Letter #28
CAMP KILMER
20 January 46
Dear Family,
We left Camp Pickett at about 1300 and arrived at Camp Kilmer, NJ at about 2400.1 We were not issued any blankets or sheets so we slept in our sleeping bags which have the warmth of two woolen blankets. We are about 30 miles from New York City. When we got here there was a mild wind blowing, but the temperature must have been close to zero.
When we went through Washington D.C., we could see the Capital dome, all lit up. The only stops we made, of course, were for coal and water. At Richmond, Virginia, the Red Cross had hot coffee and doughnuts ready. We had two meals on the train, each consisting of two sandwiches and some canned orange juice.
Don't write to me at this address, because it might not get to me. We shouldn't be here over five days before we get on a boat. Wait until I get my APO No., and I will write you.2
Your loving son,
Stewart
1 I was wrong to think the previous letter (#27) was from Camp Kilmer - obviously it was from Camp Pickett. Located in Central New Jersey, Camp Kilmer is a former United States Army camp that was activated in June 1942 as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. The camp was organized as part of the Army Service Forces Transportation Corps. Troops were quartered at Camp Kilmer in preparation for transport to the European Theater of Operations in World War II. Eventually, it became the largest processing center for troops heading overseas and returning from World War II, processing over 2.5 million soldiers. It officially closed in 2009.
2 The next letter in the series is from Homberg, Germany, dated February 22nd.
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