Frank Steven Steflik, Jr.

May 14, 1942

Flagler County has 74 men in the various branches of the armed forces at this time ..... the list up to date is as follows: FRANK STEVE STEFLIK, JR.

January 27, 1944

First off this week, we received information of one of the Flagler county boys, Pfc. FRANK STEFLIK, who has been serving in far places with the colors for almost four years. According to information received from his sister, Mary, he has served in Panama, Trinidad, Puerto Rico and is now stationed in India. We have your name on the mailing list this week, Frank, and we hope you enjoy the news from home.

April 27, 1944

T/5th FRANK STEFLIK writes his parents here that "I am resting in a hospital bed. I am feeling quite well so there is no cause for you to worry. I think the rest on a good bed will do me a lot of good and soon I'll be feeling like a new man. This is the first time that I've slept on a bed with springs and mattress for quite some time. It really is comfortable for a change."

(Ed note: Frank was in India several months ago, but was moved, probably to Burma)

June 22, 1944

Here's a letter from a soldier's sister, Mary Steflik, who works at Camp Blanding telling us about T/5 FRANK STEFLIK, Mary says; "Received a letter from Frank about a week ago and he extends his appreciation for The Tribune. I imagine he would have thanked you personally, but this is the first time he has written to us since January. He has been in a hospital since April with typhus. but reports that he is improving. He has not been able to write his own letters until just recently, and attempted his first one to us. He said to 'tell the Tribune that I am now receiving the paper. They are about two months old but are appreciated very much.' (Editor's note: Frank is in Burma). Mary continues: “He told me that there was a write-up in Time Magazine about him and his outfit, 'The Burma Raiders, but as yet I haven't been able to locate that certain copy.”

(Thank you, Mary for the letter, and we certainly hope Frank gets well soon, We'll ask around here about that copy of Time)

September 21, 1944

Not a lot of news this week from the fellows - that is news that we can print in this column. But a couple of guys are home on furloughs who have seen plenty in the Pacific.

The other is FRANK STEFLIK, in the army for several years and has been completely around the world since leaving the states a number of months ago. Frank was a member of the "Burma Raiders" group in action against the Japs in Burma, and was returned to the States recently with "one of the tropical fevers." He is here on a 21day furlough from a general hospital in Augusta, Georgia.

Frank looks good but must return to the hospital for further treatment, he said, although "I would like to spend the rest of my life on the farm here."

One interesting thing Frank was able to tell us was that he ran into Jack Higginbotham a short time before he left Burma, reporting that Jack was looking OK when he saw him. He accidentally ran into Jack after chow at a place in Burma when they went to wash their mess kits. Frank was only visiting at this place and after spending the night with Jack returned to his station.

September 28, 1944

TELLS EXPERIENCE IN BURMA WITH MARAUDER GROUP

T/5 FRANK S. STEFLIK, a member of the famous "Merrill's Marauders" outfit who is here on furlough from Oliver General Hospital at Augusta, Georgia, was on the point of leaving Oliver General when he stopped for a little while to tell his story to public relations officer there.

Frank's story, written by public relations office at Oliver General Hospital, follows:

"After I got sick in Burma," Frank said, "they flew me back to the States and completed the round-the-world trip for me.

It happened like this. . . I've been in the service for four years and I've been overseas for most of that time. On the last mission of the Marauders that I took part in, I was really already sick but I went anyway. We got trapped by the Japanese for several days until the battalion got rescued and by then I was sure enough sick."

“They had to carry me out of there on a stretcher," said Corporal Steflik. "My comrades in arms did that. Then they flew me out of the interior to an airfield in Burma. After that they put me on a transport and we came home in jumps. We hit India, Iran, Egypt, Tripoli, Oran, Casablanca, the Azores, Bermuda, Miami, and finally here."

Corporal Steflik is suffering with an obscure jungle fever. He smiles gaily and calls it his "tootsie-wootsie" fever because "that's what the pretty little nurse on our transport plane said was the nearest an American could come to pronouncing the disease."

. 'Before I came into the service I used to farm. . . and I'll surely be glad to get back to doing that same thing after this is all over."

November 16, 1944

Also a letter from a guy right here at home, FRANK STEFLIK who is in the Welch Convalescent hospital in Daytona Beach. He was at Oliver General in Augusta, Georgia, since his return from Burma several weeks ago. Frank asked us to change the address on his paper and wants it to keep, coming, although he is home nearly every weekend.

December 21, 1944

Lastly, a Christmas card from FRANK STEFLIK, recent casual from Burma, who was first in a general hospital in Augusta, Ga., then to Welch Convalescent Hospital in Daytona Beach, and now in an army hospital in Orlando.

Frank wrote on the card: "I am in Orlando for an operation - -not very serious. I suppose I will be here through the Christmas holidays. However, I am not complaining. For I know those poor devils who will be in those foxholes this Christmas would be more than glad to be here.

I am asking only one thing and that (in prayer) is for the Good Lord to bring the war to a close and the boys back home soon.

Wishing you, your wife and the citizens of Flagler County a Merry Christmas and a victorious. New Year.”

(Each of us, Frank, join you in that prayer).

March 1, 1945

According to public relations office at Welch Convalescent Hospital in Daytona Beach, FRANK STEFLIK is still a patient there. Frank recently was sent to Orlando for an operation, but we did not know that he had been returned to Welch.

October 11, 1945

...... the following men perhaps well known to you - are now just plain Mister Civilian. They have been given honorable discharges from Uncle Sam’s fighting forces ..... FRANK S. STEFLIK