December 5, 1943

Sunday, Dec. 5, 1943

Dear Mother:-

I received your letter some time during the week and I was glad to hear from you. I have K.P. today but I have several hours off so I'll write you a few lines. I got a card from Lilly yesterday and also a Xmas card the first part of the week from Mr. & Mrs. Ed Roberts also a Xmas card from Harry Kuehner. I sure was surprised to hear from the Roberts.

I went and got my pictures last night but they aren't so good. I only got 3 of them and I sent them to Dora and told her to bring you one. I couldn't get a folder for them so you will have to find one for it. Dora sent me our camera and I took pictures with 1 roll of film yesterday. I will get the pictures Tuesday night and I hope they are good. I'll send them home when I get them so you can see them.

Well yesterday we moved to a different hut again. I hope this is the last time. The reason we moved was to make room for a new company which is to start soon. I just got thru doing a a little wire work in our hut. I hooked up a extention cord to my bed. I also fixed the lights so I can turn them on or off while I'm in bed. That beats walking barefooted over the cold floor in the morning feeling for the light string. Our new hut is closer to the latrine and mess hall.

Have you heard from Freddie this last week? I never did get a answer to my letter: I guess the Army life is pretty hard on him. Well we never did have to sleep out at nights yet but we were told the last 2 weeks of our training we would be out in the woods camping those 2 weeks. I have 7 more weeks of basic training here and I hope I can get a furlough then so I can get home, but I may get shipped to another camp first.

You asked me what I had for Thanksgiving. Well to save time writing I'll just send you the menu as it also has my name in it. You can keep this if you want it.

Glad to hear that Pop's leg is alright again. I bet he is afraid of dogs now. Who paid for the doctor bill those people who owned the dog? Did they h ave to kill the dog?

Well 2 weeks from today Dora should be here at this Camp. I hope it is nice like it has been for the last week. It is real nice and war. I hope she can find a room to stay after her 3 days are up here as she wants to stay until after New Years. I also hope I can get week end passes while she is here. I should as I never did have one since I've been here.

I started addressing Xmas cards last night. I got about half done. I wasn't going to send any this year but Dora sent me 34 of them to send out. I got 3 so far. 1 a piece from Roberts & Kuehnen and 1 from Primo Alberini who is in Alaska.

Well I think I told you all I know so I'll close and I will write to you again when I have time. I have so many letters to write I hardly know where to start. They piled up on me and I never get a chance to answer them. Maybe I will soon. Write when you can.

Gus

Tell Bill that Randolph died from indigestion and not heart trouble.


Unfortunately, the menu that Dad mentions enclosing with this letter must have been removed, because it was not among the packet of letters when I received them. I wonder if perhaps she gave it to my mother, since Dad's name was on it.
Harry Kuenher, who sent Dad a Christmas card, was the chief of the Staunton Fire Dept.
Primo Alberini was a friend from Staunton. When Dad and Mom moved back to Staunton in 1975, Primo became a frequent visitor to their home.
Dad's closing message to Bill, his oldest brother, is puzzling to me. I have no idea who "Randolph" is or what the story is behind his message.

November 28, 1943

Sun., Nov. 28, 1943

Dear Mother:-

I received your letter a few days ago and as you know I'm always glad to hear from you. I haven't had time or I would have written to you sooner. I also got a Xmas card yesterday from Mr. & Mrs. Ed Roberts. I think they are a little early. How about it. Dora sent me a bunch of Xmas cards so I guess I'll get them ready one of these days so I won't have to address them at the last minute. I wasn't going to send any this year but since she sent them to me I guess I'll mail them out as I can mail them free.

How is Pop doing after his dog bite. OK, I hope. Did they ever kill the dog? I hope those people pay for his doctor bill or won't they? I guess he will be afraid of dogs from now on. Does Skipper still come up there looking for me. I kind of miss him. I guess I should have him here with me as one fellow went to Jacksonville the other week and bought a small alligator for $2.00 and brought it back here for a pet. It is about a foot long and he has it in a box outside of his hut. The Captain said he could keep it here as long as he kept the box clean.

I went to get my pictures last night that I had taken but they weren't done yet. I'll go back about Tuesday if I have time. A fellow in my hut took my picture with his camera last Sunday but we haven't gotten them back yet either. Dora sent me my camera the other day so I'll take some pictures when I get a chance but I don't think it will be today as it is cloudy.

