gang-plank, "the
bridge whose western end is America!" It must be said here that St.
Nazaire is a wonderfully efficient camp. For instance, each kitchen in
the camp can feed as many as ten thousand men in a little more than an
hour's time. At this camp we were examined and de-cootieized some more,
but our stay was short, and on April 12th we glued our eyes on the
bulletin board, which read "110th Sanitary Train embarks at 11:30 A. M.,
April 14th, U. S. S. Antigone." That was "the thrill that comes once
in a lifetime."

On the dock, before embarking, we were treated to hot chocolate, cookies
and tobacco by the "Y" girls. Then the time that we had been waiting for
for eleven months came, and we crossed the gang-plank "Homeward Bound."
On account of storms just off the coast, our start was delayed until 3
A. M. on April 16th, and when we awoke that morning we were almost out
of sight of land. Strange to say, there were no "heartaches" when "Sunny
France" faded away behind us, for ahead of us was "God's Country," the
land where mothers, fathers, wives and sweethearts were waiting for us.
That first day out was a memorable one for most of us. The sea was
rough, and that evening no one doubted but that every fish in the
vicinity of the ship went to sleep with his hunger entirely appeased.
Nothing more needs to be said. By the next morning the sea had calmed
down, and the remainder of the voyage was a delightful one, with clear
skies and bright sunshine. The "Y," Red Cross and Knights of Columbus
assisted a great deal in making the trip a pleasant one, by distributing
fruit, candy, magazines and books, and with a "movie" show every
evening. The men were allowed to take trips down into the engine room,
which was indeed an interesting and instructive sight.

Early on the morning of Sunday, April 27th, we steamed up Hampton Roads,
at Newport News, Virginia, and at about 10:30 once more planted our feet
on the soil of "Uncle Sam." The streets of Newport News were lined with
people as we marched from the dock to Camp Stuart, about five miles
away, and as one fellow remarked, "I saw more good looking girls on that
march than during my whole time in France." Here's to the United States
and her people, for there's no others like them.

The greater part of our four days at Camp Stuart was spent in getting
new clothing, for every soldier was newly outfitted from head to foot
before he left that camp. So it was a spic and span company