Nov 03

Dear Mom & All–WWII Letters from Herb (part 4)

This is the next installment of the letters my dad wrote home during his WWII service and during his training time leading up to the war.

My dad, Herbert Miller, was 18 years old in 1944 when he volunteered for the draft.

Herb Miller, Fort McClellan, Alabama, 1944.

He arrived at Fort McClennan, Alabama, about 10 July 1944 for his Army basic training. His letters continue from there, from where I left off last week:

Postmarked 23 Jul 1944, Ft McClellan, AL, to Miss Helen Miller, RR#1, Willshire:

10:30 Thurs. evening
Dear Helen & all,
I don’t have very much time so will write Catherine, Helen, & all a letter together until I have time. I want to thank Helen for her $1 she gave me. I have it about half spent already. Got a hair cut tonight & cost $.55 so that isn’t so bad. Say that Celina Standard really gets read here. I read it first and then Robert Caywood, Snider and a couple of other guys. I’ve been saving them, they sure are good to read.

It will be a while until I get paid a month or two yet. Went through the obstacle course today. A couple of guys passed out from the heat. One person was going across a ditch on an outfit like a ladder over head and you just go by reaching for one rung then the next. What I was saying this person was sort of heavy and one of the rungs broke. He fell in the water and crawled to the shore, got on the ground and passed out.

I’ve found out there is only two times in the Army. Quick time and double time. Quick time is just ordinary marching and double time is twice as fast and w sure do a lot of double time. Boy those 17 weeks are really going fast. Only 15 more to go. I been in a little over a month and it don’t seem near that long.

We really get plenty of salt down here. Really need it because it sure is hot. I wrote Lisle Adams a letter the other day and got a card from him today.

Imagine the oats is about all thrashed by now. How is the corn coming along. You will have to excuse my writing. My left hand is pretty sore. Got a couple more shots.

Guess I’d better close for now. Have to be in bed before bed check.

Love,
Herb

Letter from Herb Miller, from Fort McClellan, Alabama, during basic training.

Postmarked 24 July 1944, Ft. McClellan, AL, to Mr. & Mrs. Carl Miller:

Sunday 23 July 1944
Dear Mom & All,
Well it’s Sunday eve again. I just had a telephone call from Dorothy. She said Jiggs & that girl from St. Marys are engaged. Received a box of cookies & card from Clara. I forgot about the ants up here and shoved the box underneath my bunk. The next time I went to the box it was full of ants. So me and the other three guys started to shake and blow the ants off. After we got the cookies free from ants we put them all in a box and suspended it down from the ceiling by a soaped string. We decided if that didn’t keep the ants away we would take four of our canteen cups, fill them with water and set one of the beds in the water by setting one leg in each. You see we had an extra bed. But they didn’t get in the box suspended from the ceiling.

Didn’t I tell youins that I might go to night school and college. Chances are that I won’t but I might. Tomorrow we go on a seven mile hike with full field equipment.

At the end of the cycle we will go on a 24 mile hike to a certain hill and camp out there for three weeks and have maneuvers. We also have to do 34 pushups in a certain length of time and do pretty good on the firing range.

Say, before I forget it you can send me about seven or eight clothes hangers. And I also could use two or three dollars in a couple weeks. We won’t be paid for a month or two and I might use them. I have been going to a few shows and eating quite a lot of ice cream. I’m not out of money but I imagine I could use some.

While I was at Ft. Ben. Harrison the day I shipped out I telephoned Dorothy that I couldn’t come home. If I would have stayed there a few days longer or wouldn’t have shipped out that day, I would have come home. I went in Fri. night and signed up for a 24 hr. pass and could [have] gotten it.

I finally got Vernie’s and Kenny’s shirt ready to mail. They cost 75 cents apiece and also got Ann a present. It is a miniature gun, the same kind they issued to us. I got Dorothy a scarf about 4 ft square of grey silk and yellow tassels around the outside. It also has Ft. McClellan, Alabama, U.S. Army on it.

We really had a good dinner today. Chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, chocolate milk, ice cream, cake, and potato salad.

You will have to excuse my spelling. I guess I can’t spell very good. Must close.

