Sixth Trip Eastbound
Another eight days in New York and another five-day leave for the men of the crew. The five-day leaves were most welcome after a trip of seventeen or eighteen days at sea especially when the days consist of vigilant activity and high tension. The five days soon passed and as soon as we were provided with sufficient supplies of coal and water our troops came aboard.
Troops, 10,534; 313th Infantry; 314th Infantry; 311th Machine Gun Battalion; 310th Machine Gun Battalion; Base Hospital No. 67; Base Hospital No. 68; Base Hospital No. 7; Base Hospital No. 47; 304th Field Signal Battalion; Brig. General Wm. J. Nicholson, 79th Div.
We left for our sixth voyage across on July 8th at 6:30 P. M., and by nightfall we were well out to sea escorted by the destroyer Walke which left us the next morning. On the eight to twelve watch that morning we passed a considerable amount of wreckage, probably the result of submarine activities off our coast. Abandon ship drills were held as usual. The weather was fair and warm and a few soldiers were overcome by the heat making it necessary for the troops in some compartments to sleep on deck at night.
The U. S. S. Covington had been sunk by an unseen submarine just prior to our sailing, and with this fresh in our memory it was not necessary to remind the lookouts and gun crews to be especially vigilant and keep a sharp lookout at all times. We sighted our escort of destroyers at 8 A. M., on July 14th and passing through the danger zone safely, we anchored in Brest at 1:50 P. M., July 15th, one of the hottest days we had ever experienced.
With all troops sent ashore and all cargo taken off we embarked our usual quota of passengers and left Brest at three o’clock on the afternoon of July 18th. We had 115 wounded soldiers on board, also the captain and officers of the U. S. S. Covington and the officers and crew of the S. S. Buffalo that had been sunk by submarines. We left with a convoy of four destroyers that stayed with us until noon the next day. The weather was good for the most part and the trip was made without trouble or excitement of any kind. The wounded soldiers were a cheerful lot and were well cared for. Some had been gassed, others lost limbs, but the prospect of home made them all happy.