February 27, 1944

Pvt. August Haferkamp 36684775

A.P.O. 15164 c/o Postmaster

New York, N.Y.



Sunday, Feb. 27, 1944

Dear Mother:-

I'll try to write you a few lines before I go to bed to let you know I'm OK and feel fine.

I just got off of K.P. again. That's 2 Sundays straight that I had it. It was the easiest K.P. that I had since I've been in the Army.

I guess my address has you wondering where I'm at. Well I can't tell you but I'm not in New York but I am on the east coast. That's all I can tell you. So don't worry as I'm O.K.

How is Freddie getting along? Does he still think he may get a discharge? He should be through his basic training now if he wasn't set back too much. I hope he can get out soon.

We are having some nice weather here but it rained yesterday. I sure hope it stays nice from now on as I don't like cold weather.

Well I'll close as I told you all I know and all I can tell you so I'll try to write you more later. Write whenever you can.

Love,
Gus


Again, as with his last letter, this had on the envelope the signature of Lt. Alfred V. Johnson. My grandmother noted on the envelope "got this on 3 March. Answered March 3."

February 24, 1944

Pvt. August Haferkamp 36684775
A.P.O. 15164 c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.

Thurs., Feb. 24, 1944

Dear Mother:-

I guess by this time you got the postal card with my new address. I just got it so I'll try to write you a few lines yet tonight. I got your letter and Valentine with the clippings out of the paper while I was still at Ft. Meade. I always wanted to answer the letter but I never had a whole lot of time and didn't have much to write about.

How is the weather up in Illinois now? I guess all of the snow and ice is gone by now. The weather here is swell. The sun was out so bright today and it really was warm. I hope all of the winter weather is over with now. I didn't see a whole lot of bad weather this year.

I saw Joseph Vrsnick from Staunton in the mess hall today so I guess he'll go across with me. I didn't get to talk to him but I saw him several times at Ft. Meade. He is the only fellow from home that I ever met.

Dora said she never did get our pictures that we had taken at Mrs. Pierce while I was home. She sure is slow with them. She sent me the picture of you, Pop and I that she took. I thought it was a nice picture of us. I suppose she showed them to you and gave you some of them.

I still have my cold but it isn't as bad as it was. I went on sick call once and got some cough medicine and some nose drops.

How is Freddie getting along? I guess he still has to go to the doctors. Maybe he will get to come home soon. I hope for good.

Dora said the dog that bit Pop has bitten someone else and a lot worse. They had better have it killed if it is that mean.

Did Bill have any fire calls during the cold weather? I guess they have the new pumper all in running order by this time. I saw a hand pumper in Baltimore that was built in 1764.

Well I told you all I know and all I can tell you so I'll close and I will try to write you more later. Write whenever you have time.

Love,
Gus


This letter, like the majority of those that Dad wrote while he was still in the United States, was sent with no postage stamp but rather with "Free" written in the spot where the stamp would normally go. His mother wrote on the front of the envelope that it was received March 3.

His address has changed to an A.P.O. address, and this letter appears to have been read before it was mailed. Written on the bottom left corner of the envelope is "Alfred V. Johnson, 2nd Lt. Inf." I think this might also explain why the letter took so long to reach Staunton.

January 16, 1944

Pvt. Aug. Haferkamp
Co. A 225th Bn. 69th Regt.
Camp Blanding, Florida

Sun., Jan. 16, 1944

Dear Mother:-

I've been getting your letters and the clippings out of the paper that you have been sending me but  I've been just too busy to answer so I'll try to write you a few lines this morning.

Well we came in from our 2 weeks bivouac yesterday morning about 9:30. We were all sure glad to get back. I'm also glad I'm not out there in the words this morning as it turned pretty cool over night. Those 2 weeks that we spent in the woods wouldn't have been bad if we wouldn't have had so much rain. It rained the day we left and every time we moved to a new location and also yesterday when we came in it rained fairly hard all the way. We got up at 4 o'clock and at 5:30 we started for camp. It was just a little over 10 miles back in. After the first week out we kept coming in closer. I guess at first we were out 25 or 30 miles. We slept in our tents. Two fellows to a tent. The ground was always wet and cold. We laid our rain coats down and then 4 blankets and then covered up with 2 blankets. In the 2 weeks we were out I never had my shirt off and only took my pants off once to put on a pair of heavy underwear. We slept with our clothes on all the time even our shoes and leggings and overcoat. We had fairly good meals while we were out and ate canned rations a few times.

Dora sent me Harold Regenhold's address. He is down here in Camp Blanding in the 215th Company. I started out last night to find him but it started raining so I came back. I'll try to look him up today or before I leave here. I guess he will be surprised to see someone else is here from Staunton.