Love,
Herb

Postmarked 26 Jul 1944, Fort McClellan, Ala, to Mr. & Mrs. Carl Miller:

Tues, 25 Jul 1944
Dear Mom & All,
Well it is Tuesday night and I have finally found time to write a few lines. I didn’t get to mail that box yet. The post offices are closed at night and we are busy in the daytime.

We went in the gas chambers today. Went in Chlorine and tear gas. We also had other gasses such as mustard and about five or six other kinds.

Some of the guys are playing the guitars and singing. They are really good at it. Some are from Ky, N.Y., Ohio, Ind, N.C., and all over. I sent you a book showing what our training is like. How are the crops coming along? Is Vernie helping Johnnie any? Are they having any trouble with my car?

The weather down here is still pretty hot. It gets so cold at night that you have to cover up. But in the daytime it is awful hot.

Did dad give “Hanks” [?] a picture of me? I sent Ruth one, also Dorthy and Em & Norval. It is pretty hard to write, there are so many things that we aren’t supposed to tell. We get all the new uncensored and different things.

They also are training for poison gas. They think they will start using it. All of the Infantry men wear gas masks now and have gas grenades on hand just in case.

I ought to write to Johnnies tonight but won’t have time. Will have to wait till tomorrow night. Well will have to close.

Love,
Herbert

Postmarked 30 July, Fort McClellan, AL, to Mr. & Mrs. Carl Miller:

30 July 1944
Dear Mom & All,
It is about 8:30 Sunday morning, ate chow about an hour ago. Church doesn’t start until 10:30 so will have time to write the letters. I am behind. I was going to write Bernice but can’t decide whether they are on the Geneva route or on the Berne route. Which one are they on? Yes, my mail is coming though now. Only I haven’t heard from Dorothy for about a week now. I’m not going to write until I hear from her.

I got a letter from Kenneth Ellenberger Saturday and have answered it this morning. Our chaplain is home on a furlough. So a minister from Anniston is coming up today. I got the two dollars yesterday. Sure glad to get it. Thanks a lot. Was going to a show last night but there were a couple hundred soldiers waiting to get in so I went over to the Service Man’s Club and got me a great big cherry sundae and a hamburger and went back to the hut. Some of the guys went into Anniston last night on a pass. I could have had one but didn’t want any.

Yesterday a guy turned his ankle. The Sergeant told everybody to fall in at attention at the end of the class. This guy wouldn’t or couldn’t stand on his one leg. So him and the Sarge went round and round about it. Finally the Sargent told the Captain he wouldn’t fool around with this guy any more and talking back was a court martial offense. And he said he wanted him court martialed. So they are going ?.

I’ve been getting a letter a day from youins now. I can hardly wait till I get that box of cookies.

We were out yesterday and were in one of the outdoor classrooms. We march to one of the classrooms and take off our equipment and stack arms in a neat order. Well we were up in the hill in class studying about the compass and it started to rain. After it rained a while we ran down and took the rain coats out of our packs and put them on. Everything was covered with Alabama mud. Rifles, cartridges, belts, packs, and everything. So we had a nice job of cleaning up our equipment yesterday evening. The worst of it was we practiced throwing hand grenades after the rain and half of the fox holes were filled with mud. We had to lay in it and throw the grenades, kneel and stand. We were really muddy.

There is one guy here from New York. His name is Goldman. He is about 40 years old and really a corker. He is always sleeping. One day he was sleeping in class so the Captain made him stand at attention. Pretty soon he was swaying back and forth asleep again. So the Captain had another guy stand behind him with a branch and keep him awake. Yesterday he went asleep while we were throwing grenades. The grenades are brought out in a two-wheeled cart and it was about 1 ½ miles out there. He had to push the cart of equipment, grenades and everything back to camp. He was mad when he came in for supper. The Captain sure gets a kick out of him so do the rest of the guys.

Can’t think of much more to write so will close.

Love,
Herb

P.S. Sure glad to hear youins are finally getting some rain. I’ll bet the corn don’t look so good.

