September 26, 1943

Pvt. Aug. Haferkamp
A.S.N. 36684775
Co. D, 210th Bn, 65th Regt.
I.R.T.C.
Camp Blanding, Florida

Sunday, Sept. 26, 1943

Camp Blanding, Florida

Hello Mother & Everybody:-

Here I am way down in Florida. The land of sunshine. This camp is 40 miles south west of Jacksonville, and 7 miles from Starke. We left Camp Grant at 10 to 6 Wednesday night on the C.B.&Q. There were about 500 of us. We rode Pullman cars and slept 2 nights on the train. I had a lower berth. There was 12 cars filled with soldiers, 1 with our barracks bags and 2 served as a kitchen. We ate right on the train. It took us about 55 hours to make the trip. We traveled the freight routes. We crossed the river at Quincy after leaving Aurorua, Ill. We got into St. Louis Union Station about 6:30 A.M. We stayed there until 8 o'clock when the Frisco R.R. took us to Memphis, Tenn. We got in there about 4 P.M. That's the best town I saw on the way down here although we didn't go thru many towns. The cars were serviced here and the Southern R.R. left there with us at 5:15 P.M. During the night we went thru Chattanooga, Tenn. The next day at 9:15 A.M. we arrived at Atlanta Georgia. We stayed there an hour. At 1 o'clock we got in Macon, Ga. We were told to get out of the cars to take a stretch. That was only for 10 minutes. This was the first and last time we were off the car. At 3:30 P.M. we went thru Cordele Georgia and at 4:45 we passed thru Tifton and at 7 P.M. Friday night we crossed the Florida border. I think it was about 1:30 A.M. when we got here. We didn't get to bed until 3 and had to get up again at  Saturday morning. I saw a lot of cotton; cotton gins and pine trees on the way down. There wasn't so much scenery to look at. I don't see where people think the south is a pretty unless it is down farther.

I don't like this camp very much. There are 15 fellows to a barracks or as they call them, huts, and they are huts. Just like a chicken house. The beds aren't so good. We only got 1 sheet and you use the mattress cover for the other sheet. I don't care much for the food. I never ate breakfast here yet.

The officers are all young fellows and are real nice so far. This camp is a Infantry Replacement Training Center. We are in the heavy equipment division dealing with machine guns, mortors, and etc. I don't like that much but have to make the best of it. I missed my best chance by not getting with the fire fighters. It is very sandy here. We have old wooden walks enough for 1 person to walk on. If you meet someone one or the other of you has to get off. When  you do you sink into the sand several inches.

They told us to write but not to receive any mail yet as we may get transfered to another company, but the devil with them. If you want to write you write as I haven't had a letter since I've been in the Army. There is 4 different branches open here. Buglers, truck drivers, wire men, and radios. Some of us may get into one of those and get put into a different company. Some of them went at 2 o'clock this afternoon. I don't know if there will be more or not.

I wrote Dora a letter last night and told her all I know and told her to tell you what I wrote as I may have missed some things in your letter. I never did hear from her either or in fact from no one. If you wrote like I told you to Camp Grant, the letter will come here someday, soon I hope. I wrote Freddie a letter last week. Did he tell you? Just a few more days and I guess he will be leaving. Camp Grant is a palace against here. We will be here for 17 weeks for our basic training.

Well, I told you about all I know for the time being so I'll close and will write you all later when I have time. Write me here and if I get moved I'll let you know.

Love--
Gus


This letter impressed me. The way he wrote about all the towns they went through on their way to Camp Blanding, including the times of arrival and the names of the train companies is so precise. I can only assume that he was writing these things down as they rode along, so that he'd be able to write home with all the details. The "Freddie" he mentions is his brother who he referred to as "Fritz" in past letters.

September 20, 1943

Pvt. Aug. Haferkamp 36684775

Co. D, Brk. 141

1633 S.U.  R.R.C

Monday, Sept. 20, 1943  12:30 P.M.

Camp Grant, Ill.

Dear Mother:-

Have a few minutes time so I'll write you a few lines. I'm sending you the clipping out of Saturday's Chicago Tribune about Vincent. I sent Dora one of them also.

I just got a call (12:30 P.M.) call that I have some money at the Illinois National Trust Company at Rockford, Ill. How the hell I'm going to get there to get it I don't know. They said the place was open from 11 to 2. I asked Dora to send it by telegram so it would come faster or before I was shipped. I'll have to see the Sargeant tonight to see if I can't get a special pass to go over there. If not I'll have to call the Western Union and tell them to send it back. Rockford is 5 mile west of here.

