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.

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.

January 1, 1944

Pvt Aug. Haferkamp 36684775

Co. A 225th Bn. 69th Regt 2 R.T.C.

Camp Blanding, Florida



Sat., Jan. 1, 1944

Dear Mother :-

I received your letter yesterday and I was glad to hear from you. I have been wanting to write to you a week or so ago but just didn't have the time. I'll try to write you a few lines today as it will be about the only chance I'll have for the next 2 weeks or so.

I have a lot of work to do today and tomorrow such as washing some of my clothes and getting ready for our 1 weeks camping trip which we start on Monday morning. Where we are going I don't know but we will be away from this camp for 2 weeks. You should see the list of things we have to take with us. We really should have a truck apiece to carry it all.

Well I think I'll be home to see you all pretty soon. I hope to leave here for St. Louis in about 3 weeks from now or about Jan. 22nd. I went in at noon today and gave my Captain $20.00 to get me a railroad ticket. I should get some money back as the ticket isn't that much. I will be aloud to stay home 7 days. That's not many days but that is all any of the fellows here get. That doesn't include the time we spend on the train. That really isn't what you call a furlough but is a 7 day layover as I won't come back to this camp but I will either go to Fort Mead, Maryland or Ford Ord, California and then I guess from there we will get a boat ride to somewheres overseas.

I got my medal for shooting expert with the rifle. We got them Wednesday evening. Tuesday and Thursday of this week we were out to shoot the machine gun. We fired about 25 shots each on the 50 caliber machine gun.

Tell Henry I said "thanks" for the money he sent me for Xmas. I would have written to him but as I said I've been too busy. I also got a $5.00 check from the firemen and also $5.00 from George Wegener. I wrote a letter to thank the firemen but I haven't wrote to Wegener yet. I sure miss not being able to be up at the fire department today as it will be the first New Years party that I missed.

I guess by this time Dora has been up to see you and tell you all about her trip. I got a pass and left here last Friday evening and I went to Starke and got her. We then had to come back to this camp to catch a bus for St. Augustine. We sure enjoyed our visit there as there are lot of sights to see. The only trouble was that it rain Xmas and the following day so we didn't get to take as many pictures as we wanted to.

Dora's cousin's husband who is here in this camp came over to see me last night. He is in the rifle company. He married the Watkins girl. The one that Hermann Ruffini was going with when he died.

Well I guess I better close and get busy. I'll try to write to you while I'm in the woods if I get time. If you have time write as they are going to bring our mail out to us once a day. I hope in 3 weeks from now I'll be on my way to Staunton to see you all.

So long
Gus

Tell Bill that Bill Stoermer quit at Atlas and got a job at Quincy on a bardge job. Stemp White got his 1A card and Zeke got a job back there. I wrote to Regot several weeks ago but never did hear from him.

December 21, 1943--a letter written by my mother in Florida to her mother-in-law

The following letter was written by my mother to her mother-in-law back  home in Staunton after she had arrived at Fort Blanding to visit her husband.

Dec. 21st, 1943

1:30 P.M.

Dear Mom & all--

I arrived in Jacksonville Sat. afternoon at 4 P.M. Gus didn't get in until nine o'clock so I sat in the station and waited for him. He is fine but a lot thinner than I expected him to be. It was his clothes that made him look big in his pictures. They are a lot too big for him.

We got here in Camp about two Sunday afternoon. After I unpacked we went down to the lake and took some pictures. We got back and had our supper about 8 P.M. He had to leave about 10:15 to get back to his hut. Last night he came over about 7 P.M. He was to have waited on tables but he paid another kid to do it for him. He didn't eat supper so we went to the service club and ate. Tonight he has class so I guess it will be 9 o'clock or later before he gets here.

I still don't know where I'm going to stay after I leave here tomorrow. It is very nice here at the guest house. I wish I could stay but that is out. Gus is trying to talk me into staying over New Year's but I hate to take a chance on losing my job. But if he still wants me to I guess I will if I can find a place to stay. He's afraid he will not get his furlough or he wouldn't mind so much if I left after Xmas.

Gus has never gotten my Xmas package. Maybe it was in that train wreck. He got yours.

How did you get along with Skipper? Did he want to follow me?

I just came as far as Tenn. by bus. I came the rest of the way by train. I'll tell you all about it when I get home.

Take care of yourself and I hope you all have a nice Xmas. Thanks again for the Xmas presents as they were grand. This letter is from Gus too in case he doesn't get a chance to write. He said to tell you all hello & to write. He got Mamie's letter yesterday & one from Louie. Also about six Xmas cards & the paper. I sure hope he gets my Xmas box before Xmas.

Write when you can.

Love,
Dora & Gus

These pictures were taken of Mom and Dad during Mom's visit with Dad in Florida.

Mom asks about Skipper, their beloved rat terrier. Heard so many stories about him growing up, including that while Dad was away during the war Skipper would walk across town from my mother's mother's home on Hibbard to Dad's parents' home looking for Dad. He would walk into the house, wander through the house looking for Dad, they'd give him a treat, and he would go back home.

Mamie, whose letter Dad had just received, is his sister and oldest sibling. She, like his oldest brother, never married and the two of them ended up living together in the family home all their lives. I don't have any idea who "Louie" is. As far as I know, it isn't a family member.

As I looked at the envelope this letter came in I had to smile. Mom had put down the wrong house number, 623 North Laurel Street instead of 621 North Laurel Street, and yet there are no marks on the envelope indicating there was any problem delivering the letter. I don't even think that there is a house numbered 623 on North Laurel.