The next letter is postmarked 1 Aug 1944, Ft. McClellan, AL, to Mr. & Mrs. Carl Miller:

31 July 1944
Dear Mom & All,
Receive your letters every day now. All my mail is coming through now except a few letters from youins and I’m not getting any mail from Dorothy.

I received your box today. Things were smashed up awful bad they still taste good. I also received a dollar from Caroline today. I have around 4 dollars besides my 2 dollar bill that will last me quite a while. I also receive the Herald and Standard all the time now.

Say, could you have Helen get ahold of a couple of hymnals (church hymns) at Berne, get a couple alike of cheap ones. They don’t have to be expensive or fancy. Just so they have some popular church songs in them. The reason I wanted them, there are a couple of guitars who like to play church songs but don’t have the books. Sunday night some of the guys got together. We found a couple of songs in the back of the Prayer Book that Rev. Walber gave me. They played and we all sang. We were singing down in the Day Room tonight here.

Thanks a lot for the money and box. Will have to close now. Go on guard duty tomorrow night and need the sleep.

Love, Herb

My dad mentioned that while at Fort McClellan he purchased some items that he sent home to family members. Below is one of them, a pillow that he sent back home to his paternal grandmother Christene (Rueck) Miller. Interesting, too, that Christene was was a German immigrant. Actually my dad’s paternal grandfather, Christene’s husband, was also an immigrant, but he was deceased by that time.

Money seemed to be an issue and he was very grateful when various family members sent him a dollar. What would be next to nothing to us today was evidently a lot back then. My dad’s farm family had enough to get by but they were far from wealthy. It was undoubtedly a sacrifice for the folks back home to send him a dollar.

Some of the relatives mentioned in these letters: Johnny and Clara (Miller) Reef and Howard and Caroline (Miller) Caffee were my dad’s aunts and uncles. Clara and Caroline were his father Carl’s sisters. Bob and Bernice (Brewster) Dudgeon were also his aunt and uncle, on his mom’s side. Red mentioned was Paul Linn, my dad’s sister Helen’s boyfriend at the time. Helen married Red after the war. Em, Vernie, Kenny, Kate, Ann, and Ruth were also my dad’s siblings. Em was dating Norval Weitz. Kenny Ellenberger was my dad’s first cousin, on his mom’s side. The minister back home at Zion Chatt was Rev. Wolber. My dad was dating Dorothy at that time. He did not meet my mother Florence until after the war.

I will continue the letters next week.

Oct 31

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from Karen’s Chatt!

This is our Halloween display in our back yard. It should come as no surprise that it is a little cemetery!

2017 Bennett Halloween display.

This is what the little cemetery looks like at night:

2017 Bennett Halloween display.

I wish all of you a Happy Halloween!

 

Oct 27

Dear Mom & All–WWII Letters from Herb (part 3)

This is the next installment of the letters my dad wrote home during his WWII service and during his training time leading up to the war.

My dad, Herbert Miller, was 18 years old in 1944 when he volunteered for the draft. He graduated from Willshire High School the spring before and worked on the local pipeline during the year before he entered the service.

After spending 2 days at Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio, for his pre-induction physical in May 1944, he arrived at the Reception Center at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis, Indiana, on or about 29 June 1944, where he was inducted into the Army.

In his last letter from Fort Benjamin Harrison he wrote that he would be shipping out for basic training on 8 July 1944, headed for Fort McClennan, Alabama.

Herb Miller, Fort McClellan, Alabama, 1944.

His letters continue from Fort McClennan:

Postmarked 12 July 1944, Fort McClellan, Ala, from Pvt. Herbert Miller, Co A-12th Bn, 8th Regt, I.R.T.C., Ft. McClellan, Alabama. To Mr. & Mrs. Carl F. Miller, Willshire, RR#1, Ohio

United States Army
Fort McClennan, Alabama

11 July 1944

Dear Mom & All,

Well it is night again and will have time to write a letter or two. We don’t have so awful much time to spare. This camp is a very big camp and its trained infantry men are the second best in the United States. So will probably be trained good and the going tough.