Well I went to Maywood for the week-end again. I had a good time. Frank took us all out riding in the afternoon to see Chicago. I saw Lake Michigan for the first time. It sure is pretty with all the sail boats on it. A lot of people were in swimming. On one street down town there was a lot of Army material for people to see. Everything from jeeps; tanks; trucks & airplanes. It was real interesting. Edna got your letter and food stamps and bought some canned peaches with them. She said that she may write you like today. Edward left Friday Richard was sick last week but seemed to be alright again and was going to start school today. In the evening Frank showed the movies again. Some were taken when Edward was home.

I was to leave this camp last Friday night at 7 P.M. but I was an alternate so I didn't get to go. Every shippment they have several alternates in case someone is sick or doesn't show up. I would have like to went with the bunch, they were all former firemen. Bob Simon went with that bunch. Bill & I use to work with him in Missouri.

So Fritz passed and is coming here on the 30th. I thought he was going into the Navy? I guess I'll write him a few lines and give him some pointers about the place. One thing is about letter writting. That's a lot of B.S. about not writting. Look at me. I haven't had a letter since I was here. So if you want to write me go ahead for Lord knows how long I'll be here and if I do get shipped I'll get it someday anyhow, but it may take a while.

I wrote to Dora a little while ago and told her to write me also. If I'm to go into the fire fighters I may have to stay here several weeks again until they get a bunch ready again. In the last bunch they shipped 15 and sent 4 of us back. I also put in that I was a mechanic. I wish I could get something like that. Most of the fellows that I came with are down in Alabama in the infantry. Sure hope I don't get into that. They say they have tough going..

Hows everyone around home. O'K, I hope. I was surprised to get a telegram from Dora saying she was in the Christian Hospital in St. Louis.

Well I told you all I know at the present so I'll close and will write soon again. If you have time write right away and maybe I'll get it here yet. Tell everyone Hello--

Pvt. A.F. Haferkamp

Edna got a bottle of perfume that Vincent bought overseas somewhere. She got it about a week after they got notice he was missing.

Dad was a member of the Staunton Volunteer Fire Department before he was drafted. (His oldest brother Bill was an assistant chief and youngest brother Fritz a caption in the Staunton Volunteer Fire Department, according to the 1940 Staunton City Directory.) It is logical with that background that he hoped to get into fire fighting in the army. Edward Howard is the youngest child of Edna and Frank Howard.

September 13, 1943

Pvt. August Haferkamp 36684775
Co. D. Brk 141
1633 S.U. R.R.C.
Camp Grant, Illinois

Mon., Sept. 13, 1943

Camp Grant, Ill.

Dear Mom & all:-

Just a few lines to let you know I'm still here. After tomorrow I'll be the only one left here from Staunton. Sherfy left last Saturday; Teufert left this morning and Muentnith leaves in the morning. I have to get another shot tomorrow at 1 P.M. The last one never bothered me a bit and I hope this one acts the same way.

Well I got myself a weekend pass and went into Chicago or rather Maywood to visit with the Howards & Sassones. I really enjoyed it. Edward is home on a furlough until Thursday. He showed us some movies from his camp and when they were on a vacation out west in 1941. The Howards have a real nice house and is furnished swell. Evelyn lives in a apartment up on the 3rd floor. They have a nice place also. There boy is a year and a half old and is real cute but into every thing. I had a chicken dinner at Evelyn's and supper at Edna's. Maywood had a celebration yesterday but I never saw any of it as it rained all day. Gov. Green was there to unveil a memorial for the men in service.

The Howards got a telegram yesterday from the Chicago Tribune paper asking for a picture and information about Vincent. They sent it right away so I'll buy a paper in the morning and if it has anything in about him I'll send it to you whenever I can. It cost me only $2.00 to go to Chicago round trip. That was real cheap. It only cost 13 cts. to ride the elevated railroad out to Maywood. I caught that right above the Union station. You don't even have to go outside. Soldiers ride free on the buses & streetcars in Chicago. I thought maybe Fritz had called one of them but he never. I wish he would have as I would like to know how he came out. I had a notion to call you already. Sure wish I would get shipped so I could get some mail. If I knew it took this long I could have gotten some letters.

Well I'll close and write you more later. We haven't a very good place to write letters here. I'm writting this one on the floor. Tell everyone Hello for me and I'll write them all when I get time.

Love,
Pvt. Gus.


In this letter Dad wrote about visiting his cousins, the Howards and the Sassones. The Howards are Francis D. "Frank" and Edna J. McCarron Howard. Their daughter Evelyn married Frank Sassone. I haven't figured out who Edward, who he mentioned in a previous letter, is, though it does sound like he is also a cousin. Fritz is Dad's brother Fred. Dad also mentions some of the men from Staunton who had been at Camp Grant with him. According to the 1940 Staunton City Directory, the Teufert family owned the Teufert Bros. Bottling Co. in Staunton.  

