Joe H. Norfleet

October 1, 1942

A letter to The Tribune from JOE NORFLEET, now at Camp Eustis, Va., gives his routine for the day, including "sweeping, scrubbing and KP." But, Joe says, “it’s not as bad as I expected." Walton Johnston is also stationed at Camp Eustis.

October 15, 1942

A letter received this week from JOE NORFLEET, who is a candidate in officers training at Ft. Eustis, Va., told of his first experience as "acting" corporal of the guards. Joe said when he went out with his first relief he made all the mistakes there were and then invented a few new ones. Joe said he ordered column left when he meant right; forgot to order shoulder arms before march, and forgot to bring the detail to attention before giving orders.

Ed Note: How we would have enjoyed seeing and hearing that!

November 12, 1942

We made a crack in this column last week about not hearing lately from JOE NORFLEET, so we got a letter today, saying "I thought we were in high gear here but they way we are being put through now it must be super high." Joe says he is reviewing algebra and trig and that he reminds himself of the students in study hall at Bunnell high "trying to get the answers." He also said that he has lost two inches in the waist and gained four pounds and is getting along, fine. He is still at Fort Eustis, Va.

December 3, 1942

JOE NORFLEET, located at Camp Eustis, Va., is in the hospital with jaundice, according to a letter written to Mrs. H. T. Cook. Joe says the worst part of being in the hospital is that they put him on a restricted diet, but he doesn't expect to be on it very long.

January 7, 1943

JOE NORFLEET, former agricultural teacher in Bunnell high school and who has been at a camp in Virginia, is now located at Camp Davis, N. C. and is in officers training.

April 15, 1943

Believe it or not, JOE NORFLEET has suffered the loss of 4 inches in his waistline and a number of pounds of surplus flesh while at Camp Davis, N. C. But he received a few days ago the gold bar of a second lieutenant. Joe and Mrs. Norfleet were here one day last week, going on down to Lakeland where Joe and his father celebrated their birthdays. Joe and Mary came by here again today on their way to Seattle, Wash. where he will be stationed. Joe lost some weight and girth but he looks better than we ever saw him before.

May 13, 1943

Also a nice long letter this week from Lt. JOE H. NORFLEET out at Seattle. Joe and Mary (Mrs. Norfleet) arrived there a short time ago, driving their car from here. Joe told us about many interesting things along the route, including a paragraph about Mrs. Norfleet seeing her first snow. It was in the mountains on the way out. Joe says he likes Seattle fine although he is paying $84 a month for a three-room apartment. But he has a heck of a time driving on those hilly streets of Seattle. He said: "You should see me in the five o'clock traffic jam on the hills. Me choked down and trying to keep the car from rolling back while I get it started with everybody blowing their horns at me. Boy, it's rough. Mary just hides. She's so embarrassed."

(We'll bet it didn't embarrass Joe, eh?)

June 3, 1943

Another letter from Lt. JOE H. NORFLEET, stationed at Seattle. Joe told us in a former letter about Mrs. Norfleet seeing her first snow while on her way out to Seattle. This letter tells about Joe and Mary going to see the "Ice Follies," and now Mary wants to try ice skating - but not for Joe. He says: "She's not going to get me out there. It looks easy but those skates are too narrow. I might try one if they had about three blades on them.”

(You are right, Joe. We tried ice skating ONCE; but never again. Our ankles were too weak and other parts of us too hard. Let us know how Mary comes out).

Joe added to "tell all the "old crackers" there hello and that there's a "cracker" here in Seattle who will be glad to get back."

June 24, 1943

Got a postcard from Lt. JOE H. NORFLEET from Butte, Mont. Joe said on the card only “Riding for my health” - - whatever that means. Lt. Norfleet is stationed at Seattle, Wash.

July 1, 1943

We received a card week before last from Lt. JOE NORFLEET saying

"I am riding for my health" which of course, didn't make sense. A few days later we were advised by public relation officer at Camp Davis, N. C., that Joe was back there – where he left from a few weeks ago. And today we got a letter from Joe saying he is at Camp Davis for another six-weeks study course, but hopes to return to his outfit at Seattle, Wash., when he finishes. He left Mrs. Norfleet in Seattle where she is in bookkeeping in a bank.

August 26, 1943

No letter but a postcard from Lt. JOE H. NORFLEET who is now back in Washington State. He has been back in North Carolina for several weeks and thought he was coming to Orlando, but landed back in Wash. instead.