So Freddie is out on a camping trip to. Have you ever heard how he got shot and how he is getting along.. He should be over his basic training soon to. It would be nice if we both got a furlough at the same time but I guess there's not much hopes for that. It would be nice if the Army gave him a discharge after his basic is over. I guess John Lee would sure like to have him back.

Well next week this time I hope I'm all packed up and ready to head for Staunton. I'll be riding a troop train as far as St. Louis. I guess I won't be able to find out when it leaves or when I'm due in St. Louis as they are pretty careful about giving out information about troop trains. The way our Sergeant talked yesterday that we would have to take a barracks bag full of clothes home with us. I sure hope not. We are to have our names and number printed on our bags today. Yesterday when I got back I had all my clothing replaced that was lost in the laundry some time ago. I came out ahead as I got all new things and they were out of face towels so I got bath towels instead. Tomorrow we have to lay out all of our clothes for a inspection and if any needs replacing they are going to replace it before we leave.

So Skipper still comes up to see you quite often. I just wonder if he would remember me if he saw me. I bet he would.

Have you ever heard from Uncle Henry lately? I wonder if he got the letter I wrote to him. I also sent Lillian a folder of this camp about the same time. I got a card while I was in the woods from Kuehnen. He told me they had a good time New Years day.

Well I told you all I know so I'll close as I have a lot of things I want to do today and if I don't get started I won't get them done. Well I hope to see you all in about a week and a half from now. If I hear when I'm to leave I'll try and let you know.

Gus


It was interesting to read in this letter that Uncle Freddie had been shot. I had never heard that. When reading Aunt Clara's letter about visiting him in the hospital down in Alabama, I just assumed that he was sick. Apparently this would be a training accident.

Funny to read about Skipper going to my grandparent's house from across town. Mom used to tell stories of how he would go looking for my dad, and my impression was always that he continued that most of the time that Dad was away.

February 8, 1944

Pvt. August Haferkamp 36684775

Co A 3rd Bn 1st Regt.

AGF Repl Depot No. 1

Ft. George G. Meade, Md.



Ft. Meade, Md.

Tues., Feb. 8, 1944

Dear Mother:-

Just a few lines to let you know I got here and I'm OK. We made very good time as I was here in camp at 7:30 A.M. Sunday morning. We never had a special car but rode right in with the civilians coming here. We changed trains at Harrisburg, Penn. and only had to wait about 5 minutes. I got off the train just out of Baltimore, Md. as this camp is 15 miles from Baltimore and 20 miles from Washington. A bus brought us the rest of the way which was about a 5 minute ride. The kid from Staunton was also on the train. His name is Joseph Vrsnik and was also at Camp Blanding. I haven't seen him since Sunday evening.

This is a real nice camp. We live in big 2 story barracks like we had at Camp Grant. The eats are swell and we get a lot of it. This place has men coming here from 45 different camps. A lot of them are from Freddie's camp.

So far I haven't done a darn thing since I've been here but lay out my clothes to have them checked. We will turn in most of the things for new clothes. I think they are going to start drilling some of us tomorrow. We had to get another G.I. haircut today and boy! they really cut them short. I haven't much hair left.

It was warm when I got here Sunday morning but by evening it got real cold. We wear our overcoats now every time we go out.

We can leave the camp here on pass twice a week and on week ends but I haven't been out yet. I may go to Washington or Baltimore Saturday and Sunday to see the sights.

Well I believe I told you all I know for the present time so I'll close and will write you more later. I just wrote a postal card to Freddie a few minutes ago.

So long--
Gus

January 29, 1944, from Clara Haferkamp

Anniston, Ala.

Jan. 29, 1944

Dear Mom & all,

Just received your letter yesterday (and was glad to hear from you). Well, Mom, Freddie is getting along fine. I'd guess he will get out of the hospital next week. He ask the doc to let him out today but he said not for a few more day's. So I guess that will be next week sometime. But he got a pass for today to come to Anniston till 9 o'clock tonight. I guess Gus is home by now I hope. It would of been nice if they both could been home together. But I guess we just have to make the best of it till he does come back which we don't know when that will be. But I do hope soon.

Well, I guess John Lee is trying pretty hard to get him out. He should of done that before. Maybe Freddie could of been home by now. He never got that box yet. It may be there when he gets back.

Well Mom I hope you are all feeling fine & don't worry about Freddie because he is getting along fine and looks good. Well I guess I will be coming home next week about Thursday. I will be home sometime Fri.

Will close.

With Love,
Freddie
& Clara.

If you ans. this letter, write it to Freddie.


This letter was written by Clara Haferkamp, my Uncle Freddie's wife, to my grandmother, her mother-in-law. Apparently Uncle Freddie was in the hospital and she had gone to see him.