The Second Diary

We left Camp Tra0vis, Texas U.S.A. 3:30 p.m. June 5, 1918 via M.K.V.T. to Austin thense: T.V.P. to Texarkana: thense from Mt. to St.Louis, arriving there 10:30 a.m. June 7 taking the Lake Shore route via Mattoon Ill.,Indianapolis, Ind., Buffalo, N.Y. and thence to the metropolitan city of the world. De-training at Weehawken N.J. 3:25 p.m. June 10, taking the boat down East river via Battery Park and Brooklyn Bridge to pier #9 on the L.I. side of the river. Here we entrained on the L.I.R.R. for Camp Mills, Mineola L.I. N.Y. some 20 miles inland arriving at Garden City Station 5 p.m. June 10 marching with full packs some two miles to Camp Mills where after various inspections and exchanging clothes we rested until the night of June 12
when we received orders that no one would leave camp that night. We were served with black coffee at 12 p.m. marching to the station immediately afterwards and en-training on the Penn. R.R. bound for Philadelphia 3:15 p.m. June 13. We were marched thru the dock sheds where we were served with coffee and sandwiches by the Red Cross and loading on the C.O.G. at 5:00 p.m. June 13 We hoisted anchor at 6:05 p.m. and steamed down the Delaware River into Delaware Bay where we anchored for the night. At daybreak, June 14, we hoisted anchor and headed to Halifax, Nova Scotia arriving there 12:30 p.m. June 16th(Sunday). We waited in the Halifax harbor awaiting the arrival of out other 10 ships, who were to accompany us across the deep blue, until noon June 17th when we hoisted anchor and started with our ten companions who were composed of seven freighters (one of which was loaded with aeroplanes). The other six being loaded with stock and supplies,two troop ships, one of which carried 75 Red Cross nurses one man of war which was our protector, and one flag ship for signal purposes.