The USS Peerless was the former Steamship Eagle which had been brought into U.S. service as a transport during World War One. In that capacity, she brought the troops of the 148th FA home to the U.S., including the Wyoming National Guardsmen that served in that unit, their role in the Great War now complete.
In September she'd be returned to her civilian owner, who once again returned her to her civilian name of Eagle. She'd remain in service as a civilian transport until 1949, when she was scrapped.
The return of the 148th was big long awaited news for Wyomingites as it meant the return of the last of Wyoming's serving National Guardsmen. The news made the front page in Cheyenne, as did the proclamation of Boy Scout Week, if inaccurately, but another big event, a series of anarchist bombings the prior day, not surprisingly became the big headline.
The 1919 anarchist bombings would fuel the Red Scare of 1919 and lead to a rapid crack down on left wing activities in the United States. Some date the event to the bombings, but it was already ongoing and the strikes of 1919 had already begun to fuel, along with other events, national and international.
No comments:
Post a Comment