Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-05-24
Moline, Aledo and Gene
SEQ Boys Rush Ashore
With Local Vets.
Especial to The ArgusO

loUtClul 10 i ne Al bhasy
New York, May 24.-Flushed with
the excitement of their return 20
the United States after year over
seas and jubilant over the fact tnaI
the big transport America brought
them to their home shores more
than twenty-four hours ahead OF
schedule, Battery +, the Rock Is
! land-Moline unit of the One Hun
dred Twenty-third heavy field artll-
! lery landed at Hoboken today. The
Aledo and Geneseo units also arriv-
ed with the One Hundred Twenty
/ third.
AS the big transport steamed up
the harbor near the Jersey SIDE OF
the Hudson, a railroad ferry bear
ing a Rock Island lines freight car
chugged across the stream.
No sooner had the Rock Island
! boys set their eyes on the poX car
/ than a mighty shout arose from
their throats. II was the first tie
that they had seen that reminded
them convincingly that they were
soon to be home again, back IN
/ "civies," as they had dreamed OF
many nights on the battle front and
many more nights while they were
serving with the army OF occupa-
! tion.
All was excitement last night and
early this morning. The boys were
up before revielle sounded on the
ship, eager to get the first glimpse
of land. And when the boat rounded
! Sandy Hook and every moment
! brought them closer to the shore Of
| their native land. their excitement
grew continually until far of in the
distance they beheld the statue or
Back Home-to stayl
And the Rock Island boys pulled
the same old pun about Dame Lib
erty that every troop transport has
lechoed and re-echoed for monthE
past:
"If she ever sets eyes on me
again she'll have to do an about
| face"
Within full sight Of the statue,
/ the transport dropped anchor The
quarantine officers boarded the
! ship and conducted the customary
/ examinations and made certain in
uuiries as to the health Of the boys
/ on board. and questioned If there
were any contagious diseases re-
ported to the ships doctors.
Beats all how they delay
things" one Rock Islander com
plained. "They might know II VIC
] could lay on wet ground and 1--we
/ like men i'm the jungles for months,
there's nothing wrong with us.
/ Minutes Of Delay weigh Heavily.
! The minutes Of delay seemed Ike
hours to the batterymen and when
/ finally the propellers on the Amer
1 lea started revolving again there
was another mighty shout. Tug
boats and freighters picked up the
, salute to the returning veterans
and all up and down the harbor
there was a constant demonstration
of blowing whistles. a daily oc-
currarce on the harbor but new 10
! the soldiers Of Rock Island. II gave
them a glad feeling on the inside
, The welcome they received was
something worth making sacrihce5
{ for.
/ Captain Arthur V. Swedbcrg
commander Of Battery +. had made
all preparations for leaving the
boat as SOON as IL was doCked. The
men had their packs rollca and all
was in readiness to step on the
transport as soon as the word was
given.
{ Soon Mayor Hylan's committee
of welcome on board a municipal
boat steamed mp alongside OF the
America and there was a band on
board the harbor vessel which
played selection after selection.
Smiles" Home. Sweet Home"
and How Va Gonna Keep Them
I Down on the Farm" brought chocr
after cheer from the huGoy throaJ5
OF the vets.
Welcomed by Governor.
Governor Lowden and the Illi-
/ nois welcome home committee
were on hand and the battery boys
/ had the opportunity Of again see
ing and hearing the governor. Tho
! governor was present last spring
I to witness their departure and 10
wish them God-speed lie prom
/ ised- them at that time that h6
would be IN New York 70 welcome
( them home and he made good on
that promise.
Arrangements had been made
when the boys landed and got oil
1 OF their baggage of boat 70 pro
vide them with the FIRST real homo
( feeds. The Red Cross caateen on
the docks at HoboSen WIS put 10
test the ever hungry Illinois sol-
/ dier convincing the canteen work
] ers that they had not left their np-
petites on the other side.
Go 10 Camp Mills.
The men were scheduled to go
J to Camp Mills from Hohoken. the
/ trip 70 Long Island City, Long Is
land. from Hoboken being made by
/ ferry. Then there was Q ride on
a train and a hiko or miie and q
half after they left the Garden City
station before they would reach
their barracks. After their arrival
at Mills comes trip through the
delouslng station. All their cloth
| ing. blankets and other equipment
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