Preparation. After having served on the Mexican Border in 1916-1917 with the Hospital Corps, 4th Pa. Inf. and subsequently enjoying a few months back home at teaching, I was called into active service in the World War on July 15, 1917 with Headquarters of the 28th Division, the National Guard of Penna. This Division trained at Camp Hancock, Augusta, Georgia. I entered the third Officer's Training Camp on January 1, 1918. Just as this training was over, the Division was ordered to France. We left Augusta on sleepers for Camp Merritt, N.J. on April 24th. I was assigned to the Supply Co. of the 110th Infantry as 1st Sergeant (attached) ^{awaiting my commission}. It was my good fortune to get a day's leave [Page] to go home to say farewell. This gave me a few hours to see my folks at home (Jacksonville, Pa.) and friends in Allentown.

The Trip Across. On May 2 with pack and baggage we quietly moved down to Hoboken, ferried across the river to New York, and from Pier 58 boarded H.M.S. Demosthenes. This vessel of the Aberdeen Line ^formerly plied between England and Australia but now was put into service to transport American troops to Europe. Sergeant Byrne and I were assigned together to a state room. This was decidedly more comfortable than the decks with hammocks where the rest of the company was assigned quartered. We left port at 7 a.m May 3rd, [and] lost sight of the U.S.A. at about noon. We found ourselves in a convoy of 14 ships These were all painted in weird designs to serve as camouflage. We moved in^a zigzag course for a while, then struck out in a northeasterly direction. There was nothing to ^see except water and sky and our companion ships, one of which was the {Karpathia} of Titanic fame. ^{also the Carmania}. We had fire and life boat drill daily. In the evening of May 4th we struck very dense fog.[Page]We were not far from Newfoundland. The course we took was well to the north of the regular ocean lanes to avoid submarines. A cruiser was out ahead of the convoy. _{On days when conditions permitted}, I lined up the company for setting up exercises on the upper deck several times during the trip. May 8th was dark and threatening. ⟨We⟩ saw petrels (Mother Car^ey's chickens) riding the waves. These and a few porpoise⟨s⟩ were the only signs of life we saw for days. The following day was extremely foggy. The deep whistle of the ships seemed ever so much as a heard of cows mooing to each other at regular intervals. One morning I looked out of the port hole and saw something spouting up water as a whale. "What is it?" Everyone asked. "Is it a whale?" This "whale" surely strangely kept up the exact rate of speed as the ships. Finally we asked a member of the crew what it was. The "whale" proved to be nothing but a fog buoy towed some distance behind one of the ships. As a matter of precaution, no one was allowed on deck without a life belt. At night no lights were allowed to show. All port holes were closed tightly making ventilation in sleeping decks very[Page]bad. This together with the ancient and eternal Australian rabbit served for meals caused much seasickness. On the ninth day out, a special submarine guard was posted with orders to fire on any suspicious looking object on the waters. We were now in submarine infested waters. All, from here on, were ordered to wear life belts constantly even to sleep. ^{After a boat drill the feeling was somewhat tense concerning safety. Sergeant Wurtz broke the spell by confidently announcing, "cheer up, fellows, we are only three miles from land". Eyes were cast right and left to catch a glimpse of shore and eager "wheres" were heard,} Wurtz answered "Straight down" with significant gesture. On Sunday May 12,Chaplain Schaul conducted church services on the upper deck. _{Since this was Mother's Day}, he delivered an impressive sermon on "Mother", All wrote letters home on that day. The sun rose very early these days and it was very cold, which indicated ^that we were fare to the north. OnMay 13th we began to zigzag south eastward. A guard of 5 destroyers ^{(sub-chasers)} now arrived. These were very fast and small. They [swept] back and forth among the convoy looking for trouble. On May 15th we sighted land on our left. This probably was Scotland. Later in the day land also appeared on the right. These low green hills undoubtedly were those of Northern Ireland. Travelers and mine sweepers now led us slowly toward harbor. Next morning we found [ourselves] in the harbor of Liverpool.