(Tough luck, Joe)

September 16, 1943

Another letter from Lieut. JOE H. NORFLEET who is at present in a certain desert area on maneuvers. Joe says the area is covered with sage brush and he sent us a sample in the letter to prove "that it smells good when I lay down in, which is often in this heat." Watermelons and green corn is just coming in that area, he says, and we "pay 2 ½ pound for watermelons.” Joe asked the preparation for the cabbage crop here and said I wish I were there and getting ready to plant." Mrs. Norfleet is still in Seattle, working in a bank.

As a closing paragraph, Joe said to tell all here "hello and that judging from the amount of potatoes eaten by this battery the price there should really be good, We have fried potatoes here every day for breakfast."

October 14, 1943

A short letter from Lt. JOE NORFLEET, written on the stationery of the Yakima, Washington. At first we thought perhaps Joe was a "city boarder there," but he told us "I'm not in here as an inmate, just a M.P. Officer. Have to sit here and tell these G. I.'s NO. They all have friends in restricted areas that they haven't seen for two or three years, and they are leaving in the morning and want to tell them goodbye - - what tales they can cook up.

One, in my platoon, came in the other day for a shoe ration for low quarters. I asked if he had tried to get by. He told me he had. That he'd even put an old bacon rind in the sole to cover the hole but it was too embarrassing to walk down the street with his girl and have all the dogs in town following him - I let him have the ration."

Joe also said that "I went into the Golden Wheel Café to get supper and ran into Marjorie Brown (daughter of Jobe Brown of Bunnell). She's married to the son of the restaurant owner. I met her husband and father-in-law. Incidentally, her husband cut and cooked my steak. It really was good and so big I couldn't eat the dessert - You know it was a big one."

(We'll say we know it was, Joe. Tell Marjorie hello for all of us here)

December 30, 1943

Christmas greetings received his week included cards from: Capt. and Mrs. J. R. West (Dr. Richard West), formerly of Bunnell, who is stationed at the base hospital at Boca Raton, Fla.; Ensign Corise Varn in the Waves at Charleston, S. C.; Chief and Mrs. Johnny Stanish of San Bruno, California; Lt. and Mrs. JOE NORFLEET of Seattle, Wash.; Capt. and Mrs. Gilbert Tunker of Camp Davis, N. C.; Pvt. John F. Clements who is with the Marines at San Diego, Calif.; Cpl. Leonard Moody of Camp Haan, Calif.

Also a unique V-Mail greeting from Cpl. Richard Tucker who has served with the Marines in the Southwest Pacific area for the past year and a half.

These greetings and letters are very deeply appreciated by both Fuller and I. I am planning to make up a scrap book of them one of these days (when I can find time) and it will be something that probably all of us as well as the coming generation will enjoy reading.

November 16, 1944

Here are several letters this week. The first from Lt. JOE H. NORFLEET whom we haven't heard from in a long time. Joe writes:

"Well, I'm in Sunny California, and they can give it back to the Indians - I'll take Florida.

I've intended to write for a long time to let you know I've been getting The Tribune and have enjoyed it but it seems that I stay busy.

I have been here about seven weeks now. I'm with the Irwin Training Detachment. Seems as if I'll never get through teaching. That's all I've done so far. Teaching in Seattle, then for a spell at Bremerton, Wash., now at Irwin, training in AA x x x .. I hope to see someone I know before long.

Mary is staying in Barstow which is 37 miles west of Irwin. Irwin is on the edge of Death Valley. Can't tell how long I'll be here but expect to be until February. If you'll send The Tribune here to me I'll appreciate it. It is all the news we get from Bunnell except once in a while a letter from Doris Carter. Tell Mr. Biddle hello for me and that I'll be back for some Good Gulf before long - I hope.

I've been to Los Angeles a time or two. Mary and I took in Hollywood and vicinity last weekend. Expect to go to San Francisco for three days in about two weeks.

Let me know if you know of any from Bunnell are in this area."

(Don't know of any in that area, Joe. But there are a couple of boys down at San Diego, if you ever get that far. Marine John F. Clements and Harold McAlexander in yeoman school there in the navy).

May 31, 1945

1st Lt. JOE H. NORFLEET and Mrs. Norfleet were here a few days last week, visiting with friends. Lt. Norfleet a former instructor of vocational agriculture here, has been instructing in anti-air craft work on the West Coast for many months and this was the first furlough he has had since going into the army.

August 23, 1945

Lt. and Mrs. JOE NORFLEET of Orlando were visitors here Saturday. Joe has recently been transferred to Orlando. He spent most of his time in service in California and Washington state. He was an agriculture teacher here before entering service and Mrs. Norfleet taught in grammar school.

Joe said that he hoped he would be getting out of service "right soon."

(If we remember right, Joe, you should be getting near the "upper limit," aren't you?)