August 4, 1944

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

Italy

Aug. 4, 1944

Dear Mother:-

I received your V mail letter today that you wrote me on July 21st and I was glad to hear from you. I've been wanting to write you the last few days but I put it off thinking I would hear from you soon. I also got a letter from Dora today and she sent me some clippings and I'll send them on to you.

So Henry Lee got the letter I sent him. I bet he was surprised to get it wasn't he? I wonder what is keeping Fred from writting. Surely if he is real busy he could find time once in a while even if it was only a V mail. I wrote him 2 or 3 weeks ago and as yet I haven't received any answer. If he would write and let me know where he was located or at least give me a hint I could go and visit him as I'm sure I could get away for 5 days. But the way it is they move those replacement depots so much and they have many of them. I wouldn't know where to start looking for him. So the Martini boy wrote his Mother and told her I wrote to him. I finally answered his letter a few days ago. He may have been close to me at one time but I don't think he is now. I heard his outfit was back taking a special training. So was Collie's and I expect to hear soon that they have made another landing somewheres.

 I wrote to Collie and answered his letter a long time ago but never did hear anymore of him. I know his outfit hasn't been on the lines fighting for some time now.

To bad about the accident at No. 7 mine. Seems like every few months something like that has to happen. I bet they were a mess. I think I know all 3 of the fellows. Dora sent me a clipping out of a St. Louis paper about it.

So the grass fires are starting at home again. I guess there will be a lot of them as dry as it was. You must of had a rain & storm a while back as I saw in our "Stars and Stripes" paper where the bridge at Chester fell in the river and was caused by lightning. Bill had the right day off if he was home the day of the 2 fires. I had a letter from Harry Kuehnen several days ago and I wrote him a long letter back giving him a line. I think I wrote him 7 or 8 pages. He & I usually write each other V mails but I was in a writting mood so I wrote him a long one. He is pretty good about writting even if he doesn't say much.

The other day we were all issued 4 - 12 oz. cans of beer. It was Schaefers beer brewed in New York. It was the first American beer I had since I left the States. We had some several times that was made over here in Naples. Wasn't much good.

I got paid a few days ago for the month of July. That made 2 pay days in several days. I sent Dora $25.00 from my first pay and kept the second in case I should go on a pass one of these days.  We didn't get our $10.00 increase yet but will next pay with back pay. They are paying those in combat back pay to last January. I won't get so much as I didn't go into combat until after the middle of April.

This coming Sunday my Regiment is having a parade and citation and are going to award the medals to the fellows who have them coming. That's when I'll be getting my "Bronze Star" medal that I have coming. With this medal we also get a ribbon to wear on the pocket of our blouse but of course we have no blouse. We can wear that when the war is over and we head home. I have several campaign ribbons coming now also. This parade will be lead by the 34th Division band and all ranking officers will be there.

Dora said in her letter yesterday that she had a letter from you and you sent her Freddie's address. She was going to make a package of 8 cigars and send them to him. She sends them to me that way and I don't have to request them. She sends them 1st class mail for 12 cents postage.

I think I told you about the meal we had last Sunday. Well Monday we had a better one yet. We had roast turkey with dressing, corn, tomatoes, gravy; breach & butter; apricots; chocolate cake, and lemonade. We had all we could eat and there was turkey left. They are really feeding us good while we are here in this rest area. We have one cook that makes wonderful cakes & pie.

Every night there is a movie and several nights a week they have a U.S.O. stage show or band music before the movies. The other night at the U.S.O. show there was two American girls in it who sang many songs. It was great to see an American girl again as they were clean and dressed neat and that's more than you can say for most of these Italian girls. The most of them look like they haven't seen any water for months. Even if they haven't the clothes they could at least wash and keep clean.

I went for a shower bath this afternoon and thought I would get a clean O.D. shirt and pants but I never. They never had my size. Looks like they don't keep men size clothes as I've always got trouble getting size 36-33 pants. I did get new sock and also new underwear. We get these every time we take a shower.

I quit writting for about an hour and went down to hear a dance band that they had here for us. There was some swell music and singing. They say there is a good movie on tonight so I may go for a change. I've only been to one once and then didn't stay until it was over. You know I never did care much for shows.

