Encoded for for the Veterans History Project, January 18, 2017.
All letters in the McNutt collection were digitized.
The following letters were transcribed from the handwritten originals by the donor. No alterations to this transcription has been made, although spelling errors are indicated with [sic]. Any special emphasis (i.e. underlining) is presented *between asterisks*.
We just arrived yesterday in N. Y. harbor from Bordeaux, France. We only layed there until about noon today so we are now on our way to Norfolk to coal up. Don't suppose we will be there more than a couple of days and then we will go back to Phila. My you just ought to have seen us eat today at dinner
and you would't have been surprised at a bunch of hogs eating if you had been with us coming across. We lived ten days on hard tack and can Willie (corn beef). Honestly I was so weak I couldn't hardly stand up for nothing to eat and standing hard steaming watches sure put us out of commission. We were seventeen days at sea. I haven't gotten any mail since I left the states March 5th. Gee! But I letter sure will look good. Myrtle you don't (know?) what a glorious feeling runs through me when we first saw U.S. Coast and then when we entered N.Y. Harbor and the American flog flying everywhere and the Statue of Liberty standing out in the harbor. Well, there isn't any use trying to tell you or describe the feeling for it is ineffable. The only way you could ever know is to be away from your
country for a few months and be among foreign people. I didn't know how to appreciate the good old U.S.A. or know I loved her until I got away. But believe me, I do now. I wrote to you a number of times from Halifax and a couple cards from Souillac (?) France. I hope you got them all. I am writing this at sea and the boat is pitching and rolling so I can't hardly write! Will mail this at Norfolk. Will have to close as I haven't more time. Will have to tell you of my trip by installments. Please write at once dear girl for you don't know how bad I want to hear from you.
With a world of love,