▁War ▁I . ▁It ▁was ▁established ▁as ▁temporary ▁tent ▁camp ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁as ▁a ▁place ▁to ▁mobil ize ▁the ▁ 4 2 nd ▁Division , ▁made ▁up ▁of ▁National ▁Guard ▁units ▁from ▁various ▁states . ▁After ▁the ▁ 4 2 d ▁left ▁for ▁the ▁Western ▁Front ▁in ▁France , ▁the ▁ 4 1 st ▁Division ▁followed , ▁occup ying ▁the ▁camp ▁from ▁October ▁to ▁November ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁It ▁was ▁then ▁ordered ▁to ▁be ▁abandoned , ▁but ▁re est ab lished ▁April ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁as ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Port ▁of ▁Emb ark ation ▁at ▁Hob oken , ▁New ▁Jersey ▁to ▁obtain ▁additional ▁facilities ▁for ▁troops ▁in ▁trans it ▁to ▁Europe . ▁ ▁Camp ▁M ills ▁was ▁expanded ▁to ▁a ▁contain ment ▁with ▁wooden ▁buildings ▁for ▁the ▁accommod ation ▁of ▁thousands ▁of ▁troops , ▁who ▁arrived ▁from ▁training ▁cam ps ▁across ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁At ▁Camp ▁M ills ▁the ▁units ▁waited ▁until ▁they ▁could ▁be ▁scheduled ▁for ▁emb ark ation ▁where up on ▁they ▁would ▁travel ▁by ▁trains ▁of ▁the ▁Long ▁Island ▁Rail ▁Road ▁to ▁board ▁fer ry bo ats ▁for ▁the ▁over se as ▁pi ers ▁in ▁Brook lyn ▁or ▁Hob oken ▁and ▁loaded ▁onto ▁tro op ▁ships . ▁Those ▁ships ▁transport ed ▁troops ▁primarily ▁to ▁the ▁ports ▁of ▁Liverpool , ▁England , ▁or ▁Br est , ▁France . ▁Fac ilities ▁at ▁Camp ▁M ills ▁included ▁a ▁hospital , ▁w are h ouses ,