment. They rejected hi'n-~
That would have stopped the ordi-
nary person, but not Hamilton He
Artillery was just embarking for
France and Hamilton embarked with
them, without calling attention to the
fact. Not until the ship had left Hall
fax and was three days out on the
voyage toward France did Hamilton
believe himself safe. Then he came
out of his hiding place and sought the
commander of the troops. There he
told his story and explained his trou-
bles In getting lick at the kaiser.
The result was that he was examined
and sworn in as a member Of the 1O1st
Hamilton's face. Now he was all set!
Liverpool came, Southampton and
Havre, France. At last the troops
boarded trains for a position behind
the lines. Six weeks later Hamilton
found himself in the guardhouse.
enlisted. The order was that he must
go back to the United States, and.
under guard, he was placed on board
the Antilles October IA, 1917. Three
days out there came the racking boom
of a torpedo and the Antilles went
down in four and half minutes
The suction of the sinking ship
carried Hamilton down with it. But
just as he was about drowned the
boilers exploded and blew him back
to the surface again. There he float
ed until the Alcedo, one of the con-
and carried him back to Brest. where
he was placed on board receiving
shin. Bridge" given a sailors uni
form and put to swabbing decks.
Four days later he was sent to ST.
Hazaire. whence he went to camp
there to dig roads until the next
boat left for America
This time it was the converted Ger
man liner Powatan. And the hoodoo
still lowered around. Three days
out terrific storm dashed its way
across the ocean and caught the
powatan. breaking the steering gear
me snip put back to France.
Another wait. Then sailing orders
again. this time on the George wash
ington. Everything seemed to be
lovely this time.
Three days off the Virginia coast
the ship struck an English steamer
and stood by all night Then, when
danger of sinking seemed past, the
voyage was continued, landing at
Newport News. From there Hamjj-
ton was taken to Governors Island,
where he was released.
But the ardor hadn't faded from the
soul of Frank Hamilton. He still
wanted to fight. And SO he waited
until every possible cause of de-
pendency that might prohibit his en-
!istment had vanished and applied to
the Marine Corps. This time the
troubles seemed to have departed.
A complete record of his case was
taken. passed on-and. what's more.
1t has been recommended that Hamii-
ton be paid by the government for
all the time he was being tossed
about on his Illegal enlistment.