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Description
[transcribed text]The first thing that these men asked when they trooped off the transport: "when do we eat?" and the Red Cross, acting in conjunction with the commissary of the army, answered, "Now" Pie, eggs, ice cream, all the things that the men had craved during their fighting days in France were the very things the American Red Cross Workers thought of to give them the moment they set foot on United States soil.
The portions were not scrimped either, as you may judge by glancing at the whole pies. Pie and ice cream was the usual order for dessert, after the men had feasted on rolls, sausage and other more substantial "goodies"
The sergeant standing nearest you belongs to the medical corps, as you can tell by his chevron. Next to him is another non-commissioned officer and the next soldier, a corporal, is wearing a wound stripe.
These few men are only a small part of the thousands who have come off the ship with them. From 2,000 to 8,000 were brought over on each transport. Beginning November 16, 1918, just five days after Armistice was signed, all but five divisions of American army were sent back to the United States by May 19, 1919.
No soldier could be finally released from the service until he had both a doctor's certificate and his honorable discharge, and this meant that he must go from the port where he landed, Hoboken in this case, to a debarkation camp for this final inspection. Medium shot with four American soldiers in foreground and a crowd of more soldiers in the background. Three soldiers on the right are holding apple pies with bites taken out of them. This photograph was taken sometime between November 16, 1918 and May 19, 1919, taken in Hoboken by an Underwood and Underwood photographer. Many Underwood photographs were turned over to Keystone View Company.(Darrah, Stero Views: 193)
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