s boxes loaded on trucks. At last after everything was
ready we fell in line and marched across the camp, to the train that
would carry us to the ferry. The old world seemed to hold a different
meaning for everyone that morning. We were about to step into the
greatest adventure of our lives, and one that would never be forgotten.
Groups of soldiers cheered us on all sides, and yelled that they would
be with us soon. Some were from our own division, and we recognized many
of our friends.

On arriving at the ferry, we took our place as close to the rail as
possible, and waved to the passengers on passing boats. The ferry,
filled to its full capacity, chugged down the East River to one of the
many docks where, quietly waiting, was the big camouflaged boat that
would complete for us the trip from our training camp in Doniphan to
England.

The moment that we had been looking forward to for so long a time had at
last arrived. We wound our way to the big warehouse and stopped in front
of an iron door. Stacked on the floor were life-saving jackets and as
each one passed through the door, he received a colored tag, and one of
the life-preservers. The tag assured him a bunk and meals.

Our expectations were fully realized as we filed by one by one up the
gang-plank and onto the boat that was to be our home for the coming
fourteen days. We were divided up and led down stairs to our quarters.
They looked more like a steam-room than a place to sleep. It was all a
jumbled-up puzzle. Water pipes seemed to be running in all directions,
and arguments could be heard on all sides as to how we were to sleep. In
the midst of it all an officer appeared, and he told us to let down the
rectangular shaped frame, also made of water-pipe, which rested in
sockets on two other upright pipes like hinged shelves. Then he told us
to unwrap the small piece of canvas, which was wrapped to the
rectangular frame. After doing this, things began to seem clearer, for
the canvas was also rectangular in shape, and had grummets all around
it. By means of the rope it was securely laced to the framework. This
composed our bunk, and there were three of these in a tier, and a tier
on each side of the two perpendicular pipes. The aisle between the bunks
was very narrow and we crowded and pushed in making up our beds, for
everyone was more than anxious to learn more about our boat.

In the meantime several sailors came in from the engine room and we
began making