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Lucius Nash aboard the USS Roanoke [1918]

Veterans History Project Service Summary:

  • War or Conflict: World War, 1914-1918
  • Branch of Service: Navy
  • Service Unit/Ship: USS Salem (CL 3); USS Roanoke
  • Location of Service: Scotland; Atlantic Ocean
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Junior Grade
  • Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/48229

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"The laying of this barrage has been the biggest thing the Navy has done, and the only offensive operation." (Letter to Parents, 11/19/1918)

A Lieutenant Junior Grade in the Navy, Lucius Byron Nash served aboard the USS Roanoke, a minelayer responsible for distributing mines across the North Sea to deter German U-boats from attacking the Atlantic shipping lanes. As he describes in his letters home, it was often a dirty, grueling job, demanding twelve-hour shifts spent on deck in the pouring rain. Luckily, he was able to break the monotony by taking shore leave in London and Scotland. His correspondence, along with the accompanying photographs of the Roanoke loaded with mines, offers a peek into the role of the Navy in World War I, an often-verlooked aspect of the war.

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[ Photo Album ]

More Resources

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[ Certificate promoting Lucius B. Nash to Lt. Junior Grade. [11/9/1918] ]
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[ Letter of recommendation for Nash from Assistant paymaster J.R. Frawley to Captain J.P. Parker [12/1/1917] ]
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[ Letter of certification of Navy service ]
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[ Official document certifying Nash's acceptance of the office of Ensign in the U.S.N.R. ]
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[ Official letter providing Nash his active duty assignment [12/28/1917] ]
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[ Letter to Captain C.D. Stearns requesting assignment to the U.S.S. Roanoke ]

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[ Letter to Professor J.D. Phillips [2/19/1918] ]
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[ Letter from C.D. Stearns concerning posting of men to the U.S.S. Roanoke [2/26/1918] ]
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[ Orders for Lucius B. Nash [3/2/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Mr. Knowlton [6/11/1918] ]
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[ Special Emergency Ration Coupon book ]
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[ Instructions "in case of heavy fog drop" ]
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[ Undated, handwritten note by C.D. Stearns with typed transcript ]
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[ Typewritten orders from C.D. Stearns [7/17/1918] ]
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[ Memo from R.R. Belknap [7/22/1918] ]
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[ Memo from C.D. Stearns, Captain of the U.S.S. Roanoke [7/31/1918] ]
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[ Orders transferring Nash to the Naval Reserve [8/7/1918] ]
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[ Request for five days' leave [8/28/1918] ]
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[ Memo concerning experimental sweeping in North Sea [9/20/1918] ]
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[ Memo in which the Commander Mine Force congratulates his men for a job well done [9/22/1918] ]
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[ Memo, provisional assignment of grade for L.B. Nash [11/9/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Captain Belknap from H.R. Godfrey [11/13/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Captain Godfrey from R.R. Belknap [11/15/1918] ]
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[ Letter from C.D. Stearns to Ensign Lucius Nash [11/20/1918] ]
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[ Speech of Admiral W.S. Sims to Mine Squadron One [12/12/1918] ]
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[ Certificate concerning Nash's authority to wear a War Service Chevron [12/25/1918] ]
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[ United State Railroad Administration Furlough Fare Certificate [1/13/1919] ]
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[ Letter relieving Nash from active duty [1/16/1919] ]
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[ Letter relieving Nash from active duty [1/16/1919] ]
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[ Letter to Supply Officer from Nash [3/19/1919] ]
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[ Chronology of activity for the U.S.S. Roanoke for the year 1918 ]
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[ Circular Letter No. 99 From Forece Commander to All Forces, Conduct of Officers while on shore. [September 24, 1918] ]
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[ Regimental/Unit History of the U.S.S. Roanoke. ]
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[ Letter to Parents [5/12/1918] ]
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[ Letter to "My Dear Friend" [5/12/1918] ]
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[ Telegram to Geo. J. Nash [5/21/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [5/22/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [5/28/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [6/6/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [6/13/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [6/23/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [6/30/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Father [7/1/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [7/7/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [7/19/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [7/24/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [8/2/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [8/12/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [9/5/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [9/6/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [9/17/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [10/1/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [10/12/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [10/23/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [11/3/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [11/10/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [11/19/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [11/30/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [12/8/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Parents [12/28/1918] ]
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[ Telegram to George J. Nash [1/15/1919] ]
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[ Telegram to L.B. Nash [1/21/1919] ]
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[ Letter to Grandfather [11/25/1918] ]
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[ Letter to Nash from "W. Durons [?]" [11/20/1918] ]
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[ Letter to "Mr. Nash" from "Eve Master [?]" [7/24 with no year given]] ]
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[ Invitation to a dance addressed to Lucius Nash [10/1918] ]
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[ Postcard to Nash, picturing the Grand Hotel in Paris [1918] ]
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[ Poem, "T.N.T. For Kaiser Bill" ]
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[ Stationary in German ]
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[ Registration Form For Use in Hotels, Inns, Lodging-houses, etc. ]
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[ Christmas and New Years Card from the U.S.S. Conyngham [1918] ]
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[ Pin: Farewell Dance by the Crew of the U.S.S. Ronaoke ]
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[ Pictorial Letter Card, Souvenir of Newcastle ]
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[ Program of dances for the Farewell Dance aboard the U.S.S. Roanoke ]
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[ Program of dances for a Grand Ball aboard the U.S.S. San Francisco [2/18/1919] ]
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[ Boston Navy Yard Pass [3/1918] ]
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[ Program of dance given by the British Royal Navy to their American Comrades [11/28/1918] ]
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[ Red tag labeled "Remove Before Submerging" ]
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[ Token with room number for hotel ]
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[ Registration certificate ]
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[ Calling Card for Sub. Lt. C.M. Cross, R.N.V.R. [Royal Naval Reserve] ]
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[ Calling Card for Sub. Lt. Basil W. Hallwood, Royal Navy ]
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[ Newspaper & Magazine Articles in Re-Mine Force, United States Atlantic Fleet ]
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[ U.S.S. Roanoke Wireless Press [October 10, 1918 ]

