August 8, 1944 -- a V-Mail from Freddie

In August my Uncle Freddie wrote a letter to my grandmother that was sent to them via V-Mail. What is special to me about this letter is that he gives some great details about his visit with my dad, which just happened to take place when my dad was receiving his Bronze Star. I am going to put pictures of the letter, and both sides of the envelope it came in, so that you can see what V-Mail looked like and also how my grandmother and aunt would mark the envelopes they got from their men who were off fighting in Italy. The V-Mail is small, just 4 1/4" wide and almost 5 1/2" long. A transcript is at the bottom.

 

  

From: 36690797

Pvt. Fred Haferkamp

A.P.O. P.M. N.Y. N.Y.

Aug. 8 - 44

To: Mrs. C. Haferkamp

621 N. Laurel St.

Staunton, Ill

Italy

Dear Mother.

Just a line to let you know I am well and hope every one else at home is the same I got a letter from Gus the same day I wrote him I found out where he was so I went Sunday to visit him he sure was surprised to see me he was decorated with a Bronze Star when I was there he whent and asked for a pass to visit me so they gave him 7 days so he came Monday and is staying with me he sure looks good and has put on a little weight since the last time I seen him It sure is hot and dry here and guess it is the same back home I haven't been getting much mail lately got two papers today of June 8 - 15. Gus said he got some dated later don't know of any more news now so tell Henry and the rest hello till later as I will close

From your Son Fred.

13 July 1944 Bronze Star award

This is the letter that Dad told his mother he had received at the time that he received his Bronze Star ribbon.

August 6, 1944

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

Italy

Sunday, Aug. 6, 1944

Dear Mother:-

I'll write you a few lines to let you know that Freddie was here today to see me.  He and another fellow came in about 11 a.m. and left about 3 P.M. I had just came back from Division rear to find out for sure where the 8 Rep't. Depot was and he walked up. I sure was glad to see him. We had dinner together but it wasn't nothing extra today. I was (sic) they had came last Monday when we had the turkey. He is located about 40 mile south of here and he came up on a truck. They left early as the other fellow wanted to stop and see some one along the road. I went to see my Captain for a pass and he told me to come back tomorrow and he would send me to another Captain for the pass. This Captain was busy today or else I could have gotten it today. At least I hope he gives me one for several days. Freddie said now since he knows just where I'm at he may come up quite often.

He is looking and feeling fine. I don't think he has lost much weight since I've seen him last.

He thought we had a swell place here and I guess we have. He said the area they are in isn't so nice and the food isn't so good. They took there cots away from them and now they sleep on the ground. Well I've been doing that since last April.

We had our parade today and I'm sending you one of the letters I got. I received 3 of these. I didn't get the medal as yet only the ribbon. This ribbon is red and blue trimmed in white. Here is about the size [he drew a precise sketch that was 1 1/4" wide and 1/4" high with lines that distinguished first a narrow vertical stripe, the white trim he mentioned, then a 1/2" stripe of red, a narrow white stripe, a 1/16" stripe of blue, a narrow stripe of white, a 1/2" stripe of red, and a final narrow white stripe].  It is to be pin on our pockets. Maybe in a few days there will be some thing in the Stars & Stripes paper about it and if there is I'll try to send it to you. The 34th Division band played and there were a lot of pictures taken.

Well that's about all for the present so I'll close and will write you more in a few days. Keep the paper I'm sending and I'll send the other 2 to Dora. This draw where this took place was nicknamed "Dead Man's Gulch." Lot of lives were lost there.

So long.
Gus

This picture, a copy of which always hung in Dad's family home, was taken, I was told, when Uncle Freddie met up with Dad the first time.


This letter was postmarked Aug. 8, 1944.  My aunt wrote "received Aug. 16 -44" on the front of the envelope and "Aug. 6," which she also circled.

The medal he received, as he has written about in some previous letters, was the Bronze Star. The letter he mentions was not in the envelope with the letter he wrote his mother. In fact, non of the items that Dad said he had included with his letters were in the envelope with the letter. It is my opinion that items such as pictures and news clippings Dad has mentioned he has enclosed in this and past letters, were taken out of the envelopes when the letters received so that they could be shared with family and friends and were never put back into the envelopes.

July 19, 1944

Pvt. August Haferkamp 366847575

Hq. Co. 3rd Bn 135th Inf.