I guess I'll have to do some washing today as I never got my laundry back this week so I didn't send any back. It was lost or sent to another company. I hope it shows up in the next day or two. The Army does everything backwards. They give you 3 suits of summer dress clothes and 2 suits of winter dress clothes and still you don't have time to wear them and they give you only 2 suites of work clothes which you wear nearly all the time. We should have another suite of work clothes at least. They call our work clothes "fatigues." We get our laundry done for $1.00 a month.

Well I just had dinner. We had creamed chicken; potatoes; rice; carrots; slaw and ice cream. We get chicken and ice cream nearly every Sunday.

Three weeks from today I guess Dora will be down here. I'll try to get a pass so I can meet her in Jacksonville on Saturday. She can stay here in camp Sunday; Monday and Tuesday. I hope the weather is nice then yet. I think she will stay until after New Years. Traffic won't be so heavy then. I don't know if she will come on the train or bus.

Well I think I told you all I know so I'll close and hope to hear from you real soon. I'll write again when I have time. How is Henry Lee and Mary? Do they come and see you a lot. I guess they are getting big. I guess I won't know them when I get home. So long--

Gus


Dad write that he can mail Christmas cards for free. The majority of the letters that he has written home so far have "Free" written on the upper left of the envelope where the postage stamp would normally be. Occasionally he has sent her a letter by Air Mail, and those envelopes have a stamp on them. The letters that he wrote his mother once he was in Europe all seem to be in envelopes with U.S. postage stamps.

Wow! I had never heard anything about my grandfather ("Pop") getting bitten by a dog. From my dad's reaction, it must have been pretty bad. Dad loved dogs, especially Skipper. Skipper had belonged to my mother's youngest brother, Don Cool. The story as it was told to me as a kid was that Skipper decided that he loved my dad, so Uncle Don eventually just gave in to the inevitable and gave him to Dad. When Mom and Dad moved to California, Skipper came along. Mom talked about going to the local ice cream stand and they'd always buy three ice cream cones, one for each of the and the third was for Skipper. He was in a few of my earliest pictures, which is why I heard stories of him. He died shortly after my first birthday, I think.

Dad asks in this letter about Henry Lee and Mary. They were the children of his brother Henry. At the time this letter was written Henry Lee was 7 and Mary was 3.

Ed Roberts and his wife, who had send Dad a Christmas card a bit earlier than was usually done, apparently,  lived in Staunton just a few blocks from the Haferkamp family.

November 21, 1943

Sunday, November 21, 1943

Dear Mother:-

Here it is Sunday morning and nothing to do so I'll start writting a few letters. Sunday is about the only time we get to do much letter writting. I got Mamie's letter a few days ago and yesterday I got one from Henry with some money he sent. I was glad to hear from both of them. I also got a post card from Harry Kuehner I believe it was Friday morning telling me that Bill got the job as fireman. How does he like it? I guess a lot of people at home will be talking because there are two out of one family holding city jobs.

We were kept real busy all this last week as we had classes several nights. It is getting to be more interesting every day. We are learning all about telephones and switchboards. We must be able to know all the parts and what they are called and be able to trace the circuits. That's not all either but we must be able to draw it showing all the circuits. It's not so hard if you just study it out. The charts they have to show has all the different circuits in different colors such as the primary is in red; secondary in blue and so on. I never did ever learn the morse code and we haven't had any of that for several days now. We have to learn all of our equiptment by letters and numbers as one type telephone we use is EE-8-A. They don't say bring up up a telephone but they call it EE-8-A and you are to know what it is. Every thing we have in our wire work is done that way.

We were all issued our field rations this week. We got 3 small cans which has coffee; biscuits and sugar all in one can. In the other 3 cans we got one has is meat and vegetable stew; the other is meat and beans and the other one is meat and vegetable hash. I don't know when we will use them. I guess some time we will go in the woods and camp for several days or at least that is what everyone says. We are to do a lot of that the last 2 weeks we are here. Time sure does fly. I sure don't seem like I've been here 8 weeks and that is just about half of my basic training.

I moved into a different hut last Thursday and I guess in a week or so we will move to another one as they started moving more huts into our area yesterday. They have negroes with tractors and trailers hauling them from one area to another. I don't know what the idea is but I guess to give some one a little work.

I went to the main P.X. (post exchange) last Wednesday and had my picture taken. I went yesterday after noon to see the proofs. I don't think it looked so good but I hope the pictures are better. I only had 3 of them made. They are the 3x5 size and I'll get the 3 for $2.25. I'll send them to Dora when I get them which will be next Saturday and she can give you one of them.

Henry said that Uncle Henry was going to come down and pay you all a visit. He better hurry up or he will get snow bound. Maybe he wants to get to a warmer place as I bet his house is plenty cold.

