New-York tribune., 1919-04-09
Gable From Gen. Pershing
to War Department Says
N. Y. Division Has Been
Assigned for Early Convoy
Hope for a Full Parade
Officers Still Insist That
First Arrivals Won't Be
Held Long in the Camps

WASHINGTON, April s.-With tn,
announcement to-day by the War De
partment that the 77th Division hat
been assigned by General Pershing tt
carly convoy home, officials Of the opor
etions division Of the General STAFF be
gan tho task Of preparing for the han
ding Of tho metropolitan ARhters a;
the camps near tho port Of debnrkn.
tion at Hoboken upon their arrival the
last Of this month.
While none Of the officers in the di.
vision handling the rehabilitation OF
the units from overseas or Acting Sec.
rctary Of War Crowell would offer any
further encouragement than that
given by Secretary Of War Baker upon
his departure for Europe of the posi-
bility of the 77th Division parading as
unit, it was said at the department
to-day that every cooperation will be
given New York citizens in providing
an ample reception to the division
upon its return.
The assignment to early convoy of
the 77th Division" said one officer of
the operations division, means that
the units of the New York organization
Will be on their way home by the last
week in this month, at the latest.
Must Come Close Together.
"1f arrangements on the other side
can be made to ship the entire division
at approximately the same time it may
not be wholly impracticable to hold
the original arrivals until the last
members reach port.
ut is Mr.. Bakers desire to furnish
20 f,,;o Al.
OF the division an opportunity to well
come them home as body, and it
would not surprise me if this can be
done. At any rate. an effort will be
made to provide relatives Of the men
an opportunity OF paying tribute to as
large number of the units as possible
at one time, and if the returning trans
ports come in about the same time we
may be able to speed up the handling
OF the troops at Camps Mills, Merritt,
Upton and Dix so that all will be ready
1or participation in one grand review
If there fs great difference in time
in the arrival of the first units and
the docking of the last organizations,
however, it will not be possible to keep
the men in the service for the sole
purpose of parading together. Well
40 the best we can and New York
City Will have to be satisfied"
Error In the Cable
In the official announcement of the
War Department to-day on the pivis-
ions early return home two new or
ganizations-Salvage Company No. 18
and Sale Commssary Unit No. 307-
were included: Officers of the cable
division explained that the inclusion
OF these two organizations may be
due to an error. The absence Of the
3O5th, 306th, 307th and 3O8th ambu-
lance companies and field hospitals in
the list given out by the department
was likewise attributed to cable err
ror:. 1t is thought, however, that the
medical detachments will come with
the other organizations
The units of the division carried IN
the departments announcement in
cluded: Division Headquarters, Head
quarters Troop, Salvage Company No.
ID, Sale Commissary Unit No. 3O7,
153d and 1b4th Infantry Brigade head.
quarters, 305th, 3O6th, 307th and 30sth
Infantry regiments, 304th, 305th, 3o6th
Machine Gun battalions, 902d Engi-
ncers. 302d Engineer Train, 3O2d Field
Signal Battalion, 152d Field Artillery
brigade Headquarters, 3O4th, 3O5th.
9osth sos, and so2d Ammunition Train,
302d Train Headquarters, 77th Mill
tary Police Company, 302d Sanitary
Train, 302d Supply Train and 302d
Mobile Ordnance Repair Shop.