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

Sunny Italy

July 19, 1944

Dear Mother:-

I have a few hours time today so I'm busy writting letters. I just finished writting to Dora & Freddie. He never did write me so I guess he still has the same address as the one he had when he left the States as you never did send me any other. It is Inf. Co. E APO 15241. That is the way I sent it so I hope he gets it. I also got a letter yesterday from Henry and one from Uncle  Henry several days ago. Oh yes, I wrote to that Martini boy. The one who's address you sent me and I got a letter back from him the other day. He couldn't tell me where he was but I know where his division is and its a long ways from here. He told me that Edgar Lorson from Staunton was in the same company with him. He seemed surprised to hear from me and wants me to write him again. Lorson should have lost 60 or 70 lbs. It is a rifle company they are in. I don't know if I know this kid or not but he said he knew me well. You can tell Clara that I heard from him.

I got another box from Dora last night. It had candy bars; writting paper and ink in it. I still have a box on the way with a box of White Owl cigars in it. Wish it would get here in the next day or two so I would have them while we are in the rest area. I don't know how long we are to have a rest this time but I hope it's a month or so. I haven't heard but maybe I'll get that bronze star I have coming while we are in the rest areas. That is when they give them out. They have all the companies there on parade with a band and then give short talks when the medals are passed out. I also have a expert Infantrymen badge coming. It is a nice looking pin or badge also. This is the one that we are to get the extra 10 dollars a month for having. A lot of the older fellows have them already.

Uncle Henry said that things are awful hot and dry in Athens, too. Not much to his garden. Said he is raising a few chickens this year again. He wrote his letter on 4th of July and said he hadn't heard a single fire cracker. If he had been over here he would have heard a lot of noise and it wouldn't have been just a fire cracker.

I sent some paper money along in Dora's letter. I got it from a German prisoner. I told Dora to show them to Pop and see if it was the German Mark. I have some German & Italian coin money but how I'll ever send it home I don't know.

It is awful hot here too but still at night it gets fairly cool and damp. I guess that is because we are so close to the sea. It makes it good sleeping at nights.

I thought I had more to write you but I can't think of anymore so I'll have to close. Hope I hear from you real soon. I'll write whenever I have time and I'll guess I'll have that the next several weeks. Until later so long.

Love,
Gus


This letter was postmarked July 23, 1944. Aunt Mamie wrote on the back of the envelope that it was "received July 31." Someone else wrote "answered Aug. 3."

July 17, 1944

Pvt. August Haferkamp 366847575

Hq. Co. 3rd Bn 135th Inf.

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

Italy

July 17, 1944

Dear Mother:-

I'll try to write you a few lines as it has been a long time since I had a chance to write. I've gotten your letters and also Mamie's. I also heard from Uncle Henry. He wrote me on July 4th. I got letters from Primo who is still in Alaska and also from Stump White who is in San Diego, Calif. I don't know when I'll get to write them all. We have a day of rest today but the day goes by so fast. I just wrote to Dora as it has been a week or so since I've written to her. They sent out our packages today and I had 2 big boxes of nuts & candy from Dora; also some writting paper; a Staunton paper of May 25th and 2 packages of cigars. These packages had 6 or 7 cigars in them and she sent them 1st class mail as then she didn't need a request from me as they don't weigh over 8 oz. She said she would send Freddie some if she had his address.

You said Freddie was going to send you a picture of some soldiers and that he thought I was among them. Well I think he is wrong as I don't know of anyone taking it.

You asked if Freddie ever got in touch with me. No he hasn't. I never did write to him as I was waiting for him to be put in a division. I have the old address you sent me when he left the States but I thought he would get another one real soon like I did so I never did write. I wish we could get together and see each other again.

Too bad it is so hot and dry at home. It is the same over here. I guess that will mean not much of a garden this year again.

I guess if Bill got some new tires he will be driving his car back and forth to work. Jefferson Barracks sure does change there men a lot. Seems like every few months they do that.

I believe I told you in another letter that I was going to get a Bronze Star. I guess I'll get it when we get into a rest area. When that will be we don't know. Probably a month or two from now.

We are kept pretty busy now and doing a lot of walking. I'm sure glad I have good feet. A lot of the fellows have trouble with there feet.

I washed and shaved today and I really needed it. I had to wash as usual in my helmet.

Well, I must close now and I'll try to write you more later.

So long.

Love,
Gus


This letter was postmarked July 19, 1944. Aunt Mamie wrote "received July 29" on the envelope. Someone else wrote "Answered Aug 8."

This is the first time that Dad has mentioned Stump White. Since he is writing to his mother, I assume that this is another Staunton man. There are a could of Whites in the 1940 Staunton City Directory, one of them a pastor at the Baptist Church. I need to do some research to figure out who he is, since "Stump" is obviously a nickname.

June 23, 1944

Pvt. August Haferkamp 366847575

Hq. Co. 3rd Bn 135th Inf.

