New-York tribune., 1919-02-08
Blinded Heroes
Arriving Home
Salute Liberty
Cheerful, Despite Wounds,
They Regret Not Being
Able to See Statue Again

Fourteen young men of the Ameri-
can EXpeditionary Force who left this
port less than a year ago and waved
goodby to the Statue of Liberty came
back blind yesterday. They bore up
bravely and even jested as they came
out on deck and asked where they were
and what the bands were playing for.
The Saxona, which brought them
home, had had d rough voyage, and
nearly all on board were seasick until
the liner came into fairly smooth
waters on Thursday. When she ar
rived at Quarantine yesterday the blind
lighters, accompanied by group of
army nurses who had cared for them
through the storms, came up on deck
and the women told them what was
going on about them.
"Have we come to the big statue
yet?" asked Sergeant Stanslaus Ma
gorka, of Chicago, whose arms had
been destroyed, with his eyesght, by a
high explosive shell on the Vesle
ut is close by" said Miss M G. Tay-
or, head of the army nurses who had
been abroad for fourteen months. an
few minutes Well be passing it,"
Asks to Salute Liberty
"Thank you," replied Nagorka. 81
want to salute that old emblem as we
go by. All the time | was in France
thought of that big statue, and al
ways had hopes of seeing it again"
Presently the Saxonia came abeam
the Bartholdi goddess, and the four
teen blind men cheered and stood at
salute for full minute.
ave must be near the pier" observed
Corporal Harry f. Keifrider of Phila-
delphia,, whose eyes were sightless. 81
hear band playing"
"No, we Will not dock for half an
hour" answered Miss Taylor "That
is q police boat called the Patrol that
has come down to meet us"
What is that shouting fCr?'
They are throwing cirga ties and
tobacco overheard and the boys are
shouting their thanks"
Corporal Kcifrider laughed and drew
a cigarette from his pocket and
lighted it with ease.
Then came the reporters to the blind
men, and Keifrider said he felt at
home.
Ex-Reporter Tells Experience
Il used TO be in that business my
SELF he said, 'before I got into this
war game. was a reporter on The
I Hi4dUtI Ia builSLIT- was with
Company A cf the 315th Infantry and
lost ny sight on September 2s, two
days after we started tho big drive in
the Nerdun sector. high explosive
shell dropped in front of me and blew
my left eye out. II shattered my left
arm, but didn't bother my right eye,
though l am totally blind now. Just
say for me that | am in high spirits
and thankful that came out alive. T
never lost consciousness, although I
lay on tho field for nearly ten hours
| before the stretcher bearers found me.
| Then | went to Evacuation Hospital
No. l. and then 70 base hospitals all
over the country, but they could do
nothing for the right eye the Germans
left me-"
Corporal Henry a. Bitter of the
315th Infantry, who halls from Du-
buque, Iowa, said he didn't mind be-
ing blind at all, but it greved him
because of the sorrow it would cause
his parents when he returned to Iowa
Injured After Armistice
my case was just one of tough
luck" he said, because | was blinde d
after the armistice was signed. | had
been assigned to a divisional school at
Ioul, and the signing of the armistice
did not put an end to our instruction
! was teaching a squad of men the
use of the hand grenade when one
went off, destroying both eyes and both