The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-12-26
was to be then.

July OS4C was one Oh LNe INQUEST OF
record. And it told on us as we rode
thru Washington, D. c., Baltimore
and Wilmington, DEL, toward Phila-
delphia. We landed and headed right
for our ship and marched aboard the
U. S. S. Henderson. Our company
drew space on the berth deck,
one deck down from main, in a COM
partment ship, wide and well forward.
Well, one thing about being on board
ship is that everything is close at
hand. Chow was served on tables lie:
down from the ceiling and that night
the hottest one in the year, swell
tered under ventilator in a sea-going
hammock. l made it o. K but few
fellows had falling out with theirs
and steel decks show no favors. Low
ell was there and looked me up right
away SO we had a visit. We were
booked out that night but did not go.
We hung around there on the pier
for four days, Saturday, the .4th, we
were paid and some Of us were on
pass for that evening. Lowell and L
had three evenings together and that
Saturday night we spent together in
Philadelphia. / made an early rise
to get back on board ship on time.
had to take taxi but was checked in
c. & s.. about fifteen minutes before
seven. Well, news was astirring. We
were leaving. All the, extra chasers
were cast off, everything was made
ship shape. Lowell appeared and gave
me pair of trousers and l helped
him out on the matter of going home
on furlough.a About 1915 we were
helped out into the river by tugs AMI
we started on our voyage to France.
Gunnery Sergeant Flynn (since
posthumously decorated for bravery
at Belleau Wood on June 6th) had
given me a place on his gun crew.
was trainer and that meant l had to
regulate the elevation Of the cannon
and press the firing button. 1t was,
quite a large at first-doing four hours
on and twelve off-but before two
weeks were up it was quite monoton-
Gus to have to cast off from the ham
mock at twelve or four in the morn
ing. The lunch served for the men
of the mid-watch az to a. n.y. made
matters little better We did not go
far that Sunday afternoon but cast
anchor about four bells and lay to un-
til eight bells on the morning watch.
had looked upon the rolling majesty
Of the Pacific but until now I'd never
seen the Atlantic. Down river we
steamed; the pilot left us at the river
mouth and we left the Delaware just
as the sun was sinking behind shoal
Of western clouds. The ocean looked
bleak and lonesomelike. And we went
to bed in the dark. OF to the port
side we could see the lights of Allan
tic City. We we're at sea, our gun
watch was walked at $3.50 and that
let US see the formalities as destroy
er spoke US and led US within the net.
We went in past many craft and cast
anchor off Tomkinsville (Some say
so) When the fog had vanished we
could see the smiling face of the
Statue of Liberty. All day the fer
ries piled their trade tween Jersey
and Staten Island In the afternoon
some lordly transports stood out to
sea. Part of our convoy-Was noised
among us. So it proved to be. The
Finland-since torpedoed but saved
and repaired-the Antilles-since tor
pedoed and sunk, and couple Of 9TH
ers l cannot name-oh, yes, the San
Joaquin and one more.
At eight bells the second evenings
watch we weighed anchor. Already
the harbor was darkening. Dusk hid
the Statue of Liberty. We were under
way.
The mid-watch caught US that night
and we were alone at sea. Morning
found US in the midst Of eur convoy.