They are sending a lot of fellows into Rome on 5 day passes again. If they don't stop it soon again I may be up for my turn before long.There are about 4 in the wire section ahead of me now yet. That is why I wish Freddie would try to let me know where he was and I could hunt him up in those 5 days. Now that we are in a rest area we can nearly always get a 5 day pass if we have relatives over here that we want to visit. When we go back in combat I may not get a chance to go.

I ordered myself a new pair of shoes today as the pair I have are going bad. I hope I get combat shoes instead of regular shoes as that would do away with wearing leggings. These combat shoes are about 6 inches higher than regular shoes and this part has only two buckels. It's a lot better and saves time. Tomorrow we can turn one blanket in to get cleaned. I have 2.

Well I told you all I know so I'll have to close and I will write you more later. Write when you have time as I enjoy hearing from you all.  So long.

Love,
Gus

This letter was postmarked August 8, 1944, and on the front of the envelope my aunt wrote "received Aug. 16 -44." She also wrote and circled "Aug. 4." This is because on August 16 they received three letters from my father, one he had written on August 4 and the others written in the following days.

July 26, 1944

Pvt. August Haferkamp 366847575

Hq. Co. 3rd Bn 135th Inf.

APO 34 c/o P.M. New York, N.Y.

Italy

July 26, 1944

Dear Mother.

I received your letter a few days ago that you wrote me on July 11. I also got the clippings from the paper that you sent me. I was glad to get the letter and clippings. I would have written sooner but was busy again and never had time. We are to have about 3 weeks rest now so I should have plenty time to write letters.

I wrote to Freddie about a week ago but as yet I haven't heard from him. I hope I do soon. I sure hope he gets my letter. I tried to tell him just where I was at. If he is still in a replacement depot I know just about where he is. We are many miles apart but I wish we could get to see each other.

Sorry to hear it is so hot and dry at home now. I guess you won't get much out of the garden this year again. Too bad after all the hard work. It is dry and awful hot here too but the gardens look real good. I don't see how they raise anything in this hard ground. It is clay and just like a rock. We have been getting tomatoes & corn out of the gardens along the way. Soon the grapes will be ripe and Italy is sure full of them. The spot I'm in now is full of olive trees and I've got my tent under one for the shade.

We just got paid for the month of June. I was wishing that they would wait a few days so we would get paid for July also. I get $20.80 every month and soon we will get another $10.00 a month. I intend to get a money order yet today for $25.00 to send Dora as there isn't many places where we can use money.

I'm glad Bill likes his job better now. Too bad he has to spend so much time on the road. Yes, I know Tom who used to work for Atlas when I did. I guess a lot of those fellows who quit there wished they were back now. Dora said Bob Ehmler works for Curtiss Wright now but didn't say what he was doing. He has night shift all the time over there.

I was surprised to hear about Mrs. Reurup dying. Was she sick very long or what was the matter with her? I suppose you all went to her funeral.

It sure doesn't seem like a year that Vincent was killed but time sure does fly by in a hurry. It was bad enough him getting killed but then when our own guns do it it is worse. Well that has happened more than once. Edward can be glad he is still back in the States. Fellows back there don't know how well off they are. So Evelyn has another little baby boy. It's been some time since I've heard from them.

I guess Henry Lee & Mary come to see you a lot these days don't they? I bet they'll be real big by the time I get home again. Did Henry Lee ever get the letter I sent him?

I believe I told you in my last letter I wrote you that I had a letter from Uncle Henry. He wrote it on the 4th of July. I may try to answer it yet today.

Well I'm out of news so I'll have to close and hope you are all well and feeling fine. I'll try to write more in a few days. So long.

Love,
Gus


This letter was postmarked July 30, 1944. Aunt Mamie wrote "Received 7 Aug." on the back of the envelope.

Dad writes in this letter about the death of Mrs. Reurup, but, though the name seems very familiar to me, I don't know who this would be. I think I have seen this name in my parents' papers but spelled "Reuhrup." 

Bob Ehmler is Dad's brother-in-law, the husband of my mother's sister Virginia Cool Ehmler.