Well I think I told you all I know so I'll close and I will write you more later. Hope to hear from you all soon again.

Gus


Dad commented in this letter about his brother Bill getting the paid fireman's job that Dad had referred in some of his earlier letters. He also refers to the gossip that will probably occur "because there are two out of one family holding city jobs." I believe he is referring to his brother Fred who was an alderman when he was called to be drafted. While he was alderman he recommended his brother Henry for the superintendent of the water company, a job he held until he retired over twenty years later.

"Uncle Henry," who was going to come down and visit Dad's parents, was Henry Brackhane, the younger brother of Mary Haferkamp, Dad's mother. He lived in Athens, Illinois, near the state capital of Springfield.

November 14, 1943

Sunday, Nov. 14, 1943

Dear Mother:-

I received your letter a few days ago and I was glad to hear from you. I'll try to write you a few lines today as Sunday is about the only day that you have time to do much writting.

So you folks have had a snow blizzard up there. What is that stuff called snow? Ha Ha. You should come south and I guess you wouldn't be bothered with snow although it gets real cool here at night but warms up during the day. We have fire in our stove every night and it feels real good. He had a very heavy rain last Sunday evening and Monday. That was the hardest I've seen it rain for quite a while. I guess it looks more like winter is coming up there than it does down here as everything is green yet. The trees are nearly all pine trees so there is no leaves to fall.

I got a folder from Freddie several days ago. It was pictures of his camp. The pictures were all pretty and it looks like a nice camp although they usually take pictures of the best building and put them in the folders. He never wrote anything but his name on the folder. I also got a card from Jack. I could tell you what he said but to keep from writting so much I'll just send you the card and you can read it. I guess you never do hear from him. I was kind of surprised when I got the card from him. I believe I told you that I got a card from Henry while he was up at Springfield.

So Clara got back from her trip from Alabama. I guess she had a good time but I guess she didn't get to see Freddie a whole lot during the week. I know that is the way it is here. You don't get much time here during the week. They always have something for you to do. I went down to the guest house at the service club yesterday afternoon to see about getting a room for Dora so she can come down here for 3 days on Sunday December 19; Monday Dec. 20 and on Dec. 21. They charge 75 cents a day for the room. When the 3 days are up she can probably go into Starke, the town about 8 miles from here and get a room to stay over for Xmas. I can get a pass on week ends if I haven't any detail to do such as K.P. or guard duty. Most of the fellows get week end passes and go to Starke; Jacksonville or St. Augustine but I haven't left te camp since I've been here.

I got the Staunton paper yesterday and I see where the council left the hiring of a fireman up to the committee for investigation. They better hire a fireman or else replace us fellows who are in the service. I see where Bill Machota has to go for examination with the next bunch. I guess there is quite a few from the fire department in the army or navy by now.

We started on our technical training last Monday. We are learning to tie knots and how to splice wire and also the telegraph code of dots and dashes. I'm sure having a time learning those dot and dashes as that goes all by sound. You have a set of head phones like Henry's old radio had and they send the dot and dashes through that. You are then suppose to write down the letters. So far I've had 10 hours of that code and I'm sorry to say I don't know very much of it but there are a whole lot of fellows don't know as much of it as I do. I hope I learn it soon. We were told yesterday that when we were through with our basic training we would know from 30-50 words and there meanings of the Jap language. The hell of this training is that they don't give you enough time to learn the things proper.

So the Howards finally got the final word of Vincent's death. I guess in a way since it happened that now it is better that they know he is dead then to sit there from day to day waiting for word and worrying whether or not he was dead or a prisoner. While I was up there to see them and after they had that letter from the chaplain Edna got a bottle of perfume from him which he sent from Egypt.

We never did hear any more about get our metals for shooting the rifle. A lot of fellows bought their metals in a Army store in town. Yes I got a little metal for shooting the rifle while I was at Jefferson Barracks.

Well I think I told you all I know for the present time so I'll close and write you more later when I have time.Write me when you have time. You can throw Jack's card away as I don't want it back. So long.

