James Thomas (Jimmy) Hargett

March 16, 1944

SERVICES ACCEPT TEN OF ELEVEN SENT TO BLANDING

Eleven men from here went to Camp Blanding Monday for their physical examination and acceptance or rejection for service. Only one was rejected.

Those accepted for service are Clark Luke, William Bryan, JIMMIE HARGETT, Harold McAlexander, James Miller, Virgil Decker, Herbert Gray, Richard Cantrell, Joseph Dorenstreich, George Arnold shambled, Jr., and Hoke Cobb Minor.

JIMMIE HARGETT, Harold McAlexander and Herbert Gray are scheduled for navy, Cantrell for either army or navy, the others for the army except Shambled who was rejected.

Since Blanding is no longer a camp for induction, these men, when next called, will go to Atlanta, Ga. for induction. Since McAlexander and HARGETT are in the last half of their senior year in high school, it is expected that they will be allowed to finish before being called into service.

Each of these men are Flagler county registrants except Gray, from Hastings; Minor from Georgia; and Dorenstreich from Brooklyn.

May 25, 1944

Three members of the graduating class who will exchange their caps and gowns for "shoot suits" are Ray Mercer, JIMMIE HARGETT and Harold McAlexander. Danny Rodgers who is a member of the junior class will also be leaving soon after the close of school to be inducted into the army.

June 1, 1944

JIMMIE HARGETT left Sunday afternoon for Atlanta, Ga., to be inducted into the army. Jimmie was a member of the 1944 graduating class of Bunnell high school.

With the Bunnell High School class at the station bidding him goodbye, JIMMIE HARGETT left Sunday for Atlanta for induction into the army. Jimmy was a member of the graduating class of Friday, May 26. His is the son of Mrs. Jack Brooks and grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Hendren of Flagler Beach.

June 22, 1944

Pvt. JIMMY HARGETT, another 1944 Bunnell High graduate and in the army, has been transferred back to Blanding which just goes to prove you never know what's what in the army.

July 6, 1944

Pvt. JIMMIE HARGETT of Flagler Beach, now stationed at Camp Blanding, was home on pass this weekend.

November 2, 1944

Pvt. JIMMY HARGETT, at Blanding for several months, has been transferred to Camp Gruber, Oklahoma. Two other Flagler county soldiers are stationed there - Walton Johnston and Harold Higginbotham.

November 9, 1944

Pfc. Harold Higginbotham of Camp Gruber, Okla., spent several days here last week with his brother, Clifford. Harold said he saw JIMMY HARGETT soon after Jimmy arrived at Gruber.

December 28, 1944

Three fellows who left Camp Gruber, Okla., some time ago have arrived in France. They are JIMMIE HARGETT, Harold Higginbotham and Walton Johnston. They are yet together.

January 18, 1945

And a letter from Pfc. Walton Johnston who recently landed in France together with two of his Bunnell buddies - JIMMY HARGETT and Harold Higginbotham. Walton relates:
"We were finally given a breathing spell so I'll not waste any time asking for The Tribune to be sent to me.

Harold Higginbotham, JIMMY HARGETT and myself went to Aix and Marseille, France, a few days ago. Marseille is pretty well torn up from the war. I couldn't find a square meal but the wine flows like water. In fact, you can get wine easier than water.

Cigarettes are ten dollars a carton when you can find any. Thank God Uncle Sam is furnishing us smokes.

Have been on the move since we left Marseille. Rode in box cars. Over here they are called Forty and Eight - forty men or eight horses to a car.

Where I am at now the people seem friendly enough but we are not allowed to mingle with them.

Tell the rest of the gang hello for Harold, Jimmy and myself."

(Ed note: So you three have gotten acquainted with French box cars! Those dinky things so familiar to American soldiers there 26 years ago. This writer has seen plenty of them. In fact he is a member of an honor society of the American Legion called La Societe des 40 Hommes et 8 Chevaux, usually called the Forty & Eight. We wonder if they had just unloaded the horses when they loaded you in?)

February 15, 1945

Pfc. JIMMY HARGETT from Flagler Beach, who went to France with Walton Johnston (missing in action) and Harold Higginbotham, wrote his grandmother, Mrs. C. E. Hendren that he is in the First Army and had it "tough in combat" for several weeks but is now back in a rest area. Jimmy is an infantryman.

February 22, 1945

A letter from JIMMIE HARGETT, headed "Western Front." Jimmie says:
.
"Well I have finally found time to write. They keep a guy on the go so much over here that you don't know whether you are coming or going.

I have been through a lot since I have been over here. If I anyone ever wanted news from home now is the time. I suppose you know what I am hinting about. Would it be too much trouble to send me The Tribune? I surely would appreciate it a lot.

I would like to tell you more about where I am and what I am doing but the censorship just doesn't seem to allow it. I can say, however, that I have been through a lot of artillery barrages and have seen a lot of prisoners captured.

Now to tell you a little about my job in this man's war! I am in a mortar squad. There are eight men, including myself, in our bunch. The swellest bunch of men to work with I have ever run into. I think the world and all of my squad leader - a staff sergeant.

If you have any doubt in your mind as to what a mortar is, ask someone that has been over here and they can tell you. It is H- - on wheels in shorter explanation.

I haven't seen Harold or Walton in two or three weeks. I guess that is all I have for this time, Fuller, but will try to write more often." (So glad to get your letter, Jimmie, although it was more than a month getting to me. You dated it January 11 and I got it February 16. We are more than glad to send The Tribune. It seems so little to give, knowing what you and the other fellows are giving.)

June 14, 1945

Here is a letter from Pd. J. T. "JIMMIE" HARGETT, infantry man, from Flagler Beach. The letter was dated May 31, and written from "Germany." Jimmie says:

“Please excuse me for not writing sooner and thanking you for the Tribune. I haven't received but four copies so far but I know it's not your fault. It surely is a problem getting your mail on time over here. The last issue I received was dated the 26th of April. You just don't know how much the paper helps a fella out over here with nothing to read.

There isn't much to write about except that I am back in garrison life and getting along fine. All we have been doing the past few weeks is pulling a little guard duty and having a training schedule every day. I am typing this on a Heinie portable and some of the letters are different than they are on our typewriters. I guess you know I have two battle stars and my name was turned in for the bronze star. I haven't heard whether the bronze star has come through yet.

I surely have been seeing some beautiful country lately. Well, Fuller, I guess that's all I have for this time. I will try to write to you more often in the future. Tell all the boys and girls hello for me or should I say, young men and women. What a difference a few months can make! Again I tell you thanks a million for the paper. Hoping to see old Flagler county soon. As ever.”

June 21, 1945

More word this week from JIMMY HARGETT in Saint Johann, Austria. He is still stationed near Harold Higginbotham and they got together recently. Jimmy said that Harold still has trouble with his legs. He said that Harold was wounded by shrapnel when his "buddy" stepped on a mine. His "buddy" lost a foot. This happened when they were taking "Hill 301."

Jimmy is an 81 mm mortar man while Harold is a rifleman.

Jimmy said that the first day of the ‘all out’ drive they kept going. "The mortar I work with killed 11 and wounded 22. That put 31 Krauts out of the way."

He also sent an order of the day issued on May 13. The order praised the men of the 42nd division for what had been done since they went into combat on Christmas Eve.

September 6, 1945

Pfc. JIMMIE HARGETT sends us a Nazi arm-band. It is red with black edges and has a Nazi swastika on a white background. Thanks boys, for the gifts.