Sunday, July 20, 1919. Romance on the convoy, violence on the border.

Section no. 1, The International Religious Congress of Triumph, The Church and Kingdom of God in Christ, lasting fifty days beginning July 20, 1919, Elder E.D. Smith, Apostle.  July 20, 1919.

Today was a Sunday, and the Motor Transport Convoy took the day off, or perhaps more accurately were taken into the homes of residents of Chicago Heights, Illinois.

The Goodyear Band joined the convoy at this point, as travelers who would presumably provide music.  I'm curious as to what the soldiers on the convoy thought of the extra, non military, non mechanic guests.

Perhaps they were welcome. The fifteen piece band, sent by Goodyear president Frank Seiberling, would ride in a five ton Packard which was equipped with Goodyear tires.   The tires were cutting edge technology at the time and the Packard had been driven across the continent, so equipped, before, so this was the proven vehicle's second trip.

Also on this day newsreel cameramen showed up and filmed the convoy.  Perhaps all the excitement contributed to a certain romantic atmosphere, as Pvt. Philip Fred Golick married Miss Mabel Ruth Kelley on this day. The couple had met in Bucyrus the prior Tuesday and she'd been following the convoy since.  A county clerk was found to issue a marriage license on Sunday and an Episcopal minister preformed the service.

A romantic atmosphere was not developing between the United States and Mexico, where things were again growing tense.  A private American vessel had been attacked and it was ramping up tensions between the two countries, which were already pretty tense as it was.