[Archive]: World War I Navy Letters

Hennie

Published by Wales, Scotland, Manila, Germany, 1919

About this Item

A collection of eight retained typed letters and a memorandum written by "Hennie," an American soldier during World War I. All items near fine with creases from mailing. The letters are dated between May 1917 and February 1919 and usually include the location. Roughly half the letters are pages long and read similarly to a diary. The first letter written May 27, 1917 is sent to Ellie who appears to be a sister or daughter. In it Hennie writes of the journey from Honolulu to Manila aboard the USAT *Logan* where he is to be stationed along with his wife Mary and their daughters Kit and Kewpie, who were fighting measles on the trip over. Hennie was stationed with the U.S. Asiatic Flotilla on the USS *Monterey*. By November 1918 he writes that he is now stationed off the coast of Scotland with a fleet of American and British destroyers under orders to "locate the German steaming for their rendezvous." He writes, "I personally think there is no sport in the world to compare with it.the thoughts of the German, however, must have been a different thing." The final letters are from February of 1919 while Hennie was stationed in Hamburg, Germany with the USS *Chester* as part of an "Armistice Team." A note from February reads, "we were by a small old type torpedo boat flying the German man o' war flag and from her we took a pilot and are now heading to Elbe." He writes of the German captives, "We stared at them and they at us and that was all.I was wondering what their thoughts were - mine were not complimentary to them in the least. I want nothing to do with them and hope they may be made to feel for a long time to come what the world thinks of them." He continues, "this transition from peace to war is a funny thing: a few months ago and we would have been at each other's throats." Of the city of Hamburg he writes, "there was little sign of life anywhere." There are food shortages and he remarks that local Germans and a French Red Cross worker stated that "a supply of food would go far towards staving off anarchy." He continues, "they are hungry, and a hungry people may do anything, lack of coal is shutting down industry, add to both the political, social, and general unrest of the labor and maybe.no one can predict, food and coal might solve it." In his final letter to Ellie he muses, "Hardly thought a year ago that I would be taking tea.in a restaurant in Germany today and by the same token I am wondering where in the world I will be one year hence." A modest but interesting collection of letters describing the tour of duty of a U.S. sailor during World War I. Seller Inventory # 445395

Bibliographic Details

Title: [Archive]: World War I Navy Letters

Publisher: Wales, Scotland, Manila, Germany

Publication Date: 1919

Binding: Unbound

Condition: Near Fine