June 11, 1944

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

Sunday, June 11, 1944

Italy

Dear Mother:-

I've received a lot of letters from you and others lately but I was in a position where I was just too busy to answer any of them. The last letter you wrote me was on May 31st. I also got 2 letters from Henry with pictures of Freddie. I was glad to get them. If I have time I want to write a few lines to him yet today. It has been over 2 weeks since I've written to anyone. One day I got a bundle with 14 letters. Both of Henry's were in it. I finally got the package that Dora sent me on April l7th. It had a box of cigars, candy, peanuts, and some pictures in it. It's the first time I saw the picture of Dora & I that we had taken when I was home. I also got a Staunton paper which had my picture in it. How come no one ever said anything about it being in there? I wrote to Collie a long time ago before I knew he was hurt but he never did answer my letter.

So Bill was called to Granite City to work. Did he take the job? If he did I hope he likes it. I guess that was Otto Biele of Chesterfield Mo. that you were talking about. I wrote him a letter while I was still in Florida but he never did answer it. He did send me a Xmas card. Dora told me a while back that Melon Head Nesslage was Chief at Atlas now. She didn't say what happened to Riley. I guess most of the fellows that Bill & I worked with down there are gone now.

You talked about Freddie in your letter but you didn't say where he was. Dora said he was in North Africa. Hard telling where they'll send him from there.

Glad you have all the garden in by now. Hope you get a rain now & then to help it along. Things over here look real good. The tomatoes are in bloom. The potatoes are about the size of golf balls. The wheat & oats are ready to cut. I guess the climate is better over here.

I can't tell you as yet where I've been but if you have been reading the papers you should know. Maybe later on I can tell you all about it. I'll have a lot to tell you after I get back home which I hope is soon.

I went to the Church services this morning. They hold them whenever they can. We have a real good Chaplain

We had a little shower during the night and it looks like it may start raining any minute again. Since I've been here in Italy we haven't had so much rain.

Henry said in his letter that Bill has a broken cross member on his car and that he was making his trailer. I guess if he isn't finished he won't have much time anymore if he started working.

Well it seems as thou I'm out of news so I'll have to close and try to write more later. If you don't hear from me for days or weeks don't worry as I just haven't got time to write.

Lots of love. So long.

Gus

Here's a fellows address who Bill & I worked with. He is from Pana, Ill. He in the Marines.

     Pvt. Leland White

     Pet 223 R.D.M.C.B.

     San Diego 41, Calif.

This letter, which Dad wrote on June 11, was postmarked June 16. On the back of the envelope Dad's sister Mamie wrote "Received June 26."

Dad wrote about a man he called Melon Head. Although Dad's handwriting is beautiful and very easy to read, I am not sure if the man's last name is Nesslage or Nisslage. I think it is likely the former, but since he isn't from Staunton, I'm not able to confirm that using the 1940 Staunton City Directory.

June 5, 1944

August Haferkamp, A. Hult (Chicago), 3^rd Bn. 135^th wire jeep

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.

May 17, 1944

Pvt. August Haferkamp 36684775
Hq. Co. 3rd Bn. 135th Inf.
APO 34 c/o P.M. New York, NY

Anzio Beach Head, Italy

Wed., May 17, 1944

Dear Mother:-

I received your V-mail letter yesterday that you wrote me on April 24th and the day before I got a letter you wrote me on March 27th. I was glad to hear from you. I also had a letter from Norma Wegener and one from Primo Alberini. Primo is still in Alaska. He has been there over a year now. He sent me Collie Kasubke's address. He is also here on the Beach Head but with a different division. I wrote him a few lines. Maybe some time I'll see him but I don't think there is much of a chance. I wonder what he is doing as he is also in a Headquarters company.

I was glad you sent me Freddie's address but I was sorry to hear he was shipped. After he is put in a division he will be given another address like the one I got. I was wondering if he was made a regular Corporal or just for the boat trip. When I came over a lot of the boys were made Corporals & Sergeants but lost that as soon as they got to the replacement depot. Hope that don't happen to him.

So you had the lot plowed but not planted. Well maybe by this time the rain is all over and you have it all in. Hope you have good luck with it this year.

Oh yes, so far I've gotten 2 of the Staunton papers. I got one of March 30 yesterday and a few days ago I got one from March 23rd.

I just stopped and went and fixed me a little to eat. I had breakfast & dinner all in one as I didn't get up until after 11 o'clock. I didn't get to go to bed until after 3 as I was out tracing some trouble on one of the lines. I fried me some pork sausage and it was real good. We get that in our canned rations, also ham & eggs, pork and etc. When we are in the rear they bring cooked meals out to us. We were there for a few days and had cake & pie several times also some good raisin bread. We are fed pretty good even if we have to fix it ourselves most of the time. At one place we were there was several cows and some of the boys were good at milking so we had fresh milk to drink for several days.

I guess Dora has told you she is working in Clayton, Missouri. Back at house work and she says they pay her $90.00 a month. I think that is real good. I sure didn't know they paid that much money these days.

Well I'm out of news again so I'll close and hope I hear from you soon again. I'll write more later when I have time.

So long.
Gus


The envelope is postmarked May 21, 1944. On the back of the envelope my grandmother  wrote "Received 29 May. Answered 31."

Dad mentions a couple of his good friends, Primo Alberini and Collie Kasubke, in this letter. Primo spent most of his war service in Alaska. I don't know if he ever got to see Collie while they were Italy. He was close to these men for the rest of their lives.

It is obvious from Dad's letters that he looked forward to the arrival of the Staunton Star-Times weekly newspaper, which, along with the letters he was receiving from family and friends, helped keep him up to date on what was going on back home.

May 13, 1944

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

Anzio Beach Head Italy

Sat, May 13, 1944

Dear Mother:-

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Love,
Gus

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

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


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

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

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

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

April 9, 1944

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

Somewhere in Italy

Easter, April 9, 1944

Dear Mother:-

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Love,

Gus

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

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

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

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