When Dad first entered the Army he was stationed near Chicago, where some of his cousins lived. One of them, Vincent Howard, had recently been shot down by friendly fire. This sad fact is something Dad hadn't written about in his letters home at the time. I wonder if it is something the family learned about after his arrival in Italy. He also mentions Evelyn, who was Vincent's sister, and I think that the Edward he mentions was Vincent's youngest brother.

Henry Lee and Mary Haferkamp, Dad's nephew and niece, lived with their parents, Dad's brother Henry and his wife Leona, on Olive Street, about three blocks from my grandparents' home on Laurel Street in Staunton. I think Dad has mentioned them coming to see his parents more often because school is out.

July 8, 1944

Pvt. August Haferkamp 36684775

Hq. Co. 3rd Bn, 135th Inf.

APO 34 c/o P.M. NewYork, N.Y.

Italy

July 8, 1944

Dear Mother:-

I received several letters from you lately but never had a chance to answer them. I wrote you a V-mail letter several days ago as that was the only kind of writing paper I could get. Since then we found this paper in some buildings and I may have to send this free instead of air mail as I have no stamps here. I also have gotten letters from Henry & Henry Lee, which I was glad to get. Last night I got a V-mail from Harry Kuehner. He is always pretty good about writing even if he don't say much.

I thought sure Freddie would have written to me by now but I guess he is kept busy where ever he is at. Hope I hear from him soon and I would like to get to see him but I don't think there is much chance. You can tell Clara that I wrote a few lines to Reno Martini. I don't think I know the kid. I'm not near him so I'm told. I think he is way down in the southern part of Italy taking training. I don't know this for sure but the fellows here say that division is down there getting more training. I'll let you know if I ever hear from him.

I guess you are kept busy canning things out of the garden. Hope you are getting a rain now and then so everything grows. You said the ground was so hard. You should see the ground over here. Its all clay and hard as a rock. I don't see how they raise anything but they seem to have pretty good luck. At times we get into there gardens and get onions, potatoes, tomatoes, and etc. Yesterday some of the boys killed some tame rabbits and fried them. I never ate any of it. We have been getting fresh eggs now and then off of the Italians. We usually have rations or cigarettes to trade with them.

I guess you got the letter where I told you I was in Rome. In fact I was there twice. The day we marched thru I stayed there for several hours. We were all tired and sleepy that day so most of us slept the whole time we were there. About a week after I got to go back there on a 1 day pass which I really enjoyed. Sure was a lot of pretty sights to see. I sent Dora some cards of Rome and I know she will show them to you the first chance she gets. While here in Italy I got to see a volcano. It was Mt. Vesuvius. It was worth seeing to as I read a lot about them in school.

I've been getting a lot of mail but so far I've only gotten 3 Staunton papers. Sure do miss getting them but guess someday they will catch up with me. I've gotten 2 packages from Dora so far and have several more on the way. The first package had nuts, candy, and a box of cigars, which she got from Fritz's Drug Store. Walter said he would let her have a box now and then. She has gotten me several boxes but her brother-in-law gets them for her in St. Louis. Maybe if Freddie asks for cigars you can see Walter Fritz and he may let you have some.

It gets awful darn hot here during the day and cool at night which  makes it good sleeping if it wasn't for the flies and mosquitoes. they are awful bad here.

I hope you are all well at home. I'm feeling fine only I would feel better if I was back home. What is Pop doing these days? Helping in the garden or getting the news up at the park?

Well I must close and I'll try to write more later. Write when you can. Do you ever see Jack or hear from him? I wrote him a letter soon after arriving in Italy but he never did answer it.

So long. Love to all.

Gus


On the front of the envelope is the stamped image that signifies the letter had been checked. Over that is handwritten, "censored by Lt. R. O. Foster." On the back of this envelope my aunt wrote "Received July 18" and "Answered July 18."

Dad continues in this letter to say that though he has written to his brother Freddie he has yet to hear from him. He also asks about his brother Jack and says he'd written him a letter but hasn't yet heard from him. Though Dad seemed to enjoy writing letters, and wrote letters to friends and family several times a week even when not at war, I know that his brothers were not good letter writers.

