Ensign Hugh J. Adams (1889-1919):
Rousing Welcome Is Extended to Heroines of War

"Rousing Welcome Is Extended to Heroines of War. Great Throng at Station to Show Their Appreciation of Work Well Done. Many Pathetic Scenes." Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph, [22 March] 1919.

Cheers and tears of joy from relatives and friends, coupled with the plaudits of thousands, greeted 48 brave nurses, all heroines of the world war, upon their arrival in Pittsburgh today. From the time their train reached the Pennsylvania Station at 8:12 a.m., bringing them on the last stage of their journey from Angers, France, until the program of arrangements had been completed in front of the City-County Building, it was one continuous ovation.

After the affair was at an end one of the brave girls, summing up words of appreciation for the magnificent reception, modestly said: "Well, it was worth staying away 19 months, to get a welcome like this." They had been overseas for that period and attached to Base Hospital Unit No. 27, equipped by Pittsburgh money. The mayor's reception committee, of which L. H. Burnett is the chairman, and representatives of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Red Cross assisting in the welcome, made it so hearty that the women said they were unable to find words to express their appreciation.

Taken to City-County Building.
Following breakfast at the Fort Pitt Hotel, where they were escorted by the mayor's committee having charge of the arrangements, they were placed in automobiles and paraded down Liberty avenue to Fifth, to Grant street, to the City-County Building.

Passing the Salvation Army headquarters in Fifth avenue a bevy of lassies rushed the automobiles conveying the nurses and showered them with doughnuts. The crowd went wild with joy at this expression of devotion. Not a few nurses were showered with flowers. All along the line of march were men, women and children with flags. Small crowds of friends of particular members of the party singled them out and cheered them lustily. The girls acknowledged the plaudits of the cheering thousands in their modest way by bowing right and left.

Arriving at the reviewing stand, the mayor's reception committee separated and the automobiles containing the nurses passed in review, the members of the committee doffing their hats as a mark of respect. Posing for their pictures before a moving picture machine and a battery of cameras on the steps of the City-County Building, the formal exercises for the nurses came to an end with an address by Mr. Burnett.

He lamented the fact that Mayor E. V. Babcock is in the West Penn Hospital suffering from the effects of an operation and unable to be present.

Good Work is Praised.
"But this reception you have received speaks louder than any words I can say," assured Mr. Burnett. "None has made greater sacrifices than you and the doctors who offered all they had that this country might live. We also want to say a good word for the women of Pittsburgh you left behind, and who could not be excelled in what they have done for you."

The nurses did some applauding when he made that last statement. Continuing Mr. Burnett said: "This good old town has played a greater part in this world war than any other town in this domain. I know that your parents, sisters, brothers and perhaps some others (the girls laughing) want to see you. I know that home to you means the best place on earth. We hope that this day will live green in your memory as a token of the esteem we have for you."

One Touching Incident.
A touching scene was witnessed with Joseph Yosolovitz, of the circulation department of The Chronicle Telegraph and The Gazette Times, handed Miss Nell Brink, of Doubois, a box of candy as big as his hat.

"God bless you, Joe," said Miss Brink.

"It's all I can do to show my appreciation for what you did for me, Miss Brink, while I lay in the hospital in France," said "Joe," blushingly, and little tear drops tricked to Miss Brink's eyes, who responded, "Joe, I only did my duty, but God bless you." With Miss Brink as she walked along the station corridor was Miss May De Lozier, of Nashville, Pa., who was given three citations for her service as a nurse.

Many Weep for Joy.
"Where's my mother." "My but I'm glad to get back to Pittsburgh." "Doesn't the old town look great." "God bless you honey." These were some of the salutations that the women made as they left the train and were marched through the train shed to the cheers and plaudits of the multitude gathered there and later along the route of parade, following breakfast at the Fort Pitt Hotel.

After entering the hotel, every one of the nurses broke out crying when they were taken by their father, mother or sweetheart and welcomed home. Much hand-shaking followed and the nurses were then taken to the breakfast room.

Each of the women wore three gold service stripes indicating 18 months' service overseas.

Nursed Many Wounded.
All of the nurses helped to care for thousands of American boys who had been torn by shot and shell and the exhibitions of fortitude of the men who fought so nobly for their country were related by the score by these returning heroines who risked their lives too in looking after the wants of the men.

At the station were many members of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Red Cross, with banners and flags galore to cheer and greet the girls as they passed in review and out of the train shed to the hotel.

At the station to receive them was Chairman Burnett of the mayor's committee, Maj. W. H. Davis, Augustus K. Oliver, chairman of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Red Cross; Frank J. Lanahan, who, with the assistance of the Motor Corps arranged for the automobile transportation for the nurses; W. M. Furey, Murray G. Livingston, secretary of the reception committee; Roy D. Schooley, J. K. Burnett and others.

Route of the Parade.
Chairman Burnett was marshal of the parade. His staff included Maj. Davis, Councilman Robert Garland, George S. Oliver, president of the Chamber of Commerce; Harry W. Dunlap, John S. Herron, president of council; Philip Murray, A. K. Oliver, Walter Schleiter and Roy D. Schooley.

