Name/Title
Spalsbury: #58 Letters Home November 15, 1943Entry/Object ID
2021.2.302A-EScope and Content
Letter Home from Pvt. Robert C. Spalsbury, 17135556 Btry B - 778th AAA BN, Camp Haan, Calif. to his parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Spalsbury, 806 South11th, Saint Joseph 10, Missouri. Post Marked NOV 15, 1943, 5 PM, Camp Haan, Calif., 6 cent Air Mail stamp.Context
Sunday Afternoon
14 November 43
Dear Folks,
Gosh, I'll have been here a week tomorrow. It certainly doesn't seem that long. The time hasn't exactly flown, but it still doesn't seem like a week has passed by here at Topside. I guess I just sort of don't worry too much about anything anymore, and as a result am kind of oblivious to such a thing as time. It just slides by, and I go around in my meek, quiet way, trying to shove things out of my mind and overlook things which I might let get me down. I still get pleasure out of eating three squares a day, which is something. I get satisfaction out of the thought that I'm saving a war bond a month, and getting my clothing, food, and room from the government instead of being a liability to you at home. That's the reason why I'm kind of reconciled to being here, even though I'm unhappy. I know I'd probably be just as miserable at home, maybe more so. So I know a discharge wouldn't help matters much. I just go plodding along, plugging away from day to day. If the Army sees fit, it'll discharge me, no matter what I'd do. So the best thing is not to worry about anything. Like Updike says, the best attitude is like that of a dog - "Piss on it!"
They just had mail call. There weren't many letters at all. There were certainly a bunch of 'em the other day. They called out those which had accumulated while most of the men were on their 15-day furloughs. I haven't had any yet, but I should have some tomorrow. I mailed an air mail letter to you folks last Monday night, and I should have an answer by tomorrow. Then I wrote one to you Thursday evening, I guess it was. I wrote a long letter to Duane last Sunday afternoon before I left Camp Roberts, then a postcard sending him my address last Monday night. So I should hear from him soon, if he's not too busy.
I just came back from chow. It's late on Sunday - we ate about a quarter till one. I didn't get up for breakfast this morning, but stayed in bed until 9:30. Then I got up and took a shower and shaved and dressed. I came back and laid on my cot, reading a Newsweek magazine I bought at the P.X. last night. I was reading an article in it about a fourth term for President Roosevelt. It said that there was a big chance he'd be defeated in 1944. For one thing, many more Republicans were put in office by the 1943 elections. Then, if the war ends before November, 1944, Roosevelt would still have less chance. As far as I'm concerned, Roosevelt should run again, especially if the war's still on. He seems pretty capable to me, at least as good as anybody who might be elected. What do you think?
Haglund's out in the desert now, or in Camp Irwin, I guess. His battalion, the 468th, was to leave yesterday for another trip to the desert for about a week, I believe. I went down to visit him Thursday evening. He had a garrison hat (with the bill, you know) which he'd bought in L.A. He said to take it. You can't take them overseas with you, you know. He'd tried to get rid of it, but nobody in his barracks had wanted it. So he said to take it and give it to someone, or sell it, if I didn't want it myself. I don't want one, so last night I sold it for $2.50 to a fellow in another barracks down the way. A kid from Tennessee had helped me sell it, so we went over to the P.X. and I bought him and me chocolate malts. They make very good ones at the P.X. here for 15 cents.
There are a lot of hillbillies here. At least there are a mess of fellows from Tennessee, and from down south. Many of the officers around here have southern accents. We have a lot of new officers around. There's a new Battery Commander, a Captain, which the guys don't like. He's making them do too much on the tracks, and is pretty fussy about inspections. We had inspection of ranks and barracks yesterday morning. It wasn't as strict as those at Callan, but a bother, anyway. We had to have our shoes shined, mess kits and canteen cups cleaned, and had to lay out a full field display on our bunks. Haglund says that his Captain is a drunkard, and comes around on Saturday mornings with bloodshot eyes, and a rather unsteady walk for a captain.
I went to the movie Friday night after I'd finished preparing for inspection, but it wasn't so good - Errol Flynn in "Northern Pursuit," that I left early. I wanted to wash and shave before I went to bed, anyway, before it was too late.
I've seen quite a few fellows around Topside who were in C-57 at Callan, but none I knew particularly well. I wonder if Hubert Speer is still here at Haan. If he is, I'd certainly like to look him up. It makes things a lot easier when you know there's someone around you used to know. I wish Haglund hadn't left for the desert.
I think I'll go to the show later on. It's a funny picture - The Ritz Brothers and Frances Langford in "Never a Dull Moment." I bought a book of 10 movie tickets for $1.20, saving 3 cents every time I go.
I oughta write more letters tonight. I owe Lilbern Roberts, John Hughes at Loyola, Mariella, Uncle Robert, and I could write to a few others.
Love to you all (Pat, - how is he?)
Bob
[Note: on the first page in the top right, Robert has sketched an U.S. Army armored personnel carrier, known as an M3 half-track. Above the sketch he wrote: Here's a picture of a halftrack (approximately, anyway).]
[Note: on the back of page two, written along the left hand edge: How's your job coming along, Mom; and how's the oil business, Pop?]Collection
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Category 08: Communication ObjectsArchive Items Details
Title
Letter Home from Pvt. Robert C. Spalsbury, 17135556 Btry B - 778th AAA BN, Camp Haan, Calif. to his parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Spalsbury, 806 South11th, Saint Joseph 10, Missouri. Post Marked NOV 15, 1943, 5 PM, Camp Haan, Calif., 6 cent Air Mail stamp.Description
Handwritten letter home to parents back in St. Joseph after being called up to serve in the US Army during WWII. Pvt. Spalsbury, at the time of this letter, has completed Basic Training at Camp Callan, California, was stationed for a short time with a STAR Unit for ASTP (Army Specialized Training Program) soldiers in Pasadena, CA then moved to engineering training at Loyola University in Los Angeles, CA. After flunking out of the ASTP program, Robert was briefly stationed at Camp Roberts, located in central California assigned to the Infantry Replacement Training Center. This letter is the first one Robert sent from Camp Haan in southern California, a U.S. Army training camp for Coast Artillery Antiaircraft gunners.
This letter is two pages, front and back, written in blue ink on Camp Roberts stationery. He crossed out Roberts and wrote Haan above it. The stationery is off white with a brown ink image in the top left corner that features a soldier on the hill above the camp with an Army logo in the clouds. The paper is folded in half then in thirds.Condition
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Very GoodRelationships
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Person or Organization
Robert C. Spalsbury
