| 5,211 Aug. 1 | 6,378 | .. | .. | .. | 6,378 Sept. 1 | 6,453 | .. | 31 | .. | 6,484 Oct. 1 | 6,402 | .. | 145 | .. | 6,547 Nov. 1 | 6,467 | .. | 240 | .. | 6,707 Dec. 1 | 6,440 | 42 | 269 | .. | 6,751 | | | | | 1919. | | | | | Jan. 1 | 5,820 | 588 | 260 | .. | 6,668 Feb. 1 | 5,022 | 1,301 | 255 | .. | 6,578 Mar. 1 | 4,392 | 1,910 | 246 | .. | 6,548 Apr. 1 | 3,555 | 2,684 | 234 | .. | 6,473 May 1 | 3,064 | 3,041 | 229 | .. | 6,334 June 1 | 2,871 | 3,179 | 238 | .. | 6,288 July 1 | 2,410 | 3,502 | 226 | .. | 6,138 Aug. 1 | 2,186 | 3,694 | .. | 201 | 6,081 ------------------+--------+---------+-------+---------+------- Chapter XXIII. RETURN OF MARINES FROM EUROPE—PARADES IN THE UNITED STATES. RETURN OF SECOND DIVISION AND FOURTH BRIGADE. A great many Marines were returned from Europe gradually and in small detachments from the date the armistice became operative. The commanding general of the Second Division and his staff, headquarters of the Fourth Brigade, the Fifth Regiment, and the Second Battalion of the Sixth Regiment arrived in the United States on board the _George Washington_ on August 3, 1919; the remainder of the Sixth Regiment arrived in the United States early in August, 1919, on board the _Rinjdam_ and the _Wilhelmina_; the Sixth Machine Gun Battalion arrived in the United States on board the _Santa Paula_ on August 5, 1919. RETURN OF THE FIFTH BRIGADE. The Fifth Brigade Headquarters, the Thirteenth Regiment (less Company B), and the Fifth Brigade Machine Gun Battalion arrived in the United States on board the _Siboney_ on August 8, 1919. Company B of the Thirteenth Regiment arrived on the _Mercury_ on August 12, 1919. The Eleventh Regiment arrived in the United States on board the _Orizaba_ on August 9, 1919. All the above Marine organizations and individuals were returned to the naval service soon after arrival in the United States. COMPOSITE REGIMENT, THIRD ARMY. The company of Marines and battalion commander (major) and staff, forming a part of the Composite Regiment, Third Army, returned to the United States on board the _Leviathan_ on September 8, 1919, and were returned to the naval service in September, 1919. The colonel commanding the Composite Regiment in a letter dated September 21, 1919, commended the battalion commander and staff, the commanding officer of the company, and “the lieutenants for their loyalty and attention to details, and noncommissioned officers and men for their soldierly appearance, high standard of morale, and discipline,” concluding with these words: