In September it becomes evident that Ruth stayed behind, as we have these letters of thanks from soldiers in camp to Ruth as head of the local Red Cross:
(Click on images to enlarge)
Later that month, Ruth heard from Dwight: he had been transferred to the 317th Labor Battalion, was about to leave Camp Greene for an eastern seaport, and presumably would soon be on his way overseas. Now she was just waiting to hear when she might come to see him off.
The summons came, and on the last day of September, Ruth, her little daughter Marian, and her mother-in-law set off from Crown Point (by train, presumably) for Newport News, Virginia. But after several days' travel they arrived only to learned that Dwight had not yet left Camp Greene. So more precious time was spent in traveling there. Finally on Thursday the little family reunion took place. It lasted only until sometime on Friday, when the order finally came for Lieutenant Mackey to move.
The bereft women set out for home again. On the way they stopped in Baltimore for a visit with Helen and George "Dusty" Rhodes,* who were living there while he worked for the government, plumbing for victory, one supposes.
That week, another local man received his commission: J.C. (John Carlisle) Dorman became a second lieutenant. The Gazette reported that he had recently transferred from Camp Custer in Michigan to the main offices of the quartermaster corps in Chicago. There Lieutenant Dorman was put in charge of the motor service branch (fittingly enough, since he had run a garage business before his enlistment) with nearly a hundred employees under his supervision.
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*This is the first reference I've seen to George's nickname.
Sources:
♦ 1920 Census.
♦ "J.C. Dorman Promoted." Hobart Gazette 11 Oct. 1918.
♦ "Letters from Army Camps." Hobart Gazette 13 Sept. 1918; 20 Sept. 1918.
♦ "Local and Personal." Hobart News 26 Sept. 1918; 3 Oct. 1918; 10 Oct. 1918.
♦ "Local Drifts." Hobart Gazette 27 Sept. 1918; 11 Oct. 1918.
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