312th Infantry Returning

Here is the photo of the returning troops, from the 312th Infantry Regiment, marching in Newark in 1919. You can tell whether soldiers are coming or going by their hats. These men have the overseas cap, which means they are returning. Soldiers went overeseas with the wide brimmed campaign hat, which proved unusable overseas. These men are also carrying the US Model 1917 rifle, rather than the Model 1903 Springfield. The 1917, originally a British pattern, was manufactured in the US and converted to the US caliber ammunition when production of the 1903 could not keep up with demand.
Photo from Joe Bilby