December 16, 1943

Thurs., Dec. 16, 1943

Dear Mother:-

I received your most welcome letter this morning and I was glad to hear from you. I also got the package which you sent me this evening. Thanks a lot for everything.

Yesterday it rained all day so we had classes indoors all day. the rain started the night before and rain all during the day and part of last night. During the night it got cold and windy. I always thought Florida was a warm state but here is what we wore today and some of us were still cold. I put on my heavy underwear; wool knitted cap; overcoat and gloves. I sure didn't think I would ever wear the overcoat down here but it sure felt good this morning and tonight.

I guess Dora will be surprised to find it so cold down here as I told her the other day how hot it was here last week. She should be on her way by now. I signed up for a pass this evening but we are to work until 5:15 this Saturday so it will be late before I get into Jacksonville.

I sure wish it would warm up before tomorrow night as I've got to walk guard again. That sure does come around quick. That will be about my last time while I'm at this camp. It's my 4th time.

I didn't get last week's Staunton paper until yesterday evening. Mail is sure coming in slow. I wrote a letter to Uncle Henry last Sunday. I told him to show it to Lillian and Mary to save me from writting so much. I got the Xmas card from you and bill. I got about 10 Xmas cards so far. I even got one from the Carters from Wentzville, Mo. who work at the TNT powder plant. I sent out 35 and I'm not going to send anymore.

I sure was surprised to hear that Jack Hockmuth had died. I wonder who will get his filling station now.

There is a lot of flu and cold down here also. The hospital is full of fellows. Our Captain told us yesterday evening when we were done to go to our huts and stay there out of the rain. He also said that we should be sure to take off our wet shoes.

I'm glad you like the picture of me. I didn't think they were so good but still they were a lot better than I had expected. Maybe sometime later I'll get it taken again and I can give everyone a picture. I sent Dora some snapshot that I took down here. I guess she'll show them to you when she gets up there.

Well it's time for lights out and I told you all the news so I'll close and I'll write to you later. thanks a lot for the package and Here's Wishing you all a Merry Xmas & a Happy New Year.

Gus

Dad was kept up-to-date on happenings back home through letters from his mother, his wife, and many others, in addition to the Staunton newspaper, and he often mentions Staunton news in his letters back home. Jack Hockmuth and his wife Johanna lived on East Main Street in Staunton. He owned the Hochmuth Service Station on West Main Street.

At some point in the early 1940s, before Dad was drafted, he and my mother lived in Wentzville, Mo., where he worked at the TNT powder plant, and it seemed that a number of friends and family did the same.

Dad mentions asking Uncle Henry to show the letter he wrote him to Lillian and Mary. They are Uncle Henry's two daughters, Dad's cousins, Lillian Glenn and Mary Wasilewski, both of whom lived in Athens, Illinois.

December 12, 1943

Sat. 3 P.M. Dec. 12, 1943

Dear Mother:-

I received your letter a few days ago and as you know I was glad to hear from you. I have this afternoon and tomorrow off so I'll try to write a few letters. I have so many to write I hardly know where to start. About the only time we get time to write is on the weekends. I got a card from Lillian and also a Xmas card the first part of the week from Uncle Henry. I believe I told you in my last letter that I got a Xmas card from the Ed. Roberts.

We have been having some awful hot weather this last week but today it is cloudy and has rained a little today. I sure hope the weather stays nice the few weeks that I'm here yet.

I got my pictures last week and set them to Dora. I guess by this time she brought you one. They aren't very good but still they are better than I thought they would be.

Well next week this time I guess Dora will be in Jacksonville waiting for me. I sure hope I can get a week end pass so I can meet her. I should be able to get a pass if I haven't K.P. or guard duty as I never did ask for a pass since I've been here. I guess she will have a time getting a room after her 3 days are up here at the camp. Rooms are awful hard to get down here now.

A lot of fellows left this afternoon on a sight seeing trip to St. Augustine which is the oldest city in the United States. There bus fare was to be about $1.25.

We had 4 hours schooling and a picture show on malaria fever this week. They tell us about this as the camp is in a low spot and a lot of mosquitoes breed around here. They have men out working every day spraying oil on the ponds and cutting weeds to keep the mosquitoes from breeding.

We were kept real busy this last week. We had night classes until after 9 o'clock 2 nights. During the day we had code; pole climbing and hooking up switchboards and telephones. Just 6 more weeks basic training here. Time has sure flew by fast since I've been here.

I was just out to see if I had gotten any mail but I never. I thought maybe I would get the Staunton paper. the mail is coming in very slow now. I guess there are too many Xmas cards & packages to slow things up.

Have you heard from Freddie this week? He never did answer my letter but I guess he is like I am most of the time, just hasn't time to write. I guess some of that Army life is tough on him as he is pretty big. Couldn't they do any thing about getting him a discharge for being over 38 years old? I thought John Lee was going to try and get him out. Has he forgotten again?

Well I believe I told you all I know so I'll close and will write you more later.

Gus


Dad seems to fill most of his time off writing letters. Sounds like he had been getting mail from family and from Staunton townspeople. His cousin Lilly Glenn has written, as has her father Henry Brackhane, both of whom lived in Athens, Illinois. His brother Freddie wasn't ever much of a letter writer, even when away in the Army, so Dad has been asking his mother in nearly every letter he's written whether she's heard from him.

I think that this picture, because it is so different from other pictures of him from this period and because only a couple of copies were found, is probably the one that that he write of in this letter and in a couple earlier letters.