Memorial Day

For Memorial day here's a notice from a Northern New York newspaper noting the departure of a group of 103 men to the World War I training camp named for Civil War general George Meade, at least one of whom had already served overseas:

"BUNKER" HILL MOVES TO CAMP MEADE

More New York State Boys Are to Take the Maryland  "Cure."

    E. P. McAloon, 41st Company, 11th Ba., 154th Depot Brigade.

    In the July contingent of draftees which left Essex county, N. Y., early July 21 were representative men of the far-famed Adirondack mountains. After a strenuous journey for eighteen hours, 103 hardy men reported at Camp Meade. The jubilant spirit of the northern New Yorker was manifest throughout the journey, and a hearty salute was given to the good word of friends, Red Cross workers and the Y.M.C.A. men along the trip.

    When the line of men with Tom McDonald, Port Henry's best, as the captain of the party, halted for roll call at temporary quarters all men responded to the call which placed them in line with America’s best. At the head of the roll was Pierce McAloon of Keeseville, high school principal and lover of good fun. One other from Keeseville—George Waite—was there. He said that he had been “waiting” for this. Elizabethtown had her foremost representative in Bunker B. Hill, Adirondack lumberjack. Shades of revolutionary days will be with us when “Bunker Hill” marches into Berlin. The dark hour of 3 in the summer morning was brightened by one Sunn (Fred), a two-day bridegroom, also of E'town.

    Along with Port Henry's best came more of it. “Sweetheart” Holmes, a D. and H. railroader, with a wrist minus a watch. He said it didn't go, but it went as he threw it out of the car window. Every girl from Westport to Admiral saw the “Judge” as he rode by. Karl Lyons was with the bunch; also his sixteen aching teeth. “Doc” Kent came, too, but now his beautiful blonde has changed to a scarlet hue. A big touch of the real war across was with us in Bill Munson, lately returned from six months' service with the French field ambulance. Port Henry had others, too, all regular fellows.

  Ticonderoga, but a stone’s throw from historic old Fort Ticonderoga of revolutionary days, was strongly represented in “Cotton pin” Higgins, “Kack" Noyes, “Duckfoot” Porter and “Bob” Stott, formerly of the United States secret service.

    Essex, Westport and Port Kent, Lake Champlain towns, sent along such men as Jim Mullaly, “Bob” Sweatt, basket ball star; Charley Moore, feather-weight champion of Essex County Art League, and Arthur Morrow.

    The towns along the Ausable, The Forks, Keene, Jay and Placid, sent this crowd away with smiles: O’Toole, O’Hara and Danern, the “Fighting Irish,” along with a new American, Jack Maconi, seven years over from Italy. Among the anxious men from the Ausable region was Rueben Ferris, who is wondering if he’ll get a furlough for September 14. It’s his birthday and may be a wedding day, too.

    One error alone, a typographical one, nearly separated Ubald Desnoyers from the happy crowd. Essex county board had misspelled his name, but the lieutenant kept him with us, although Ubald thought he ought to go home.

    We are fast getting to be soldiers, and as our officer told us at our first conference that the impression he gained at first meeting such a well ordered crowd of men spoke well for the quality that Essex county, New York, is sending for the fight for right, we’re happy. “CUPE.”

    The above appeared in a Maryland newspaper and was sent us by John W. James.

 The Elizabethtown Post; August 15, 1918; page 3, column 4

Love the nicknames.