Back at Indianapolis I was sworn in by a War Officer. They brought in some 18-20 Japanese (American born) to be trained. I talked to one for quite a while. He said he would fight the Germans but not the Japs. We also had a full blood German who was 39 years old, he came to the U.S.A. twenty years ago and boy he is a really nice guy. They drafted one guy from Indiana who was 45 years old and had nine children. They sent him a notice and he didn’t get it so they sent 6 M.P. after him and brought him there.

Here at this camp they have lots of prisoners of war (German). They don’t even guard them. In fact they are glad they are out of the war and don’t even try to escape.

Camp McClennan is built on about 15 or 20 hills and covers some 29,000 acres. So it is quite a large place. It is very old and we stay in little shacks which will hold about 6 men.

I’m not with Hoblet or any of those other guys, but there are a lot of guys from Celina who I know. Say would you send me my pipe. It is either in the car or in the house. I would like to have it and I could use stationery. I imagine youins know I’m buying a $25 bond every month and $6.58 out for insurance. There will be a laundry fee. So quite a bit will come out of the check.

You say Norval bought the pigs? How were they, fat? Has Dale heard from the Army yet?

I imagine the wheat and oats are about all cut, shocked and thrashed and hay ready to cut again.

Do you know how far Ft. McClellan is from Willshire? Aprox 800 miles!

Can’t think of much more to write. Am fine, have gained about five lbs. but will that & some more worked off.

Will close for now & write later.

Love,
Herbert

Herb Miller, Fort McClellan, Alabama, 1944.

His next letter to his parents:

Fort McClellan, AL
14 July 1944

Dear Mom & All,

Well today is Friday. They issued us rifles, bayonets and all other equipment. The rifle is a 30 cal. 9 shot automatic-gas operated or the M-1 (Winchester).

I haven’t heard from you yet here but mail call will be in about five minutes. We have mail call at 12:30 and at 5:30. Today they showed us around the camp. It is quite large. They have two amphitheatres, 4 theatres, and a lot of other things. We won’t start our training until Monday.

There hasn’t been much happening lately. In our hut there are two Kentuckians, two Ohioans, and two New Yorkers. I would like to get Don Hoblet’s and Fred Betzel’s address if you could get them.

In our training we have 14 weeks of Physical Training, called P.T., and marching and drilling. Then in the last three weeks we have maneuvers. That’s where we crawl under machine gun fire, mines, and explosives going off around us, and mortar and cannon fire ahead of us.

Just had chow. We had mashed potatoes, gravy, Southern cream chicken, lettuce salad, and pumpkin pie. Oh yes, 1 salt tablet to help stand the heat. But they didn’t have mail call. Me and my buddy has a way of getting out of extra work. We change from fatigues to sun tans right away before chow. They usually call out 15-50 men in fatigues for detail work or K.P.

There is a guy in the hut across the street who has a guitar and boy he can really play and sing.

How are things coming along at home?

If I hadn’t been shipped from Ft. Harrison last Sat. & Sun. I would have come home. I had a 24 hr. pass and was going to surprise youins but they canceled all passes because of the train wreck and they had to send some men on Sunday to make up for them.

So will wait for my 15 day furlough at the end of my Basic. Well must close for now and will write late or soon I mean.

Love,
Herb

Helen & Herb Miller, sister and brother, 1944. Herb, after basic training, home before leaving for Europe.

My dad also wrote letters to his siblings. The following letter was written to his sister, Helen, who lived at home with their parents. It is dated Sunday 17 July 1944, from Fort McClellan:

Dear Helen,

I went to church this morning and am sending the bulletin. I have the day off but I think I will go to a show this afternoon.

Friday night I went to a stage show at the U.S.O. amphitheater. It was really good.

It seems like it is getting hotter every day. Yesterday it was 98 degrees in the Day Room and it has an electric fan, and about 105 outdoors. I keep taking salt tablets all the time.

Yesterday afternoon our Lieutenant took us swimming and was it ever nice.

The hut I stay in is built on a hill. Down one side of the hiss is the mess hall and down the other side is the latrine. There are about 43,000 acres around here that the government owns. Everywhere you look there are hills.

Oh yes, when we were swimming yesterday some WACS came to the pool but the corp. told them to come back in the eve, because we were all in G.I shorts (underwear) & I would get through swimming at 4:00.

