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.

May 27, 1944

Pvt. August Haferkamp 36684775

HQ Co. 3rd Bn. 135th Inf.

APO 34 c/o PM. New York, NY

Sat., May 27, 1944

Italy

Dear Mother:-

I got Mamie's letter a few days ago that she wrote on April 25 & 26. Also the clippings about Vincent, which I sent on to Dora to put in our scrapbook. I have a few minutes time so I'll write you a few lines in a hurry and then try to get some sleep as I haven't had much of that for a few days.

So Collie Kasubke was hurt. I wrote to him over a week ago but so far I haven't heard from him. I guess it takes a while for the letter to reach him at the hospital. So Edna got a lot of Vincent's things back. Well it's nice that they returned it all.  Too bad the way he met his death. I've seen several times things happen here similar to that. Something wrong somewheres. Mamie thought maybe I would see his grave. Well, no, the only cemetery I saw so far has been where the Germans are buried.

If you are following the papers you can see we have the Germans on the run again. Hope we reach Rome soon and at the rate we are going it won't be long now.

I'm kept real busy the last week or so and haven't had hardly a chance to do any writing so if you don't hear from me for a while don't worry about me as I'm too busy to write.

Well I have a lot more I could tell you but I'm just too sleepy & tired to write any more. I'm going to lay down and try to sleep some as I haven't been getting much of that lately. I'll try to write more later.

So long.

Love,

Gus

The envelope is postmarked May 30, 1944. On the back of the envelope my grandmother  wrote "Received June 7."

Dad write that he sent my mother the clippings he'd received about his cousin Vincent's death in the war so that she could put it in their scrapbook. That scrapbook is a treasure, full of clippings, primarily from the Staunton Star-Times, about family and friends, including a lot of clippings from the war years.

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. 

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.