May 13, 1944

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

Anzio Beach Head Italy

Sat, May 13, 1944

Dear Mother:-

I have a little time so I'll try to write you a few lines to let you know I'm well and feeling fine. I'll write a airmail letter as most of my letters lately to you have been V-mail and you can't write much on those.

I shaved today and just came back from taking a shower and getting clean clothes. About the only clothes I have is what I'm wearing as we turned the rest in. It sure feels fine to get cleaned up once again but a fellow don't stay that way very long.

Yesterday we were given 5 candy bars; cigarettes, and a bottle of beer. the beer is made here in Italy and isn't so good as a fellow has to drink it warm. Sometime ago we were to have beer. It was to be keg beer. Well, a few German planes came over and dropped some bombs and blew the kegs to pieces so we had no beer. Boy, that was one night I was scared and everyone else was who was there. We are to get 2/3's of a quart of beer every 2 weeks now.

Well, how's the garden coming along? I guess you have every thing planted now including the lot. I hope you have good luck with everything this year.

How is Mary and Henry Lee? I guess they come to see you a lot. Soon Henry Lee's school will be out and he can spend a lot of time with you. Was he in a Easter program this year?

I guess you have been reading in the paper about Sergeant Kelly the big hero from over here. Well don't believe all you are reading about him. Somebody is just building him up. A lot of things he claims he done can't be done that say. "So I'm told." And whenever he says that he never was afraid, well he can't tell me or no one else that because you can't help yourself. Another thing, you can't take a mortar shell and throw it like a football. How did he know he killed 40 Germans. Did he stop to count each one? No, you don't do that either. Every fellow you hear up here on the front talk about him sure are sore the way the magazines and newspapers are giving him the write ups. He hasn't seen many months of action. The Division I'm in has been overseas the longest and has a lot of heroes, but you never hear a word about them. It looks like Sergeant Kelly is a one man's Army. The Air Corp. is another outfit that is getting too much credit for what they are doing. You never hear a word said about the  Infantry. That's the fellows who deserve a lot of credit but don't get it. Those fellows with the help of the Artillery are the ones who are getting the ground and pushing forward to win the war, not the Air Corp. The Air Corp hasn't taken a piece of ground yet but that's all you hear about "Air Corp"--Hum Bug.

Well have you heard anymore of Freddie? Sure would like to see him get a discharge. Send me his address as soon as you hear from him. I don't know what outfit his buddies were sent to as I left before they did. If they keep him at Ft. Meade he sure can be lucky.

I never have gotten any papers since I left Camp Blanding. I guess once the boat brings them over I'll sure get a bunch of them. I wish they would come soon so I know what's going on in Staunton. By the way did they ever put up the Honor Roll that they were going to build and put in the park? I guess not.

I had a letter from Louie Calcari the other day. He didn't have much to say and I think his daughter-in-law wrote it as the writing was too good for his. To tell the truth I don't think he can write.

Well I guess Henry is still out at the water plant. His job should be good for 1 more year yet. I suppose Bill isn't doing anything yet only working around the house as usual. Seems like a lot of fellows are getting laid off throughout the U.S. That is what I see in a paper once in a while. A fellow in my outfit gets the Chicago paper. It's about 2 months late always so the news is old but it's something to read and pass away the time.

Did Uncle Henry ever come to see you all? I wonder if he got my letter I wrote to him? Have you heard from the Howards lately? I guess they are all well.

Well I think I told you all I know so I'll close hoping I hear from you real soon. Take good care of yourself and don't work too hard. So long.

Love,
Gus

Oh, yes. I believe tomorrow is  "Mother's Day." Well there isn't a thing here that I can get to send you. Not even a card so all I can say is "Happy Mother's Day" to you. Wish you many more of them.

You know here a fellow can't keep up with the day or dates. You always have to ask whether it's Sunday, Monday or what. Same way with the dates. Too much to keep track of.


Although 15 of the letters that I have from my father to his mother are V-Mail, the first one is dated August 16, 1944, so Dad's comment that most of the letters he sent recently were sent by V-Mail puzzle me. There are so many letters from him to my grandmother that I have assumed that she kept every one he wrote. However, there is no letter at all written in March 1944, and there was a one month gap between the one he wrote on April 11 and this letter, after which the letters once again are  written about once a week. 