Gus


Dad continues to write home regularly, at least once a week. Interesting to see that it is already snowing back home in Staunton, Illinois. As I said when I started this blog to share his letters, through his letters you do get a peek at what was going on at home and what was going on in his family. He writes about his brother Jack, who had written Dad from his home in Mt. Olive, Illinois, his brother Freddie, apparently in basic training down in Arkansas, and Freddie's wife Clara. In this letter we learn that his cousin Vincent, an Army Air Corps pilot in North Africa, has been confirmed killed in action. He refers again to receiving the Staunton paper. I think that during the war the Staunton Star-Times was sent at no cost to Staunton residents who were serving in the military. One of the things that was regularly published in the Star-Times was the list of local men who had received their notice to report for a physical that would determine their qualification be drafted. Another list that was regularly published was the list of those who HAD been drafted. Those two columns, in addition to the letters he was getting from family and friends, seem to be keeping Dad updated on who is headed to or already in the military from Staunton. Jefferson Barracks is a base in Missouri that had a program that Dad and a friend, Charles Sharp, went to when they were 16. 

November 7, 1943

Sun. Nov. 7, 1943

Hello Mother & Everyone:-

I got your letter several days ago and I was glad to hear from you. I would have wrote sooner but just didn't have time. We are kept real busy most of the time. I also got a card from Henry while he was up at Springfield. I got it yesterday.You asked if I ever hear from Freddie. Well no I haven't. I wrote to him several weeks ago and also sent him a folder of this camp. I don't know if he never got it or just hasn't time to write. I also wrote to Jack the same day I wrote to Freddie as he told me to let him know where I was.

I got a letter from Chief Riley from down at Weldon Springs and he said that Ass't Chief Randolph had died. He wrote this letter on Oct. 28 and he had died the Sunday before. He should have gotten suddenly ill on his way home from work and was taken right to a hospital. That was on Friday and he died 12:30 A.M. on Sunday. He was buried the following Wednesday. Randy was a pretty nice fellow to work for. I guess the boys will miss him a lot. Riley also said that Bob Simon was at Camp Pontchartrian, New Orleans, La.

I got the Staunton paper yesterday and I looked for the council notes but I see where they won't be published until next week. I looked to see if they put on a fireman or what they thought about it. I got a letter from Harry Kuehnen and he thought Bill would get the job starting this week. He said he thought he would get about $150.00 a month.

Has Clara gotten back from her trip yet? I guess she will have a lot to tell when she does get back. Have they made any head ways with getting Freddie out of the service? I hope so. Dora I think is coming down here to see me around Christmas time. I hope she lets me know soon so I can try to get a room for her at the service club as the rooms are nearly all spoken for for around Christmas. She is allowed to stay here in camp for 3 days. They charge 75 cents a day for the room. Two of the fellows in my hut has their wives down here. They are living in a town close by called Starke and are looking for a job. If they find one they are going to stay down here.

I got paid last Monday. I got $26.07 and once before I got $5.00. So that makes $31.07 I had coming for the 2 months of service. That is after laundry; insurance and the allotment was held off. I guess I was lucky as some fellows didn't draw a cent but owed the government money yet.

Last Sunday I was on guard detail again. I had to walk my post from 9 until 11 and from 3 to 4. So I didn't get a whole lot of sleep as they got everyone up at 4:30 to go to the rifle range. Yesterday I was on K.P. The only good thing about K.P. is that you can get a lot to eat. I sure was tired last night after working in that kitchen all day and the day before we got up at 4:30 A.M. and had to walk to the rifle range which is 4 1/2 miles from here. We also had to walk back.We carried full field packs and our rifle. Boy! they sure get heavy.

Well, I have 6 weeks of my basic training in now and starting this week our technical training begins. I believe the hardest part to learn will be there codes. Every message sent is in code. I was issued a pair of pliers and a knife both in a leather case Thursday. That is called a TE-33. Every thing is called by numbers and letters. I guess it will be hard to keep them all straight. But I guess if the rest of the fellows can learn that I can also.

Today is Dora's birthday. She is 28 years old. If it wasn't so hard to get a telephone down here I was going to tell her to go up and see you today and I would call her on the telephone. But you just have to fight to get near one and then it takes 4 or 5 hours for the call to get thru and sometimes it never gets thru. She seems to like her job but I guess she gets awful tired working 8 hours and then spending several hours on the road going and coming from work.

I guess it is pretty cool up there now isn't it? It is warm here in the day time but gets real cool at night. Friday it was cloudy and foggy after 10 o'clock. Everything is green down here as the trees are all pine trees.

I just came back from the Orderly Room where my Lieutenant is interviewing his men. He asked the type of work I done. I gave him the letters of recommendations from Riley and Keuhner. He said he would give them to Captain Brice and he probably would call me in to talk to me. He said he thought I had a good thing for being in the wire section as that take technical training. Well it is a good thing but I still would like to be a fire fighter. I guess I never will hear any more about it.

