part of the Divisional advance party for overseas to represent the Regiment at its port of Debarkation.
On May 27, 1918, Colonel E. C. Carey was transferred to 315th Trains and M. P. Colonel E. M. Leary
assumed command of the Regiment, having been transferred to the Regiment on May 27, 1918.
On June 9th, the Regiment entrained at Camp Travis, Texas, en route to New York City there to
await transportation across the Atlantic to England. The first train to leave the camp carried Regimental
Headquarters, Headquarters Co., Machine Gun Co., and Supply Co., and left the camp about 9:30 A. M.
The other trains carrying the 1st, 2d and 3d Battalions, followed as quickly as they could be loaded, the
last train leaving the camp about five o’clock in the afternoon. The trip was made without accident or
delay, and all along the route and wherever the trains were stopped the troops were wildly cheered by
the people. On the trip to New York the Regiment passed through the states of Texas, Oklahoma,
Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and some even going through a part
of Canada, and arrived at Camp Mills, Long Island, June 13, and 14.
The period from June 14th to June 19th was devoted to thoroughly equipping the Regiment for
overseas duty. On June 19th the Regiment entrained at Camp Mills, Long Island for the wharves at
Hoboken, New Jersey, where the following assignment of troops to transports was made:
HMT CANADA – Regimental Headquarters; Headquarters Co.; M. G. Co.; Supply Co.; 1st
Battalion – Col. H. M. Leary in command
HMT EURIPIDES – 2nd Battalion – Major I. S. Ashburn in command
HMT WALTER CASTLE – 3rd Battalion – Major John M. True in command
Early the morning of June 20th, the above ships put to sea, being part of a convoy of twelve
ships, all carrying troops or supplies for troops already across, and accompanied by U. S. Cruiser
“Montana”, submarine chasers and airplanes. Immediately the ships had put to sea the submarine
guards were detailed and instructed, and boat drills commenced. From two to three boat drills were held
each day, the troops being assigned to the various lifeboats and thoroughly instructed as to their duties in
case the vessel should be torpedoed. The trip was uneventful until the night of June 22nd, when the
convoy encountered a terrific storm which lasted until late the next night.
Early on the morning of July 1st, the coast of Ireland was sighted and soon the convoy had
entered in the Irish Seas, accompanied by a number of British submarine chasers that had joined the
convoy in the early morning of June 28th, and a number of airplanes. When the coast of Ireland was
sighted everyone aboard the ships was in high spirits, for then it was practically certain that they had
made the voyage without mishap. The convoy proceeded on down the Irish Channel and late in the
afternoon of July 1st, entered the Harbor of Liverpool, England, wildly cheered by thousands of people
who rapidly gathered on the shores to welcome the troops. The next day, July 2nd, the Regiment
disembarked at Liverpool and marched to a “Rest Camp,” called Knotty Ash, which one of the men
remarked “must be the Englishman’s idea of a joke,” however, the troops were here given a much-
needed rest after the long journey across.
By special request of the Lord Mayor of the City of Liverpool, the Regiment was retained at
KnottyAsh until the 4th of July when it marched through the streets of that city in honor of
Independence Day. This was a unique honor tendered the regiment, as it was the first time American
Troops had ever marched in an English City in commemoration of this occasion, and it is one of the
memorable days in the history of the 358th Infantry.
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