“Drill all day in the dust. Sgt. Connolly, an old-timer, with a big white mustache, is our drill instructor. One day target practice with 22-caliber Springfields. Rumors that we are going to France, but none of us believe it – we’ve none of us had adequate training. Saturday, June 2. Fell out in company street with full-field equipment; told we were leaving that day – no destination given. Tuesday morning, on June 26, we are in France after fourteen days enroute.”

Entries from the diary of
Cpl. Tom Carroll, Co F., 16th Infantry
From the Col. Robert R. McCormick Research Center

 

troop tenadoriesCarroll diary

 

Diary: See left   Photo: Soldiers of the First Division onboard the U.S.S. Tenadories, a transport ship on its way to France as part of the first units of the AEF to arrive. Signal Corps Photograph courtesy of the Col. Robert R. McCormick Research Center.