Tomorrow the rest of the guys start training. I don’t because I noticed my name was on the bulletin board for K.P. Mon. & Tues. So will have two days training to make up. Lot of them had K.P. last week.

Last week we would go out on detail one day and get off the next. The PX’s don’t open up until about 4:30-9:00 so I slept then.

It is pretty hot down here and ice cream tastes pretty good. So the guys in our hut usually buy a pint a night but that runs into money.

I’m not spending as much money here as I did at Indianapolis. Outside of buying the kids those things I haven’t spent over 75 cents, fifty of which went for stationery. Stationery is pretty expensive around here so you can send that what Em bought.

At Harrison we didn’t have hardly anything to do and I bought a few cakes [?].

Well am getting about to the end of the page so will close.

Love,
Herb

Interesting to read that my dad wrote about eating ice cream. He loved ice cream! I remember him saying that he got his taste for ice cream while he was in the service. That he was too young to drink beer so he ate ice cream instead.

The next letter was written to his sister Catherine “Kate” and is dated July 20, 1944:

Dear Catherine & All,

It’s Thursday night, about 9:30 to be exact, and I am trying to write. I’ve been watching some of the guys trying to weave helmet netting. It is woven the same way that fish netting is woven. It looks as hard as the devil. I think I will weave mine on the wall of my barracks instead of a nail driven in the desk here.

I feel like a pincushion tonight. It took us all morning to take shots. We had three shots, one for lock jaw, two for typhoid, a small pox vacc. & blood test and type. Three in one arm, one in the other, and one in the end of my finger.

Yesterday we went out on a hike. While we were coming back it started to rain so we stopped and put on our rain coats and kept on walking. Today we started to take exercises and it started to rain. It was about 5:00 so we went back to our barracks and had mail call then chow. Something must be wrong with the mail. I’ve only been getting one letter in the last five days. I haven’t even been hearing from Dorothy. There is a guy in our barracks who has received 24 letters in the last five days and his mail comes through like that all the time.

You say dad has been having trouble with his tires. Vernie said he blew out one on his car.

Is my calf growing very much? How are the grain crops turning out?

I received a box from youins and from Johnnies yesterday at the same time. Clara sent stationery, Bible with a steel plate, and some chewing gum. I am chewing some of the gum now. Thanks a lot for the box. It sure feels good to get boxes even if I don’t get very much mail.

The other day when we were out on the hike I heard a heck of a noise coming up the road aways. Looking up I saw a group of tanks coming about 35 miles an hour.

Well can’t think of much more to write. Tell Vernie, Kenny, and Ann not to get mad because I don’t write. Tell them the letter is for all of them. It is pretty hard to find much time but I’ll try to write them later.

Love,
Herb

P.S. I receive that special delivery from Mr. Morrison but it won’t help any. I’ve about as much chance of getting in the radio outfit as the rest of them.

I wonder how my dad got the time to write all these letters. After all, he had to be very busy and tired. One thing for certain, they looked forward to receiving letters and packages. Mail call was probably the high point of the day. I also noticed that my dad always wanted to know how things were going at home, on the farm and with the family.

The letters continue next week.

Oct 24

Tombstone Tuesday–Ferdinand & Barbara (Schott) Huffman

Ferdinand & Barbara (Schott) Huffman, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Ferdinand and Barbara (Schott) Huffman, located in row 7 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

HUFFMAN
Mother
BARBARA
1847-1929

Father
FERDINAND
1847-1929

Ferdinand Huffman [spelled Hoffmann in Zion’s Familienbuch] was born in Fechingen, Rhein-Prussia, on 4 January 1847 to Jacob and Carolina (Hoffmann) Hoffmann. According to Zion’s records his parents married in 1846 and immigrated to America in 1849. According to records, Ferdinand was the only child born to Jacob and Caroline Hoffmann.

The records also indicate the Ferdinand was baptized in Europe and confirmed in Mercer County, Ohio, although there is no record of his confirmation in Zion Chatt’s records.

Ferdinand Hoffmann married Barbara Schott on 14 November 1867. Their Zion Chatt marriage record names their parents as Jacob and Carolina Hoffmann and Michael and Catharina Schott. The bride and groom were both 21 years of age and Jacob Schott was the witness to their marriage.

