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.

August 5, 1944

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

Italy

Sat., Aug. 5, 1944

Dear Mother:-

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

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

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

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

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

Love
Gus

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

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 30, 1944

Pvt. August Haferkamp 366847575

Hq. Co. 3rd Bn 135th Inf.

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

Italy

Sun. July 30 1944

Dear Mother:-

I'm spending this Sunday afternoon writting letters so now I'll try to write you a few lines even if I haven't much to write about. I just wrote to Dora and also Uncle Henry. I may also write to Reno Martini yet today. That's the kid's address that you sent me. Did you ever tell Clara that I wrote to him and I got a quick answer from him?

Well its still hot and very dry here. I guess it is that way all over the world. It gets cool at night and that makes it good sleeping. There is always a breeze coming in off of the sea which helps a lot. Hope you have been getting some rain at home so the gardens haven't all dried up.

I went to the church services this morning at 9:30 and it was real nice. We have a swell chaplain. From 11 to 12 I had to stand guard. I have to stand an hour guard every other day so that's not bad.

We had a real good dinner today. We had creamed chicken; tomatoes; beets; bread; coffee and ice cream. They had 2 kinds of ice cream, chocolate and pineapple. I took the pineapple as I like it the best.

A lot of the fellows go swimming down at the sea every day but as yet I never have. They say they have a swell beach there. Trucks take and bring the boys every hour. Here in the area we can also play horse shoes; volley ball or either soft ball and every night they have a picture show. So far I went to the show once and haven't played any games. We also have a radio and get music and the news.

As yet I never did hear from Freddy. I wrote him over a week ago. I hope he answers soon and trys to let me know where he is. If I knew just about where he was located I believe I could get away for a few days to go see him. That is while I'm here in a rest area. It would take a lot of arranging to get permission to leave for a few days but I believe I could make it. I have an idea he is somewhere close to Rome. I could go down there in a day's time.

Dora said in her letter the other day that her Mother was in St. Louis and Bobbie's wife cut her hair and gave her a permanent wave. She didn't get to see her but they told her on the phone that she looked from 10 to 15 years younger. Bobbie's wife is going to a beauty operator's school to learn hair dressing.

I see in the Staunton paper where they are trying to get a factory to locate at home. Sure hope they get it and that it amounts to something. Staunton could use several small factories. I guess they will have a time raising the money as the business people hate to kick in. Well, there is always two ways of looking at it.

Well, I told you all I know for the present time so I'll have to close and try to write you more at a later date. Hope you are all well and feeling fine as I sure am. So long until later.

Love,
Gus

This letter was postmarked August 1, 1944. This is one of the few letters so far that doesn't have a note on the envelope stating when it was received or when it was answered.

The officer signing the envelope is also different from the previous letters sent from Italy. This one is signed by "W. R. Coleman, Lt., Inf."

"Bobbie" is one of my mother's younger brothers. He had married Dorothy Dehner, a young woman from Iowa, earlier in the year, on January 23, 1944. 

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 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.

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.

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.

June 12, 1944

Pvt. August Haferkamp 36685776

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

APO 34  c/o P.M. New York, NY

Italy

Sat., June 12, 1944

Dear Mother:-

I have a few minutes time so I'll try to write you a few lines. I had several letters from Henry lately. I answered them as soon as I could. I guess he will show you the letters when he gets them. I tried to tell him a few things about Italy.

Well I went out on a pass this last Wednesday. I got to spend the day in Rome. It sure is a nice place to see. I told Henry about some of the things I saw so if you can read the letter I sent him it will save me time & paper if I don't have to write it over again. It looked funny to see some of the soldiers uniforms of different countries. Such as French and also the British. The British soldiers wear sun tan shorts with long socks. You sure see a lot of bow legs. I was going to get some postal cards while I was in Rome and came away without them. Some more fellows went in on a pass today and I told them to bring me some along. If they do I'll try to send you a few of them. I'm sorry I didn't go inside of the St. Peters Church. They say it is sure a pretty thing to see.

Yesterday and last night I had guard duty. I started at noon yesterday and finished at 8 this morning. I was on for 2 hours and off 4 hours,

Henry said in his letter that Freddie has left North Africa and landed safely some where else. I guess he probably is here in Italy. So come that way. Maybe I'll see him some of these days.

How does Bill like his new job by now? O.K. I hope. Henry said he is working 24 hours on and 24 hours off. I guess he goes back and forth on the street car.

Thursday we had some ice cream and cake with our dinner. the ice cream sure was good. It was the first I had since I was at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia. We get cake pretty often. We are eating onions; potatoes and lettuce out of the Italians gardens.Our kitchen fixes our meals now while we are here in a rest area.

I got paid Thursday for the month of May. the letter Collie Kasubke sent me about a week ago stated that he hadn't been paid since December. Well he will get a lot when he does get it. Money don't do us much good any way as there isn't much we can buy with it. These Italians would sooner trade cigarettes than have money. They pay as high as 50¢ a pack for them.

Dora sent me a clipping out of the Star Times that Ray Stiegemeier wrote. I thought it was pretty good. He is here in Italy also. Dora said Norman Boettcher was here also. I guess a lot of the boys from home are here.

Well I told you all I can think of for the present time so I'll have to close. Hope I'll hear from you soon and I'll write more when I have time. Don't worry if a week or so goes by and you don't hear from me as I'm just too busy to write letters.

I'm feeling fine and hope you are all well and in good health. So long.

Love,
Gus


This letter is postmarked U.S. Army Postal Service June 20 1944. On the bottom left corner of the front of the envelope is the censor's stamp. On the back of the envelope my grandmother wrote in pencil "Recieved June 26." 

Norman Boettcher grew up next door to my grandparents. His father had served in Europe during World War I and married a German woman and brought her home. The Boettchers lived in their house on Laurel Street until their deaths in the 1980s.