Well I told you all I know so I'll close and write to you later. Write whenever you have time.

Love,
Gus

In the first paragraph of this letter Dad writes about writing letters to three of his brothers, Henry, Freddie (who was drafted about the same time as Dad and, like Dad, is in training), and Jack, the only one of his brothers who had moved from Staunton. Jack, his wife Tillie, and his daughter Wilma lived in Mount Olive, Illinois. Later in the letter Dad mentions Clara. She is Uncle Freddie's wife.

October 30, 1943

Sat. Oct. 30, 1943

Dear Mother & All:-

I received your letter several days ago and as you know I was glad to hear from you. I didn't have time then to write to you so I'll do it this evening. I wrote to Freddie it will be two weeks ago tomorrow. I also sent him a folder of this camp but so far I never did hear from him. I guess maybe he is too busy to write. I sent Henry & Leona a folder to. Did they ever get it? So John Lee wants to get Freddie back. I guess he finds out he can't along so good without him. He should have thought of that sooner. I guess Clara is back from her trip by now. How did she like it?

I got a letter from Dora and she tells me she went to work over at Western. She is a inspector and is to start out at 55 cents a hour. I guess nearly everyone in Staunton works over there. Has she been up to see you lately?

I done real well out on the rifle range when we were firing our M-1 rifles. I tied with another fellow for first place in my platoon which has 60 men. I was about 4th in my company. Out of a possible score of 210 I made a score of 186. The highest score made was 191. So I became an Expert. That wasn't so bad was it figuring I never did shoot a gun much before. Out of my Company which has about 180 men there was only 28 of us to be Experts. We are suppose to get some kind of a metal if the government still issues them. From the picture in the book the metals look real nice. Hope I get one. Monday we are going out to the range again to shoot another rifle for record. it is called a "Carbine Rifle." It is small and light. It weighs only 5 lbs. and is about a yard long. Its barrel is only 18 inches long. It isn't as accurate a gun as our M-1's as it has no windage or elevation adjustments. Hope I can do as well with it as I did with the other rifle.

Most of the fellows went away on week end passes. I never have left the camp yet. I couldn't very well anyhow this week if I would have wanted to as I have guard duty tomorrow evening. That will be my second time since I've been here. My hands got alright again. They didn't bother me so awful much. Next time I'll try and let some one else do all the dish washing.

I guess you have a lot of work cleaning up the yard and lot after the frost. We don't have any leaves to fall here as the trees are nearly all pine trees. It gets down to about 45 degrees here at nights. We put up our stoves several days ago and had a fire in it about 2 nights now. We haven't had any rain now for a while.

Well I have 5 weeks of my basic training in now with 12 more weeks to go. I should get a T/4 or T/5 rating when I'm thru as this is a special training course I'm taking. We are in the communication section and it is up to us fellows to wire up telephones so that messages can be sent. I got in this as I had some experience with wire work at the mine. As I told Freddie in the letter I wrote him before he left that the more you tell them about the experience you had the better chance you have of getting something a little better.

Well I told you all I know so I'll close and hope to hear from you real soon. I got a card from H. Kuehner Thursday.

Gus


Dad writes that "John Lee wants to get Freddie back." John Lee was a partner at Martin Lee Ice & Coal Co. Henry & Leona are Dad's brother Henry and his wife Leona, who lived in Staunton. Dad closes this letter by telling his mother about the card he received from Harry Kuehner, the Chief of the Staunton Volunteer Fire Department.

October 24, 1943--A birthday card sent to his mom

This was a cute card that he sent to his mom for her 73rd birthday on October 27. The card is designed to help a soldier write home to his mom on her birthday. I'm going to try to describe it.

The front of the card is a cute cartoon-style dog dressed in a uniform sitting on his bunk writing a letter while holding a picture of an older cartoon-style dog in a red dress. The words along the top read,
Happy Birthday
To Mom from
her Soldier Boy

Inside, the top half of the card reads,
A man sized HUG and KISSES, Mom, 
And LOTS OF LOVE from me 
To you, who are just EVERYTHING 
A PERFECT MOM could be! 
Happy Birthday! 

The bottom portion of the card is lined for writing and includes some prompts beside some of the lines. Above the lined portion are the words
Putting one little word right after another--Here's a BIRTHDAY note just for you, Mother!

At the beginning of the first line are the printed words,
Dearest Mother: I 
Below that Dad wrote:
wish you many more happy birthdays and lots of good health.
And I wish I could be there to spend the day with you.
Did I tell you I miss you and everyone an awful lot. Hope I get to see you all real soon. Take good care of yourself.

