Evening journal., 1919-09-13
BOYS WHO HUMBLiEEDD
HUNSPASSTHROUGH
Soldier Leaves Truck TO
Kiss MoIh.r He Spes
In Crowd
MOTOR TRAIN FOUR
HOURS IN PASSING

The passing Of three thousand
bronzed veterans Of The Famous First
the first y. Z r. division to go over
seas and the last 10 return 30 America
rounded out Pershing Day In Whining
ton yesterday. in a highly satisfactory
manner The generals train had
scarcely passed out OF earshot Of
cheering, whlstling. bell-ringing Viii
minglon, when the first Of the 600
truck OF the Firs: Division Motor Train
rumbled across Washington street
/ bridge.
Looking for all the world Ike the
huge, gray elephants Of a circus pa
radc tie hooded monsters passed along
! Washington street, Eleventh street. ana
out Madison street. the procession CON
( tinuing until late in the afternoon
Four hours elapsed between the ap-
pearance Of the first motor and the dis
appearance OF the last. the longest pa
rade ever witnessed in Wilmington. The
motor train, the largest OF its kind ever
operated in the United states, eXtended
over a flye-mile distance.
4 pretty and touching scene occurred
as the trucks rolled along Madison
street. 4 middle-aged woman, st9nuShs
quietly on the sidewalk, suddenly grew
radiant Of face as her eyes fell upon
one handsome bronzed soldier. lhe
soldier spled her and his face shone
with 10Y. she was his mother. ING
boy Jumped out Of the truck ran 10
his mother. threw his arms AROUND her
and gave her a hearty kiss and hug'
Then he returned TO his truck ana was
carried out OF sight. The two were
not known to any OF the witnesses oi
I the event "a,
Skimmine in and out among the big
Liberty trucks. the trille-smaller ma
chine gun trucks, the gas wagons tle
supplv trucks and the amDulancts
darted like a species of mosquito meet
dozens of motorcycles. each win lts
two men i'm saddle and side ear. Wo OF
those motorcycle collided at Madison
and Eleventh streets, slightly hurl4hs
two Of the men. IA,
Each truck was packed with SOLID
muscled sun-browned veterans III
Khaki on the seats or cheerfully dang
I ling their legs over The spies il diu
moi need the stencilled "F-B-O-N-I on
Tho trucks or the laurel-wreathed pla-
cards "First Division 10 tell where
those sturdy idoughbOys had been.
/ Their long hike from occupied anu
ihorouchly-licked Germany 10 WASH
ineton bv way Of the Atlantic ocean,
New York. Philadelphia. Wilmington
and baltimore. will end tomorrow. lhey
will wait i'm Washington until Wednes-
dav 10 take part ip the big welcome
parade for Pershing pn that day IN the
national capital.
They were a handsome happy lot OF
boys in the motor train Of the famous
First. They laughed and waved az
pedestrians who hailed them. on Madi-
son street spectators on pOrches tossed
ont apples and other calables 20 boys
in fhe trucks. Al intervals foverlshly
excited CANNES could be seen on the
tfucks. terriers. Belgian police pup
pies and other doggish mascots which
The soldiers had brought back from
the front. The imported dogs were
waggng their tails about a hundred
revolutions TO the minute, as though
thev were under the impression the
trucks were being propelled by dog
power. Many OF the trucks were
.
/ the New York parade.
The brilliance Of decoration ribbons.
cleaning on many Khaki tunics. told
tale OF world-renowued gallantry Tor
the brave men OF the First.
The train was In five sections. in COM
mand Of Colonel William T. stewart Jr-
G.. \. c., who was in charge OF all trains
Of the First Division in France and in
Germany. The first section included
the big Liberty motor trucks; the sec
ond section, the field artillery brigade
the Third section. the sanitary train; the
fourth section the supply train ih
charge Of Lieutenant B. W. Boyes; and
the nth section. the First Ammunition
Train with the First Engineers detach-
ment.
Wilmington has been extremely for
tunate in seeing the great Pershlng pa
rade. even though in pecomeal fashion.
The main body Of the First Division
soldiers passed through by train on
Wednesday night: General Pershing. his
staff and higher officers yesterday noon,
and the motor train in the afternoon.
The motor train camped at Perryville,
Nd last night, will reach Baltimore to-
day and Washington tomorrow. The
First Division were the first TO land in
France and the last TO leave: in the
front lines 220 days; captured i63 Off
GERS and 630i men, 40 pieces field artil-
lery. 62 trench mortars and il3 machine
guns. Casualties, 2i.Gi2: killed and died
Of wounds iiii; replacements received,
3O2O6 Distinguished Service Crosses
won, $50.