The parade moved in the following order:
Mounted police.
Chief Marshal Burnett and staff.
Nirella's Band.
Mayor's welcome committee and Red Cross committee.
Roceretto's Band.
Ten automobiles containing nurses and Base Hospital No. 27.
Liberty Band.
Red Cross baggage truck.
Platoon of police.

The route of the parade was Penn to Tenth street, to Liberty, to Fifth avenue, to Grant, to City-County Building.

Members of Committees.
John B. Barbour was in command of the mayor's committee.

The Pittsburgh Chapter of the Red Cross was represented by the following special committee, acting in co-operation with the mayor's committee: Mrs. Enoch Rauh, Mrs. C. A. Painter, Mrs. C. A. Verner, Mrs. E. L. C. Weimer, Mrs. J. E. Roth, A. K. Oliver, Frank J. Lanahan, John McLeod, R. D. Book, H. W. Dunlap, J. R. Flannery. The local nursing service committee, represented by Miss J. L. Jones, Miss N. E. McAfee, Miss L. A. Thompson, Miss Katherine Dempster, Mrs. A. L. Ford, Mrs. J. T. Flinn, Miss J. J. Turnbull, Mrs. J. E. Roth, Miss Jean Coucher, with Miss Elizabeth Martin, secretary, representing the educational committee.

Col. Robert T. Miller, Lieut. Thomas T. S. Arbuthnot, Lieut. Col. I. D. Herd, Maj. W. H. Ray and Capt. J. A. W. Robinson, who were associated with the unit, also participated in the program.

It cost about $100,00 to equip Base Hospital Unit No. 27. Mrs. H. L. Collins of Pittsburgh gave $25,000 for that purpose and the remainder was raised by the trustees of the University of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Mr. Lanahan read a citation to the nurses while they were eating breakfast, which was written by C. P. Summar. The names of Miss Mary DeLozier and Miss Marjorie Aaron, both nurses who returned this morning, were mentioned for their bravery during the opening of the drive in the Argonne Forest.

The nurses were met at Greensburg by J. J. McAdoo and D. M. Wright, of the local Red Cross, who carried railroad schedules to provide them with information as to the time trains leave for out-of-town places. Nurses whose homes are in Pittsburgh were conveyed there in cars following the reception arranged by the mayor's reception committee.

Modesty Characterizes Nurses.
Modesty and reticence characterized nearly all of those heroic women and girls. They would not speak of their work over there. "Ask some of the other girls," many of them said, when asked to tell just a little about the hardships they encountered at their station seven kilometers behind the front line.

"While our work was hard, still we were well cared for, and it was a pleasure," one girl who refused to give her name said. "We would not unnecessarily go through it again, but we would gladly if America needed us," she said.

The joy, however, of getting home and embracing relatives and friends, overshadowed the consciousness of sacrifice and service they had given their country and civilization, and momentarily routed all eagerness to tell of their experiences in the ministration of mercy.

At Base Hospital Behind Lines.
The main body of Pittsburgh nurses did not do actual service on the front line battlefields, Miss Brink said. "We were always at the base hospital behind the lines," she said, "to receive the wounded men as they were brought in in trains and ambulances every hour of the day to us. We realized after we had seen the carnage in the shell-swept areas that medical officials were right in keeping the nurses off of the battlefield," she asserted. "Otherwise many of us would have been killed and disabled so that we could not have given our best to the boys."

But while they were some distance behind the fighting zone, these brave girls were in constant sight of the smoke of battle and red flare of shells.

Many of them asserted the most trying phase of this work was seeing the ghastly condition of the mutilated soldiers as they were brought fresh from the battlefield. "But our gladness at being able to do something to relieve their suffering soon overcam our horror at these sights," one nurse said.

Cared for German Wounded.
"I simply detested and despised boche prisoners who were brought into the hospital," Miss Brink said. But many of the Pittsburgh nurses, she said, cared for the wounded Germans as tenderly and efficiently as for wounded men of the allied armies. Nearly 100 Germans were in the base hospital all the time, the girls said.

The nurses ate breakfast in a white-paneled room, decorated with the Stars and Stripes, the tri-color of France and the flag of Britain. They ate quietly in groups of six and seven at the tables provided for them. Members of the mayor's committee were forced to order all relatives and friends of the nurses from the corridors leading to the dining room.

The indelible impress of army discipline was noticeable once during their meal when a letter of citation was read by a former member of the unit's personnel.

Listen to Words of Praise.
"We are finished with military formality," this official said, when the girls stopped eating and in rigid silence listened to the words of praise given of the nurses by Maj. Gen. Summerall, commanding the Fifth Army Corps. They could not forget the exactions of army life.

Before they had docked in the New York harbor a woman [reporter], dressed in garish clothes and wearing a narrow hobble skirt, rushed up to meet them and asked them who their choice for President was, Miss Brink said.

"We did not give a rap who the next President would be; what we asked her was, 'When does the first train leave for Pennsylvania?'" Miss Brink declared.

The physical strain the nurses had undergone in their 18 months of service was detected when several of them failed to pass the rigid physical examination they were subjected to in New York. Without exception, however, their faces today were rosy and firm and wreathed in smiles.

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