The 23rd debarked at Newport News, Va., just after noon on a wharf full of smiling WACs. The POE did not believe in staffing the docks with men who might annoy returning veterans so the girls very sweetly said the usual: "Move along, please," No smoking, please," and "Kindly step into this here bus." A number of people will be forever grateful to the Red Cross for their first glass of fresh American milk in 14 months. This was distributed very cheerfully with a doughnut in the buses.

Camp Patrick Henry will be remembered by most as a gigantic telephone booth. Nearly everyone waited for hours to hear that wonderful gasp of joy on the other end of the wire. The initial processing was quick and involved mostly changing ODs for suntans. It was hot as a furnace but anyone who complained was proffered a trip to cool, fascinating Germany. Everyone stayed.

On 3 July, various groups began movement to reception centers all over the country. The trains were day coaches but again, few cared. Thirty-day leaves and furloughs were called "temporary duty for recuperation, rehabilitation and recovery." To most it was mostly reconversion. Japan and the Pacific looked further than the moon.