P.S. I love you lots and lots!!!

Gus

October 16, 1943

Sat. Oct. 16, 1943

Dear Mother & All:-

I received Mamie's letter this morning and Bill's a few days ago. I was glad to hear from both of them. I just stopped writting and went out to mail call. I got the Staunton paper so I read the news. Dora sent me all the back issues of the paper.

I had a busy week again and they say next week will be worse. Monday we go out to the rifle range and start shooting our rifles. We have to get up about 4:30 A.M. as we are to have chow at 5. We will go out there 5 days straight. I was on K.P. yesterday. Had to get up at 5 a.m. Wash, make my bunk and go eat breakfast before the other fellows got there. I started washing dishes at 6 a.m. and never had my hands out of the water until we finished the dishes at 9:30 A.M. Sure was a hot job and today the four fingers on my right hand are all full of blisters from the hot water and G.I. soap. That soap I believe is about 50% lye. The fellows ate in the field at noon so there wasn't many dishes then but they came in for supper. I kept myself away from washing dishes then. After they were all done we had to scrub the place. We got thru about 8:30 P.M. Sure hope my turn don't come so soon again.

Bill said he may get the job as fireman at nights for 4 months at home. Well, I hope he gets it as I know he is the best fitted fellow at home for the job and he sure put enough work in for them already and never got a cent out of it. I got a letter yesterday from Bob Ehmler and he said that they had another lay off in the fire dept down there. They now have 6 men on a shift and work 7 days and off 1 which makes 3 men on a shift and 7 shifts. They want to put them on 24 hrs on and 24 hrs off. He said the Chief has been mad ever since the lay off. Bob Simon is down in Baton Rouge, La. I guess that's were I would have been now if I wasn't the extra man when they left.

I'll try and write to Freddie yet tonight as I guess he likes to get mail to as I know I do. I don't see why he couldn't get out of the army if he went after it in the right way.

Dora said her brother Bill was home on a furlough again. I don't see how he gets so many. I won't be able to get one before my 17 weeks are up which will be about February 1st and then I'll get shipped to another camp and maybe won't get one then.

It has been real warm here the last few days but tonight's paper said it was going to be colder by tomorrow. They say it gets down to about 30 above here in the winter. Well that's not so bad.

I got my package which Dora sent me last night. Sure glad to get my pen also the handkerchiefs & towels. I took my field jacket to the tailors today to have the sleeves shortened. I'll get it again Tuesday. That is a real nice coat. Too good to wear in the fields.

One of the fellows in my hut came back today. He was in the hospital since last Sunday. He got sick from his shots & vaccination. I thought I would get a shot today but I never. Most of the fellows are getting there teeth pulled or fixed but so far I haven't been called. When they looked at mine they marked down 4 what ever that meant.

Well I think I told you all I know so I'll close hoping to hear from you all real soon. I'll write when ever I get time. I had a lot of letters to write and I should get caught up this week end.

Gus


What a picture Dad paints here of life in basic training. This is the first letter that he has written in ink. All the earlier ones were written with a pencil. The explanation is that my mother, in the package that she had sent him, included his pen. 

In this letter he mentions his sister Mamie and his oldest brother Bill. Bill, like his youngest brothers Freddie and my dad, had served in Staunton's volunteer fire department. Though I haven't found confirmation, I believe the fire department was trying to staff some positions as paid, filling gaps left by the men who had left for the military. Dad also writes of Bob Ehmler, who was married to Mom's older sister Virginia. They lived in the area of St. Charles, Missouri. I don't know who Bob Simon is. The context makes me think he was from Staunton. Though there is no Bob Simon in the 1940 Staunton City Directory, there are two Simon families.

Dad has mentioned in this letter and some earlier ones about his brother Freddie trying to get released from the Army. I remember hearing about this as a kid. He had been drafted in 1943 just before his 38th birthday. On November 11, 1942, Congress had approved lowering the draft age to 18 and raising the upper limit to 37. Dad seemed to think there was no reason that his brother wouldn't be able to gain a release from military duty. It didn't happen. 

October 9, 1943

Sat. Oct. 9, 1943

Camp Blanding, Fla.

Dear Mother & All:-

I received your air mail letter this morning and the Special Delievery letter this afternoon which you sent to me at Camp Grant. Good service on that wasn't it. The letter was stamped on the back Camp Blanding Sept. 27 so it was laying here most of the time. I just finished writting to Dora so I'll write to you yet tonight. I have lots of letters to write between tonight and tomorrow. Some to fellows I met up at Camp Grant. I also got the clipping. Thanks.

