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Sunday, June 9, 2019

Local Boys in "Wild Cat" Division Set Foot on U.S. Soil in Newport News, Va., June 9, 1919

From The Daily Times, Wilson, N.C., Monday, June 9, 1919

The 81st Arrives at Newport News. . . Tennessee and North Carolina Troops the First of the Wild Cat Division Are Now at Home Again

Newport News, Va., June 9—Four transports conveying a total of about 70,000 officers and men arrived in the harbor of this city this morning. The Susquehanna, the Freedom, the Housatonic and the Battleship Minnesota, the battleship from Brest brought the first “Wild Cat” troops of the 81st, and Company 316th, Field artillery, a complement of 1,500 officers and men.

June 8--The vanguard of the 81st made up of Tennessee and Carolina drafted men, arrived at Newport News this afternoon on the transports Missouri and South Carolina. Units of the 317th, field artillery, the 306th, ammunition train and detachments of other units of the division are in the aggregation.

The units aboard included the 317th field artillery complete, battalion headquarters and Companies E, F and G of the 306tgh ammunition train, the Third Corps artillery park and four casual companies, included two for New York.

The 317th came in command of Colonel W.H. Dodds, who declared that while his men had been denied contact with the foe they displayed the sort of fighting spirit that made him proud to be their commander.

The men were preparing to enter the Argonne fight when the armistice was signed, having just finished their period of training when the war came to an end. They arrived in France August 18.

The South Carolina bringing the Carolina artillerymen, landed early this afternoon (the 8th) and few minutes later her sister ship, the battleship Missouri, steamed into port bringing the 306th, ammunition train and the 3rd corps artillery park. The ammunition train men of the same division followed the artillery on its journey nearer and nearer the front lines always in the hazardous position of supplying feed to the barking guns.

The gunners were equipped and well trained with the little French 75’s and were eager to go into the lines, the men on board declared today.

They landed here well and happy men from every town and city in the “Down Home State” along with their brothers from the mountains of Tennessee. They were greeted on the piers by a delegation of citizens of Tennessee and North Carolina and bands played gaily while the men debarked.

Later in the afternoon, after they had made their triumphal march through the streets of this city to Camp Stuart the men passed thru the delousing plant and tomorrow night they will be permitted to visit the city.

Colonel Dodds said the men are all well and happy and this statement was vouched for by scores of Carolinians who stated on the pier that the happiest day of their lives was today.

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