Barbara Schott was born 22 February 1847 in Iffenheim, Elsass, France, the daughter of Michael and Catharine (Brechheisen) Schott. Barbara immigrated to America with her family in 1855. Her father Michael Schott died in 1858 and her mother Catharine then married Nicholas Martin. After Nicholas’ death Catharine married Dietrich Sundmacher. Barbara (Schott) Huffman had three siblings: Maria, Jacob, and Michael Schott.

In 1870 four generations of Huffmans lived in one household in Liberty Township: Jacob, 48; Caroline, 48 [Ferdinand’s parents]; Ferdinand, 23; Barbara, 23; Mary, 1; Caroline, 2 months [Ferdinand and Barbara’s children]; and Margaret, 75 [Ferdinand’s maternal grandmother]. They lived very close to Barbara’s mother and step-father, Catharine and Nicholas Martin. Ferdinand was reportedly a farmer. [1]

The Ferdinand Huffman household in 1880: Ferdinand, 33; Barbara, 33; Mary, 11; Caroline, 9; George, 7; Henry, 1; Caroline, 65 [Ferdinand’s mother]. Ferdinand and Barbara’s 4 children are listed, but their fourth child, Henry, is a mystery. I wonder if this should have been Anna instead. She would have been 1 year old then. [2] 

In 1900 Barbara was listed as the head of household and living with them was their married daughter Anna Bollenbacher, son George, and Ferdinand’s widowed mother Caroline.  Ferdinand and Barbara had been married 34 years and Barbara had given birth to 4 children, all of whom were living at that time. [3]

In 1910 Ferdinand and Barbara lived with Ferdinand’s 87 year-old widowed mother in on a farm in Liberty Township on “Willshire Pike.” Ferdinand and Barbara had been married 44 years. Barbara had given birth to 4 children and they were all still living. [4]

In 1920 Ferdinand and Barbara lived next door to their son George and his family. [5]

Barbara (Schott) Huffman died of bronchial pneumonia and old age in Liberty Township on 2 November 1929. According to Zion Chatt’s records she was 82 years, 9 months, and 10 days old, but according to her death certificate she was 82 years, 8 months, and 11 days old.  She was buried on the 4th and Egger and Ketcham, Rockford, Ohio, were in charge of the arrangements. Their son George was the informant for information on her death certificate. [6] Survivors included her husband, 1 brother, 1 son, 2 daughters, 18 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren, according to Zion Chatt’s records.

Barbara’s husband Ferdinand Huffman died less than two weeks later in Liberty Township. Ferdinand died of stomach cancer on 14 November 1929, at the age of 82 years, 10 months, and 10 days. He was buried on the 16th and Egger and Ketcham, Rockford, Ohio, were in charge of the arrangements. Their son George was the informant for information on the death certificate. [7] Survivors included 1 son, 2 daughters, 18 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren, according to Zion Chatt’s records.

Ferdinand and Barbara (Schott) Huffman had the following children, all born in Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio:
Maria “Mary” Elisabeth (1868-1961), married John Gibbons; married Charles Bollenbacher
Carolina Margaretha “Caroline Margaret” (1870-1924), married Perry Gibbons
George Heinrich (1873-1956), married Barbara E. Leistner
Anna Barbara (1879-1986), married Fred Bollenbacher

 

[1] 1870 U.S. Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio, p.149A, dwelling 111, family 102, Jacob Hoffman; Ancestry.com; FHL microfilm 552742, NARA microfilm M593, roll 1243.

[2] 1880 U.S. Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio, ED 188, p.472C, dwelling, family, Ferdinand Hoffman; Ancestry.com; NARA microfilm T9, roll 1048.

[3] 1900 U.S. Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio, ED 85, p.9A, dwelling 164, family 169, Ferdnand Hoffman; Ancestry.com; FHL microfilm 1241304, NARA microfilm T623, roll 1304.

[4] 1910 U.S. Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio, ED 119, p.16A, dwelling 344, family 304, Ferdinand Huffman; Ancestry.com; FHL microfilm 1375227, NARA microfilm T624, roll 1214.