Have you heard from Fritz yet? When you do send me his address and when I have time I'll write to him. What did he do with his car sell it? He would be foolish to keep it. I guess the Army life will be pretty tough on him but he just as well make the best of it. The nicer you are to the fellows and officers the better you get along. and if he figures on getting out sometime on his age being nice will help him a lot. He probably can get out after he has his basic training.

You asked if the Howards ever got your card that you sent them. Yes they did. Edna told me to tell you but I forgot. Edna doesn't feel much like doing anything. Not even to cook for Frank, Richard or Edna. They always have hopes that Vincent was taken a prisoner instead of being killed. I got a letter the other day from Evelyn. She said they were out riding last Sunday and saw an airplane crash. The fellow had his head hurt and a few teeth knocked out. They felt pretty bad to see that as they had to think of Vincent. They sure all treated me swell on the 2 visits I had with them. Evelyn said Dorothy was on her way to see Florence and was going to stop by Maywood on the way back to see them. That would be Friday or today.

We all are kept real busy here. Don't get much time for yourself during the week. We got Saturday afternoons and all day Sunday off each week. A lot of the fellows went to Jacksonville or Storke for the week end. I had my blood checked today of the type. My type is O. That will be put on my dog tag. I was to get another shot but the doctor said I was caught up and didn't have to take one. Some of the fellows get sick and real sore arms but they haven't bothered me much yet.

You didn't have much luck with the garden this year again. You never get the rain at the right time. It has been cloudy and rained some each day this week but today. Today it was awful hot. Regular summer weather.

Thursday night I didn't get much sleep as I had my turn at guard duty. I had to walk my post from 9 to 11 and again at 3 to 5 a.m. I sure was tired and sleepy Friday. Before you go on guard duty you have to know the 11 general orders. That's a job learning them in order to.

Well I told you about all I know right so I'll close and hope to hear from you again in a few days. I'll write again when I have time.

Gus


Dad was writing again about his cousins in Maywood. Dorothy is Dorothy Tiefenbruck, a daughter of Dad's cousin Maud Luker Tiefenbruck (Edna Howard's sister) and her husband Fred, who lived in St. Louis. Florence is another of Maud's daughter. Either Dorothy or Florence lived in Michigan, so visit the other in St. Louis would mean that Maywood wouldn't be that far out of the way.

October 2, 1943

Pvt. Aug. Haferkamp 36684775

Co. A, 225th Bn, 69th Regt. I.R.T.C.

Camp Blanding, Florida

Sat., Oct. 2, 1943

Camp Blanding, Fla.

Dear Mother & All:-

I'll try and write you a few lines tonight before I go to bed. I thought maybe I would have heard from you by now but I guess you haven't time to write. I had one letter so far. It was from Dora. I got it Thursday and it was forwarded here from Camp Grant. I wrote you last Sunday giving you my address but Sunday night I was moved again. I got moved to a better part of the camp. I'll still be in the Infantry but I'm to be a wireman. That is to learn to wire telephones and switchboards. I'll still be here 17 weeks. Six weeks we will drill and learn to march and after that we are to start on telephones.

I guess I have most of my equiptment now. I got another suit of dress clothes and another pair of leggings and work clothes. I also got my rifle; gas mask and bayonette. It is a big load to carry but I guess I get used to it. The trouble of it is here that they try to learn you too much at once. I had my eyes examined yesterday and today my teeth. I also got vaccinated and 2 shots all in the same arm today. It hasn't bothered me much yet.

The hut I live in now is smaller than the one I had first. There are only 5 over here in a hut. One fellow is from West Virginia, 2 from Ohio, 1 from Missouri and myself. It rained here a little today. It get about 85 during the day but at night you use 1 or 2 covers. Really good sleeping. We have to be in bed by 11 and get up at 6. Tomorrow it will be a month since I left.

Well I guess Freddie is at Camp Grant by now. He'll find it isn't such a bad place as some of the other camps. The army may be a little hard on him as big as he is. Did he get the letter I sent him and did he take the things along with him that I told him to? If he ever gets shipped to another place send me his address.

Well I think I told you all I know so I think I'll go to bed. The rest of the boys in my hut went to the show. Write me as soon as you can. Note my new address.
     Pv't. August Haferkamp 36684775
     Co. A. 225th Bn 69 Reg't I.T.R.C.
     Camp Blanding, Florida

P.S. If I should ever have to be called home for an emergency get in touch with the Red Cross. That's the only way we can get a furlough before our 17 weeks are up. We were told that the other day.