About this Item

Title

  • Lucius Byron Nash Collection

Names

  • Seekamp, Lynne Nash
  • Nash, Lucius Byron

Headings

  • -  Nash, Lucius Byron
  • -  World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal Narratives
  • -  United States. Navy.

Repository

  • Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Gender

  • Male

Status

  • veteran

Service History

  • World War, 1914-1918

    • Branch of Service: Navy
    • Service Unit/Ship: USS Salem (CL 3); USS Roanoke
    • Location of Service: Scotland; Atlantic Ocean
    • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Junior Grade
    • Dates of Service: 1917-1919
    • Entrance into Service: Enlisted
    • Military Status: veteran

Materials

  • Manuscript: Clippings [14 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 1918-1919)
  • Manuscript: Civilian papers (certificates, forms, wills, etc) [4 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1917-1964)
  • Manuscript: Correspondence [35 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1918-1919)
  • Manuscript: Military Papers [33 items] -- Mixed (handwritten and typewritten documents) (collected 1918-1919)
  • Manuscript: Printed matter [4 items] -- Typewritten document (collected 1918)
  • Photograph: Original photographic print [14 items] -- Photographs (collected 1918)
  • Artifact: Artifact [11 items] -- (collected 1917-1919)
  • Manuscript: Unit histories [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 1918)

Collection Number

  • AFC/2001/001/48229

Online Format

  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

Using VHP Material in Publication or Exhibition

The Veterans History Project (VHP) at the Library of Congress collects, preserves and makes accessible the firsthand recollections of U.S. military veterans who served from World War I through more recent conflicts and peacekeeping missions, so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand what they saw, did and felt during their service. The Veterans History Project Collection includes oral histories along with documentary materials such as original letters, diaries, photographs, and memoirs.

Veterans and interviewers contribute these materials to the Library for scholarly and educational purposes, retaining any copyright they may hold. Therefore, permission must be obtained before using the interview or other materials in exhibition or publication. Researchers or others who would like to make further use of these materials should contact the Veterans History Project for assistance.

As a publicly supported institution, the Library generally does not own rights to material in its collections. Therefore, it does not charge permission fees for use of such material and cannot give or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute material in its collections. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item from the Library’s collections and for securing any necessary permissions rests with persons desiring to use the item.

Please contact us with questions.

Obtaining Copies of VHP Materials

In order for VHP materials to be duplicated, we must receive written permission from the interviewee for you to obtain a copy of the recording unless the proposed use is limited to personal use, research, or other uses permissible by copyright law. If the interviewee is deceased, their next-of-kin may grant written permission.

Please contact VHP for assistance if you need to contact a veteran for permission to use their materials in exhibition or publication, or if you have received permission from the veteran and need access to high-resolution copies of VHP collection materials.

Citing VHP Materials

Please use the following formats when citing Veterans History Project materials (substituting the appropriate name and collection ID number).

Materials as a whole:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Manuscript material:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Memoirs (MS02), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Transcript (MS04), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Correspondence (MS01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Recording:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Audio recording (SR01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Video recording (MV01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Photograph:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Photographs (PH01), photographer unknown, Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Photographs (PH03-PH14), Ralph Williams photographer, Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Computer file:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Computer file (CF01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Artifact:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/[VHP collection]), Artifact (AR01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Seekamp, Lynne Nash, and Lucius Byron Nash. Lucius Byron Nash Collection. 1917. Personal Narrative. https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.48229/.

APA citation style:

Seekamp, L. N. & Nash, L. B. (1917) Lucius Byron Nash Collection. [Personal Narrative] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.48229/.

MLA citation style:

Seekamp, Lynne Nash, and Lucius Byron Nash. Lucius Byron Nash Collection. 1917. Personal Narrative. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.48229/>.