[5] 1920 U.S. Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio, ED 140, p.10A, dwelling 195, visited 211, Ferdinand Hoffman; Ancestry.com; NARA microfilm T625, roll 1418.

[6] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” database with images, FamilySearch.org, Barbara Huffman, 2 Nov 1929; FHL microfilm 1992020.

[7] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” database with images, FamilySearch.org, Ferdinan Huffman, 14 Nov 1929; FHL microfilm 1992020.

 

Oct 20

Dear Mom & All–WWII Letters from Herb (part 2)

Continuing on with the letters my dad wrote home during his induction and basic training.

My dad, Herbert Miller, was 18 years old in 1944 when he volunteered for the draft. He had graduated from Willshire High School the year before. He spent 2 days at Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio, for his pre-induction physical in May 1944. He arrived at the Reception Center at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis, Indiana, on or about 29 June 1944, where he was inducted into the U.S. Army. He left for basic training at Fort McClennan, Alabama, on 8 July 1944.

Herbert M. Miller, WWII.

Below are two more letters that he sent home while he was at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis.

Reception Center
Fort Benjamin Harrison
Indianapolis 16, Indiana
July 7, 1944
Dear Mom & all,

It is Friday morning here and not much to do if you know how to work it.

I’ve had K.P. for one night and two special details so far, the rest of the time I’ve been doing nothing to speak of.

Yesterday they shipped out around 800 men. They went on a troop transport. They don’t tell you until the morning when you leave and you don’t know where you are going until you arrive at the station. As I was saying this bunch that left. The train had a wreck around Chattanooga, Tennessee, close to the Kentucky border. Two cars or coaches were upset in the river and two coaches upset and caught fire. There about 20-30 Mercer Co. boys on it. We haven’t heard anymore about it except around 200 were injured and 7 or 8 killed. The ones from Mercer Co. that went that I know were Bob Andress, Floyd Brehm, Joe Solerno [?], Edson Smalley, and Luther Case. And some more I can’t think.

I got a letter from Johnnie & Clara awhile back, a card from Howards. The only reason I’m not going to write to them now is because I might be shipped out anytime. Will write to Bernice and all of them when I get stationed.

Friday-G.I. Day- the day when you get on your hands and knees and scrub out the barracks floors and latrine.

I got Helen’s letter yesterday and am sure glad that she is getting along ok with my car. Gee wizz. A Grade 1 tire! How is the Gasoline holding up?

If I’m still here Saturday I’m eligible for a pass to town maybe a 12 hr, maybe a 24 hr.

I’m writing this from the Recreation Hall here from camp. It’s crowded with G.I.s. They have a G.I. band playing now.

Must close,
Love,
Herb

P.S. You say Helen hasn’t heard from Red yet. Sure hope none of the Mercer Co. boys were hurt.

The following was the last letter he sent from Fort Benjamin Harrison, the day he shipped out to Fort McClellan, Alabama:

July 8, 1944
Dear Mom & all,
Just a line, can’t write very much. We are shipping out today. Floyd Brehm, Bob Andress, and some guys left day before yesterday. About all of the rest of the Mercer Co. guys ship out today except Hoblet.

It’s about 6:15 Sat. morning and we don’t know where we are going. I’ll write as soon as I get to the next camp.

Must close.
Love,
Herb

The train wreck my dad referred to in the first letter was one of the most deadly, if not the most deadly non-combat U.S. military accident. The Louisville & Nashville passenger train was heading south, transporting 1,006 new recruits to their first Army unit assignment at Fort Benning, Georgia. The speeding train could not make a sharp curve over the deep Clearfork River gorge near the town of Jellico, in Campbell County, Tennessee, on the Kentucky-Tennessee line. The engine and several cars plunged down the 50+ foot gorge where 44 soldiers were killed and several hundred injured. At least one Mercer County native was on-board, Clarence L. Eckstein of Celina. He was not injured and went on to serve in Europe during WWII. You can read about this disaster on-line: WWII Troop Train Wreck of July 6, 1944.

Scary to think my dad could have been on that passenger train that night.

I will continue with my dad’s letters from Fort McClennan, Alabama, next week.