August 5, 1944

Pvt. August Haferkamp 36684775
Hq. Co. 3rd Bn. 135th Inf.
APO 34 c/o PM. New York, N.Y.

Italy

Sat., Aug. 5, 1944

Dear Mother:-

I just received my mail for today and I got the letter & clippings that Mamie sent me on July 27 also letters from Dora and finally a letter from Freddie. I sure was surprised to hear from him.

I went up to see the Red Cross field director to see if he could tell me just where Fred's outfit is located. He didn't know but told me to go to my Division and they could tell me. I'll do that in the morning. I'm pretty sure I know just about where he is but I want to make sure. I also went to see my Captain about getting a pass but he wasn't in so I'll have to go back later. He told me he was at the 8th Replacement Depot 18th Bn. 403 Co. 3rd Plat. APO 398. He still goes by his old address of APO 15241. He said he heard I was near Leghorn which is right and he wasn't very far away from there. He said he didn't get to go to Rome as he came up by boat. Well I'm sure I know where he got off of the boat and that he is located close by. I can get there in several hours and I wouldn't have any trouble getting a ride as there are a lot of trucks & jeeps running back & forth. He said he has a hard time getting away. He got to go to Piombino once.

I really don't know much more to tell you as I just mailed you a letter this morning and told you all I knew.

If I get a pass to go see Fred and I'm pretty sure I will I'll write you a few lines when I get there. They usually give a person 5 to 7 days but I may not get that many if its so close. It soon will be a year since I've seen him as I didn't get to see him when I was home in Jan.

Well I'll close now and write you more later. Hope you are all well and not working too hard. I'm OK and feeling fine. So long.

Love
Gus

Dad dated this letter August 5, 1944. The envelope is postmarked August 8, 1944. My grandmother wrote on the front that it was received August 16, 1944. She also wrote "Aug. 5" on the envelope and circled it. The inspection stamp on the from of the envelope is signed by Lt. M. I. Guest.

March 24, 1944

Pvt. August Haferkamp 36684775

A.P.O. 15164 c/o Postmaster

New York, N.Y.

Mar. 24 1944

Mediterranean Sea

Dear Mother:-

It's been a long time since I heard from you or since I wrote so I'll write you a few lines to let you know I'm still O.K. I guess you have been wondering where I'm at or where I'm going. Well at present I'm on the Mediterranean Sea and we are headed for Italy. This has been a tiresome trip but I never did get seasick. I felt fine the whole way. It is like I told Dora that this trip is like getting a month's vacation and spending it in a telephone booth. That's about how much room we have. It is swell up on deck and it all has been a big thrill the way the boat rides the waves. The meals have been real good. They feed us at 10 and 4 o'clock and about 9 P.M. before we go to bed we have lunch.

I've been wondering if Freddie ever got home. I hope he got a discharge but if he never I guess he is getting ready for his boat ride also. There are a lot of things I would like to tell him if I could.

Last Saturday I had all of my hair cut off. I'm now bald headed. I figured it would do my hair some good.

I guess the weather is warm at home now and you are all starting to make gardens. Did Bill ever finish making his hot beds so you could raise your own plants? I guess you will make garden in the lot this year again.

Is Bill still working for the city or has that job ended? I guess he never did have many fire calls. I guess Mamie is busy with her spring house cleaning by now.

The weather has been pretty good the whole trip. The ocean and sea has been rough at times but as a rule its been good. So far there is 6 hours difference in the time from Staunton to where I am and I guess it will change another hour yet before we get there.

We were given a bag by the American Red Cross when we got on the boat. Mine came from a chapter at Bristol, Tenn. It had a sewing kit; pencil; tablet; envelopes; shoe strings; shoe shining cloth; razor blades; soap & soap case; deck of cards; a story book and a pack of cigarettes. The women also gave out coffee as we went up the gang plank. The Red Cross also furnished games; candy and cigarettes aboard the ship.

We have a time here on the ship when it comes to washing and saving. That is all done with salt water and the soap doesn't make any suds.

I guess by this time Dora has gotten our pictures and given you all one. I hope they were good and that I have one waiting for me when I arrive in Italy. I also hope I have a lot of mail and the Staunton papers waiting so I know some news.

I'll send this letter airmail and when I land I'll write you by V-mail. I don't know which is the fastest.

Well I'll close and I hope you are all well and feel as fine as I do. Tell everyone "Hello" and I'll write as often as I have time for.

Love,
Gus


From this letter on, all of Dad's letters have stamps on the envelope, whether sent by air for 6 cents, as this one was, or by sea for 2 cents. This particular letter is postmarked April 1. My grandmother wrote on the envelope that she received it on 10 April and answered it on 13 April. Also on the envelope is a stamped mark stating that it was passed by U.S. Army Examiner, with the number 14818 in the middle.