First Letter Home ~ September 5, 1943

Pvt. August Haferkamp 36684775
Co. D Brk 141   1633 S.U. R.R.C
Camp Grant, Illinois

Don't Write Yet

Sunday 8 A.M. Sept. 5, 43

Camp Grant, Ill.

Dear Mother:-

I'll write you a few lines to let you know I got here alright. It was 7:15 that night. We had an awful train coming here from Chicago.

I won't write much as I'm setting on the floor and I can't write much doing that. I wrote Dora a letter telling her about everything and I told her to show you the letter so you'll have to see that she does.

I called Evelyn when I was in Chicago and they still have hopes for Vincent. They have had company from Kansas City and Edward is to come home on a furlough. I didn't call Edna as I wouldn't have known what to say.

We have been treated good so far here and the eats are swell if things would stay that way it would be OK.

Well Mom I won't right anymore now as you can read Dora's letter and I'll write to you when I get to a new camp and have time. Tell everyone Hello.

Love--
Pv't Aug Haferkamp
Don't write as I'll be gone in a few days.


In this first letter home, which he starts off by writing at the top of the page "Don't Write Yet," he refers to the letter that he had written to my mother. Unfortunately, when Mom and Dad moved to California in October 1946 he insisted that she throw away the letters he had written to her. They travelled to California in their car, taking just what would fit in the car. I remember Mom telling me that Dad's reasoning was that he was home, he was safe, there was therefore no reason to keep them. There is one of her letters from him, which I will include later in this blog. I don't know if she kept that one because it meant a lot to her or if it was simply missed when she was tossing the others.

He mentions calling Evelyn. Evelyn is his cousin Evelyn Howard. Her brother Vincent had recently been reported missing in action. Edna is Edna J. McCarron Howard, the mother of Evelyn, Vincent, and their two younger siblings. Vincent, I believe, was never found. As I recall, he was in a plane that went down in Africa. The Howard family lived outside of Chicago in Maywood.

Introduction to Letters Written Home by Pvt. Gus Haferkamp

On June 23, 1943, a card was mailed by the Local Draft Board to my dad ordering him to report on July 3 at 3 p.m. to Dr. A.H. Hunter in Staunton, Illinois, for physical examination. On July 31, 1943, an Order to Report for Induction was mailed to him ordering him to report to the Illinois Terminal R.R. Station in Benld, Illinois, at 11:15 p.m. on the 12th day of August, 1943. He arrived at Camp Grant, Illinois, on August 13 and was inducted into the U.S. Army Like so many others in the United States, the lives of my parents were about to change dramatically.

Dad was born in Staunton, Illinois, on September 9, 1912, the youngest of seven children of Clemens and Mary Haferkamp. My mother, Dora G. "Dodie" Cool, was born November 7, 1915, in Bicknell, Indiana, the middle of 11 children. Her older siblings had all been born in Render, Kentucky. By 1917 the Cool family had moved on to Staunton, where her five younger brothers were born. Dad and Mom were married March 30, 1940, after dating for seven years. At the time of Dad's induction into the U.S. Army he was employed as a maintenance mechanic by the Atlas Powder Company in Weldon Spring, Missouri.

During Dad's 2 1/2 years in the Army, most of which was spent with the Infantry in Italy, he was trained and served as a telephone switchboard operator. His separation papers give this description of his duties: "Installed and operated and performed minor maintenance on both portable magneto type switchboard and battery switchboards. Answered calls and made necessary connections to complete circuits. Also helped lay the line and connected it to the switchboard. Can read circuit diagrams. Used hand tools in maintaining wire." A booklet written by members of the 34th Infantry Division, with which Dad served, includes this information, "Consider the 34th Signal Company, which hauled, and then laid, wire day and night for hundreds of miles tying-in the various units to a central directing point; the radiomen who welded into a flexible whole what would otherwise have been a disjointed and aimless group of small forces." I remember Dad, in answer to some of my questions as a child, saying that his job was laying wire, operating the radio, and tearing up the wire they'd laid as they moved on.

I believe it was his job as radioman that gave him the time to write so many letters home. His letters not only give a glimpse at his experiences, but also at life back home in Staunton.

By the way, as I am typing Dad's letters I won't be correcting his spelling. Dad was a good writer and a good speller, but there are mistakes in his letters. Perhaps because he was writing as if he were speaking, his hand just got ahead of his thoughts? To prevent any confusion, though, I have corrected when he would spell someone's name wrong. In the next letter, if not the next paragraph, he would spell the name correctly, so I don't feel this is a problem.