"I didn’t know how to appreciate the good old USA or know I loved her until I got away." (Letter to Myrtle, 5/30/1918)
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Henry Trollinger McNutt |

Page from a letter of Henry McNutt to Myrtle Barton [detail] | World War, 1914-1918
Navy
USS Illinois (BB 7)
Norfolk, Virginia; Portsmouth, Virginia; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Atlantic Ocean; Europe; France; Halifax, Nova Scotia
Fireman Second Class
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Joining the Navy because of the desperate need for American sailors, Henry McNutt went on to serve as a Fireman Second Class aboard the USS Illinois. He spent much time working in the fire rooms, where the temperature would often reach 150 degrees; as he noted, "It is no place for a weakling." Judging by his correspondence, thoughts of his girlfriend, Myrtle Barton, were a welcome distraction, and his collection chronicles their burgeoning relationship. Tragically, though he arrived safely back in the United States after service in the Atlantic, he died of "broncho-pneumonia" on September 29, 1918, only eight days after mentioning in a letter to Myrtle that he had fallen ill.
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Personal Correspondence (42 items) |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Knoxville. Tenn [April 1, 1915] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Knoxville. Tenn [April 7, 1915] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Knoxville. Tenn [April 9, 1915] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Knoxville. Tenn [April 27, 1915] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Knoxville. Tenn [May 13, 1915] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Sunday Evening [May 24, 1915] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Knoxville. Tenn [June 4, 1915] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Ceres, VA. [June 18, 1915] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Ceres, Va. [July 7, 1915] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Astoria, L.L. NY. [Oct. 1, 1916] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Astoria, L.L. NY. [Oct. 15, 1916] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Astoria, L.L. NY. [Dec. 30, 1916] |
Post Card to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Norfolk, VA. [July 14, 1917] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Norfolk, VA. [July 14, 1917] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, U.S.S. Illinois [Sept. 2, 1917] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Brooklyn, NY. [Oct. 7, 1917] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, U.S.S. George Washington [Oct. 28, 1917] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, U.S.S. George Washington [Nov. 6, 1917] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, [Feb 3, 1918] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, [Feb 22, 1918] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Halifax, N.S. [March 12, 1918] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, U.S.S. Lake Placid Somewhere in France [April 14, 1918] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, At Sea May 30, 1918] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Somewhere in U.S.A. [June 8, 1918] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Army and Navy YMCA [June 16, 1918] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, [June 25, 1918] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, [July 4, 1918] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, [July 7, 1918] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, [July 11, 1918] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, [July 14, 1918] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, [July 16, 1918] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, [July 17, 1918] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, [July 19, 1918] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, [July 23, 1918] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Somewhere in Scotland [Aug. 20, 1918] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Norfolk, VA. [Sept. 18, 1918] |
Letter to Myrtle from Henry McNutt, Norfolk, VA. [Sept. 21, 1918] |
Post Card to Myrtle from Henry McNutt |
Post Card to Myrtle from Henry McNutt |
Post Card to Myrtle from Henry McNutt |
Post Card to Myrtle from Henry McNutt |
"Kiss From France" Post Card |
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