Stamped on the front of this envelope is a rubber-stamped box that says "Passed by U.S. Army Examiner" and the number 02662. It is signed Lt. R. O. Foster.

The envelope is postmarked May 16, 1944. On the back of the envelope my grandmother  wrote "Received 26 May. Answered 31."
  
I was curious about the Sergeant Kelly that Dad wrote about. Doing a little research, I think that he is talking about Charles E. Kelly, a World War II hero known as "Commando Kelly." The details in the New  York Times article written when he died in 1985 match some of Dad's comments.
http://www.nytimes.com/1985/01/13/us/charles-e-kelly-dies-at-64-a-winner-of-medal-of-honor.html

This letter will be posted to the blog on September 9, 2014. On this day one hundred two years ago my dad was born in Staunton, Illinois.

April 9, 1944

Pvt. August Haferkamp 36684775
APO 15164  c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.

Somewhere in Italy

Easter, April 9, 1944

Dear Mother:-

I'll try to write you a few lines even if I don't know much news to write about.

It has just started raining to make it a bad Easter day. I sure hope it don't rain now for 7 more Sundays.

I went to the Easter Services here this morning. Surprised? First time I've been to church since I've been in the Army.

I just wrote a letter to Dora; Uncle Henry and Jack. I guess in time I'll get around to everybody. So far I haven't received any of the Staunton papers but it takes a lot of time.

I'm putting 2¢ of our new paper money in with this letter. I hope you get it. Let me know if you do. The dollars are twice this size.

I think I told you I had 2 lower jaw teeth pulled and the next day I had one filled. My gums are still pretty sore and are still bleeding but I feel a lot better with them out. They were infected.

I guess you folks were busy yesterday coloring Easter eggs for Henry Lee and Mary. I bet they are having a grand time today. I won't get to see any Easter eggs this year along with a lot of other things.

Have you heard from Freddie lately? Dora said that his papers are all marked "Over age." I hope that will mean something for him. Whenever he gets a new address send it to me. Oh yes, whenever you write to me it would be nice if you sent it V-mail or airmail and then I would get it several weeks sooner. Regular mail takes a long time to get here. 

Dora said they were having a lot of grass fires on these windy March days. I guess that kept Bill pretty busy. Is he still on the job or has he been laid off? I guess he is kept pretty busy around the house.

Well if the weather has been good at home I guess Pop has all the garden in by now. Ha Ha. Or does he still go up to the park? Are you going to put a garden over in the lot this year again? Dora said that Bill had his hot bed done and a lot of the plants were up.

I guess since Easter is now past Mamie has caught up with her sewing and has started to clean house.

I guess Dora has given you all one of the pictures that we had taken while I was home. She said they were real good and has sent me a small one but so far I haven't received it. Hope it comes soon. She said that you all took a lot of pictures while Freddie was home. Hope there were good.

Well I think I told you all I know for the present time so I'll close and hope to hear from you soon. Take good care of yourself and hope you had a joyous Easter.

Love,

Gus

This is the photograph that Dad has mentioned in previous letters and again in this letter. It was taken of him and my mother when he was home in Staunton in February, 1944.

In this letter Dad wrote about the pictures that had been taken when his brother Freddie was home. This photograph of Uncle Freddie with his parents Mary and Clemens Haferkamp was taken in the family's backyard at 621 N. Laurel St. in Staunton, Illinois. 

Some family background: My grandfather, Clemens Haferkamp, was born in Germany and came to the United States as an adult in the late 1880s. In 1892 he married my grandmother Mary Brackhane, a daughter of German immigrants who had been born in Staunton and lived there all her life. Dad's two oldest siblings, his sister Mamie (the oldest of the seven children and the only girl) and his brother Bill, never married and lived in the family home until their deaths in the mid-1980s. The family moved into the house on Laurel in 1916 when my dad was about four years old. Before that they had lived in a house on Olive and before that on Main Street. His brother Jack lived with his wife and daughter in Mt. Olive, Illinois. His brothers Henry and Freddie lived in Staunton.

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.