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

Italy

June 23, 1944

Dear Mother & Everyone,

I received 2 letters from Mamie today. One was a airmail of May 25th and a V-mail of June 9th. Sometimes the V-mail beats the airmail letters but most of the time they don't. Your V-mail letters are O.K. and I'm glad to hear mine are also. I often wondered about them as I write them all in pencil. I also got the clippings out of the paper that she sent. I was glad to get them as I don't get so much news from home. So far since I've been here in Italy I've only got 3 papers. I guess one of these days I'll get a whole bundle of them.

So Freddie is here in Italy. I sure would like to see him. As soon as he get put in a division and gets a new address send it to me. The way it is now his address doesn't mean much to me as I couldn't begin to find him with that. You usually can tell what division a person is in by there APO number. You see I'm in the 34th. Collie Kasubke is in the 45th and the Martini boy who's address you sent me is in the 3rd. Dora's brothers Bill & Jackie got to see each other over in England thru the Red Cross. Each one had to go to the Red Cross and have them make the arrangements. They got to spend about 8 hours together.

You asked if I got to Rome. Yes I did as I told you in a letter I wrote last week. I marched thru there and I got to go in on a pass on June 14th.

So Bill doesn't think he will keep his new job. Too bad he spends so much time on the road. Does he drive his car back & forth or does he go by street car?

My name was turned in for a bronze star about a week ago. It is a medal and is for things I done in a battle before we got to Rome. If and when I'll get it I don't know. It probably be 8 or 10 month before I hear from it. They say they are real pretty. If I should ever get it I will send it home.

I guess Bill did have a lot of work to do if he put 475 sweet potato plants and 300 tomato plants besides others all out in a week's time. Hope you have a rain now and then so you h ave good luck with everything this year. How is the crab apple tree? I'll bet it's just loaded with apples.

I'll try to write the Martini boy a few lines yet tonight while I have time for maybe soon I'll be too busy to write to anyone for a while. I don't know if I remember him or not. I believe he use to deliver papers. I know where his folks live. Next door to Press Eller.

I wrote to Henry last week. I hope he got the letter and showed it to you all for I wrote him things I saw in Rome that I didn't write you.

I got 2 letters from Dora today. One was from May 20 and the other from June 12th. Our mail sure does come in funny. Two days ago I got a letter (air mail) from her written June 13th. She sent me two pretty colored pictures of herself that the lady she works for took of her. I'll have to keep them out of the light as much as I can or they'll fade away.

We had a rain during the night I was out sleeping on the ground with another fellow. We had a shelter half under us plus 2 blankets and a shelter half over us. We didn't get wet but the edges of our blankets got wet a little. Today it is real hot again.

Well I told you all I know for the present time so I'll have to close. I'll write more in a few days when I have time. As you can see I've written this letter in a hurry. Trying to get it done before supper.

Until later So long.

Love,
Gus


This letter was postmarked June 29, 1944. Written on the back, probably by my grandmother, was a note that it had been "Received July 6" and a second note said it was "Answered July 11."

V-mail, which Dad has mentioned in earlier letters, was a very interesting concept. According to the Smithsonian National Postal Museum website, "Victory Mail, more commonly known as V-Mail, operated during World War II to expedite mail service for American armed forces overseas. Moving the rapidly expanding volume of wartime mail posed hefty problems for the Post Office, War, and Navy Departments. Officials sought to reduce the bulk and weight of letters, and found a model in the British Airgraph Service started in 1941 that microfilmed messages for dispatch.

V-Mail used standardized stationery and microfilm processing to produce lighter, smaller cargo. Space was made available for other war supplies and more letters could reach military personnel faster around the globe." (http://postalmuseum.si.edu/victorymail/)

Dad's brother Freddie finally ended up in Italy, and it is obvious that Dad hopes they can get together at some point. It was interesting to learn that Mom's brothers Bill and Jack got to meet up in England. Though Mom had told me that Uncle Jack had been stationed in England during the war, I hadn't known that Uncle  Bill was there, too. It was nice to hear that the Red Cross worked to enable family members to see each other during the war.

Amazing to read how much Uncle Bill planted in the backyard. There truly must not have been any part of the yard left unplanted. The crab apple tree Dad mentions stood in the backyard for many years, bearing fruit into the 1980s. It was finally chopped down in 1990.

Dad writes about "the Martini boy," obviously another soldier from Staunton. He says he knows his parents lived next door to Press Eller. In the 1940 Staunton City Directory, Preston & Cora Eller lived at 912 E. North. Louis, a miner at the No. 7 mine, & Gerarda Martini lived at 916 E. North.

Dad told his mother that he hoped his brother Henry would be sharing with her the letter he'd written telling all about what he'd seen in Rome. Unfortunately, as far as I know, that letter no longer exists.