363rd Homecoming: San Francisco’s 1919 Triumph

Feel the roar of San Francisco’s pride in this silent 1919 footage as the city’s own 363rd Regiment returns from World War I, greeted by a ferry pulling into the pier with an American flag fluttering against a Navy fleet, submarines in tow. Dignitaries, including Mayor James “Sunny Jim” Rolph, await as the heroes disembark, then lead a grand parade up Market Street, festooned with garlands and strung with American and Entente Powers flags. From a high window, the camera pans down from a “Welcome Home” sign to a sea of 450,000, confetti swirling as soldiers march in tight ranks to City Hall. Rolph beams from the reviewing stand while rooftops bloom with men and women waving hats atop a Lundstrom Hats sign, crowds below packing every inch, cheering and waving. This black-and-white reel captures a city’s jubilation, a treasure for history buffs, WWI enthusiasts, and San Francisco heritage fans, pulsing with victory’s echo.