New-York tribune., 1919-01-27
Old Fighting gh 18th
Creets Folks From
Home at Upton
Brooklyn Friends Lavish
Smiles, Kisses and Gifts
on Returned Fighters; To
BE Released by Thursday

CAMP UPTON, Jan. 26.-For the
first time since last March when they
boarded the camouhagcd Olympic and
sailed for France gunners Of the Both
Coast Artillery, Hrooklyn's old fighting
18Th, who won glory at St. Mihiel and
in the Argonne, were "at home" here
to-day to their own people.
Hundreds of Brooklyn folk came on
early morning trains TO visit their
heroes. They kissed them and en-
braccd them and showered them with
( gifts.
Not since the early Nays of ths war,
when departures and farewells fol-
| have there been such scenes as The
/ bare old barracks saw to-day. Then
there Was laughter, too, but in it q
! touch Of hysteria. To-day they laughed
I for pure, unailowed JOY.
Announcement was made by Major
Edward 7. Harris that civilian life was
/ just few days off for the Brooklyn
men. "We expect to have them home
on Thursday night" he said. "That is
why we cannot issue any liberty passes.
We must keep the men in quarters here
so we can rush through the work Of
mastering them out. Thursday night
ought to See every one Of them home
/ Wl.h thor families.
"That's the only thing ] have to say.
! Pm so happy to be home that I simply
can't think and he glanced down at
Mrs. Harris and his young daughter.
Troops Praise Their Leader
But what Major Harris left unsaid
/ his men told, between singing and
! laughing, dancing and chatting with
! their relatives and friends There
/ NeFeri was such an officer Corporal
James Fcnnelly declared.
His favorite stunt was to leave the
guns and venture out into No Man S
Land to pick up enemy gun positions.
"And | never heard him speak a
harsh word to any man. That isn't his
way We'd work q hours out OF the
"a for him and never care rap about
it. Often we'd be up to our hips in
mud, but that made no difference.
Major Harris was our leader and that
was enough for US"
The vanguard of the Brooklyn visit
ors came to camp on the 130 train
into Camp Upton station at 12:AO
o'clock, a good ten minutes ahead Of
time, as if the engine crew had known
they were carrying passengers who
were eager to reach their destination.
Lusty cheers from full hundred
stalwart young gunners who were
lined up at the train platform greeted
the visitors, who pushed guards aside
and jumped off the cars before the
and cloudy all morning, but just as
the train stopped the sun came out
and fought off the chill wind that
blew from the east.
The jitney drivers had been fore
warned of the rush. They had their
cars decorated with flags and bunting
I and in few minutes they were loaded
to the guards and headed for Fourth
Avenue, where the 18th barracks are
situated.
Visitors Eat Army Chuck
Mess was just finished and the gun
ners, standing at the road side,
shouted greetings from windows as
the jtneys unloaded their laughing,
+ shouted q ten-year- old youngster to
his brother. Cant we eat army food =?
Oh. Mamma said I'd eat with you"
Dozens of the(visitors had hoped to
reach camp in time TO mess with the
boys. and they showed their disap-
pointment until burly cook waved a
pan at the crowd from the door of the
headquarters company barracks. Come
on in,' he called.
And so if there is an army regula-
ton which prohibits the serving Of
food after prescribed hours, it was
broken.
Until almost 2 o'clock the cooks in
all the 18th barracks worked at
steaming kettles and cracking fires
and dished out for the visitors de-
licious meal of chicken, mashed pota-
toes, vegetables and pudding. Then
the crowds broke up into little groups
Cupid a Prominent Guest
In one of the mess rooms the tables
had been showed aside and there was
dancing to music from ban o and man
dolin. Upstairs, where long rows of
cots ranged side by side, some one was
singing That's the Kind of Girlie
for Me-"
On bench in the Battery A barracks
hallway a good looking young gunner
J was trying to make a cigarette while
! bright eyed young glrl nestled close
to him and puckered up her lips tempt
ingly. He kissed her. The hallway
was crowded with men. but they all
looked aside, excepting a young cor
poral, who stared long and hard and
/ said:
"Gee This makes fellow feel bad.
I'm married, too, but my wife is In
+ Cincinnati"
On the edge of the bench sat another
young married couple. She wore II
brmmed black velvet hat and his
head was under it. A tive-year- old lad
, stood tugging at his fathers sleeve.
His face was puckered for a time. Then
it cleared and he smiled as if his baby
mind .dimly OWNED the meaning of
all this.