On This Day in 1918

My grandfather left the US for England on the way to WWI's trenches. He was from Nebraska and was a member of Company F 355th Infantry.

From his diary:

June 3

Left Camp Mills, New York, Monday morning...by railroad to Brookland [sic] to board transport to sail for parts unknown. The Red Cross served refreshments before we boarded the ship. [This is the first day in which he wrote in the tiny little book.]

June 4

Left dock at noon today...were not allowed on deck until the ship was several miles out. Water very smooth.

June 5

All convoy has left us except one battle ship. Everything going fine...sea beautiful.

June 6

Slightly cloudy sea a deep blue and a little rougher.

June 7

Sea rougher, but not bad...still sailing eastward.

June 8

Five weeks ago tonight I spent the evening with my folks in Junction City, Kansas. Two weeks ago tonight we arrived in Camp Mills, N.Y. tonight finds me near mid-Atlantic with waves like young mountains. Not sea sick yet.

June 9

Sunday stormy most all day. Band played some selections on deck today. Waves high and weather cold as we have been sailing considerable [sic] northeast.

June 10

Still sailing along in the same direction....getting near the danger zone...sea much calmer...weather drizzly and foggy.

June 11

Still raining and sea rough again...didn't have any drill on dock today, except boat drill.

Stay tuned for more of the diary in future weeks...I plan to post a few days at a time.