locate the Edward Luckenbach. At 6 o'clock that night they sailed
out to find the vessel, reported as advancing past Ambrose Channel.
They traversed the entire waterfront, both on the North and East River
sides, before the hospital ship Comfort located the transport by
radio, up the Hudson. The excursion delegates stayed near the
transport until dark.

It was with rejuvenated spirits that the soldiers spent their last
night on board the transport, lying in New York harbor. On Wednesday
morning, May 28th, the troops debarked at Pier 6, Bush Terminal,
Brooklyn. Only a few of the friends and relatives got to see the
soldier boys at the terminal. While the soldiers lingered at the
terminal, partaking of refreshments furnished by the Red Cross and the
welfare associations, the crowds beat the ferry boat that carried the
soldiers to Jersey City and formed two lines through which the boys
passed to entrain for Camp Dix, N. J.

Plans were under way to hold a Seventy-Ninth Division parade in
Philadelphia, Penna., but the boys voiced protests against being held
in camp, with the result that the work of putting the outfit through
the process of sterilization and cootiization was expedited.

After going through the "delouser" at Camp Dix, Battery D was moved to
another section of barracks, near the discharge center. Clerical
details were sent to the discharge center, known as the "madhouse,"
each day, to assist in getting out the paper work for official
discharge of the outfits scheduled for muster out before Battery D.

Battery D was officially discharged from the United States Army
Service on May 30th, 1919, when all its members were assigned to
various discharge units. On May 30th the soldiers whose homes were in
Western States, were detached from the battery to be sent to Western
camps for discharge.

Those who were scheduled to remain at Dix to receive their discharge
papers, their pay and the $60 bonus, idled about the camp until
Wednesday, June 4th, when they were called to the discharge center to
be paid off. It required a long wait before the members of the casual
detachments that once formed Battery D were admitted to the Central
Records office.

The soldiers "beat it" from camp as soon as they had the coveted
discharge certificates. The outfit separated in driblets during the
day. The first ones called got clear of military service in the
morning, while others were not called until late that afternoon.

By nigh