September 30, 1943...A letter to his wife

Sept. 30, 1943

Camp Blanding, Fla.

Hello Darling:-

Today I felt a little better when the mail man called out my name that I had a letter. It was the one you mailed to me at Camp Grant on Sept 23rd. It was the first letter I got since I been in service. Hope I get a lot of them from now on. After reading your letter I felt pretty bad after finding out what was wrong with you. I don't see why you or someone else didn't try writting me at Camp Grant and telling me. I didn't know what to think when I got your telegram saying you were in the hospital. I called Mamie and couldn't get nothing out of her. By the way pay them for that call when ever you can as I had the charges reversed. I had tears in my eyes nearly all day thinking about it. Something you and I always wanted and then losing it and all the pain and suffering you had to go thru. Now about cashing in some bonds. For God sakes Dora don't worry about that. Cash em all in if you have to but get your health and strength back. That means a lot more to both of us then them bonds of ours. You said you hoped you got your check soon. Well the way I was told you should get it in the next day or two but I won't get mine until about November 1st although I should get two checks then. Another thing I want to tell you. If something should ever happen to you or my family the only way I can get an emergency furlough to get home is thru the Red Cross. You have to contact them first and they make arrangements down here so you can get away. Hope that never happens. We cannot get a furlough before our 17 weeks training are up. I hope I can see you then Darling.

In the Army you meet fellows from all walks of life. Good ones & bad ones. There are 5 of us in huts at this new place I'm at. Pretty good fellows. 1 is from Missouri, 1 from West Virginia, 2 from Ohio and I'm from Illinois. They are really throwing the work and drills to a fellow. We go to shows several times a day. Last night we had to go to a show and lectures. I got in bed at 12:30. That is to be every Wednesday night. I was issued another fatigue suite; pair of leggings and another pair of sun tans but I'll have to have the leggs shortened as they are 34. We also got our gas masks and packs yesterday. You carry all that and our rifles it gets pretty heavy. I'll get another shot Saturday.

I came back a little while ago from getting a hair cut. I was told to get one for Saturday's inspection. That cost me 35 cents. I also bought me a shoe shine kit for 50 cents. By the way while I think about it don't ever go and buy me one of those fancy hats like Evelyn bought Jackie. We can't have them.

Well I guess by this time Fritz is at Camp Grant. I wrote to him a while back so he wouldn't be as dumb as I was when I went there. One thing was about not having anyone write you. Look how many letters I could of had in those 19 days. He will find out the next camp he gets to won't be like Camp Grant anyhow. This one sure isn't. Here you eat family style and you never saw so many hogs. Some get it all and others none. I had an empty plate several times. I don't know what I weigh now but I think my waist went down.

I have a lot of letters to write if I ever get time. Maybe Sunday I hope so I'll close now and write you more latter as I must shine my shoes and take a bath yet. It's 8:30 and the lights go out a little after 9. Tell Bobbie Hello for me and all the rest. I'll write em latter.

Here's all my love & kisses to you Darling and take good care of yourself and cash in all the bonds you need. Don't forget to pay Katie for staying there. So long now. I'll write you latter.

Your loving husband,
Gus


This letter, as I've said, is the only one left of all he wrote to Mom while he was in the Army. I know he would have written her at least as many as he wrote his mom, and there are 201 of those. I can't help but think that Mom held on to this one because it was special to her. In his last letter home remember that he mentioned he'd gotten a telegram from her saying she was in the hospital. In this letter to her he writes that when he called home his mother or sister wouldn't tell him why Mom was in the hospital. The story I was told by Dad, Mom, and one of Dad's cousins was that they wouldn't tell him why because it was "woman stuff." Mom and Dad really wanted children and she'd already had several miscarriages. She was hospitalized because she had had another one. This pregnancy lasted longer than any of the others. It is interesting that Dad never specifically refers to her being pregnant, just writing about "something you and I always wanted and then losing it..." So very sad for both of them.

In the letter he refers to several family members:
Mamie is his sister, the oldest of the seven children and over 19 years older than Dad.
Jackie is Mom's younger brother Jack. His full name was Raymond John. He also served in the Army during the war and those who didn't call him "Cool" called him "Ray."
Evelyn is Jack's wife. They had just married in April of 1943.
Fritz is Dad's brother Fred. Closest to Dad in age, he is 7 years older than Dad.
Bobbie is Mom's younger brother Bob.
Katie is Mom's older sister, Katie Klein. They lived in the St. Louis area.