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PFC Benjamin Kaplow

US ARMY, 26th Infantry (Yankee Division) 104th Regiment, WW11

  • READ ME FIRST
  • 1943 Letter Index
  • 1944 Letter Index
  • 1945 Letter Index
  • 1943
    • Jun 1943
    • Jul, 1943
    • Aug, 1943
    • Sep, 1943
    • Oct, 1943
    • Nov, 1943
    • Dec, 1943
  • 1944
    • Jan, 1944
    • Feb, 1944
    • Mar, 1944
    • Apr, 1944
    • May, 1944
    • Jun, 1944
    • Jul, 1944
    • Aug, 1944
    • Sep, 1944
    • Oct, 1944
    • Nov, 1944
    • Dec, 1944
  • 1945
    • Jan, 1945
    • Feb, 1945
    • Mar, 1945
    • Apr, 1945
    • May, 1945
    • Jun, 1945
    • Jul, 1945
    • Aug, 1945
    • Sep, 1945
    • Oct, 1945
    • Nov, 1945
    • Dec, 1945
  • Ben’s Travel Journal
  • Ben’s Photo Album
  • Discharge Papers
  • Yankee Division History
    • 104th Infantry History
    • Yankee Division History
    • Yankee Division Newspaper
    • YD Humor
    • Maps
    • Austria Guide
  • WW11 Currency
  • 1943 Madison HS Yearbook
  • Meet Florence Kaplow
  • Contact

Category: Jul, 1943

Jul 1, 1943 — 1100 recruits came today. Funny to see WACs driving great big trucks while we shell peas in the kitchen.

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davekaplowwp Jul, 1943 Leave a comment April 21, 2020April 21, 2020 1 Minute

Jul 2, 1943 — K.P. not hard, just the hours. Phone line too long to call you.

US Army Reception Center  •  Camp Upton, NY

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Jul 3, 1943 — “Why in hell don’t you write?” Ben hopes to leave for permanent camp soon.

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First Days as a Soldier  •  Camp Croft Photo by Joe Pizzimenti
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Jul 4, 1943 Description of train ride to Camp Croft. Starts 13 wk basic training. Field equipment. Leggings lace up.

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Jul 5, 1943 Picture Card First of many requests to family for many items.

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See another Camp Croft history website here http://www.schistory.net/campcroft/

Learn about the song “Oh, how I hate to get up in the morning”.  Music by Irving Berlin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh!_How_I_Hate_to_Get_Up_in_the_Morning

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Jul 6, 1943 South Carolina heat. No cameras allowed. College men here.

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Ben Kaplow is the 10th person from the left, top row
Names of the soldiers in the picture
davekaplowwp Jul, 1943 Leave a comment April 21, 2020April 21, 2020 1 Minute

Jul 9, 1943 — Camp Croft Marching with light pack, gas masks, cartridge belt, bayonet & rifle. Interesting training films.

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Jul 10, 1943 — Camp Croft — Ammunition training. Rifle is Infantryman’s protection.

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Jul 13, 1943 Camp Croft –Writing letter in latrine – lights out. Jewish U.S.O. Is Army building us up or making us all 4-F?

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Jul 13, 1943 — Camp Croft Letter from Jewish Chaplain to Ben’s mother

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Jul 15, 1943 — Camp Croft Many A.S.T.P. tests. Rifle sighting – Not with bullets yet. Three hour lecture re: moving undercover.

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Jul 16, 1943 How to kill a man with the palm of a hand or bayonet. Movie “Why We Fight” makes you want to!

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Movie “Why We Fight” makes you want to! https://youtu.be/z7R_XtBuJyA

davekaplowwp Jul, 1943 Leave a comment April 21, 2020April 21, 2020 1 Minute

Jul 17, 1943 Camp Croft — 6 Jewish boys in my barracks, plenty in camp. They keep us busy so we won’t get homesick. It works!

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Jul 19, 1943 Ran through 4 gases – Mustard Gas, Lewintin, Phosgene, Chloric Pictron. Then gas chamber.

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Jul 21, 1943 — Some fellows keeled over. Didn’t take salt tablets. Have guard duty tomorrow.

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Jul 24, 1943 Had to relieve a guard with bad feet. Up & down hills. More A.S.T.P. tests (bio, chem, phys, math, etc)

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Jul 26,1943 — 7 mile hike on rocky, hilly, rutted dirt roads wearing pack, gas mask, rifle belt, bayonet & rifle. No pleasure.

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Jul 26, 1943 — Camp Croft, SC Dance in Rec Hall. 10 girls for whole battalion. They dance 2 steps & get cut in. Went home.

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Jul 26, 1943 In town. Delicious steak dinner – $2.00. Then to Jewish U.S.O. – waffles & iced tea

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Jul 29, 1943 — Camp Croft I don’t think Mom should write the Chaplain about my tonsils. Don’t want to miss work.

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