Name/Title
Spalsbury: #37 Letters Home August 21, 1943Entry/Object ID
2021.2.281A-GScope and Content
Letter Home from Pvt. Robert C. Spalsbury, ASTU 3938, Loyola University, Los Angeles 34, California to his parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Spalsbury, 806 South Eleventh Street, St. Joseph, Missouri. Post Marked AUG 21, 1943, 2 PM, Los Angeles, Calif., 6 cent Air Mail stamp.Context
Friday Evening - August 20, 1943
Dear Folks,
I just finished evening chow. I certainly don't have the appetite here that I had at Camp Callan. For chow this evening we had some kind of creamed vegetable soup, fish with celery sauce, mashed potatoes, two warm rolls and a small pat of butter, a piece of corn-on-the-cob, a piece of berry pie, and half-a-pint of milk. Nothing here is very appetizing - the milk tastes better than anything.
I weighed myself in the gym this afternoon, and with my clothes on I weighed 163 lbs, which means I probably weigh 155 with my clothes off. I have gym three two-hour periods a week, from 3-5 on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday afternoons. Today we had group calisthenics (as usual) during the first part of the period. Then we ran relays, and during the last part of the period we practiced boxing. Some of the exercises we do are really hard, especially the ones we do in boxing to toughen up our abdominal muscles. The other day we ran on a path at the base of the hills around the campus for 2 1/2 miles. We'd run about 50 yards, then walk 50 yards. It took from 20 to 30 minutes altogether. In our gym periods we all wear gray shorts which we were issued. Although there's a cool breeze around here, I don't get cold because of the warmth of the sun. And then the large gym field is protected - it has a high fence all around it and is sunk down in a depression in the ground. Yesterday in gym we were introduced to the Loyola obstacle course. It's a pretty rough one - tougher than the one at Camp Callan. We crawl through wooden tunnels, hurdle low fences, jump over trenches, climb ladders and high fences, and run around in a maze, among other things. It's plenty dusty, crawling around on our bare knees.
We are being issued our 4th set of suntans (cotton khaki shirt and trousers) and our 2nd suntan hat. It's a good thing, because most of suntan hats are filthy - we only have one now.
Tomorrow (Saturday) after noon chow I'll hitch hike into L.A., where I'll pick up my watch. I left it at the jewelers (luckily, the ones it originally came from) two weeks ago today. The frame on it had cracked right by the stem, and the watch would'n't fit in there without slipping out. Since I have a year's guarantee on the watch, I immediately took it there. I hope it's ready by tomorrow. -It certainly should be, since it's supposed to be ready in 10 days and tomorrow'll be the 15th.
I'll probably go up into Hollywood from L.A. There I'll probably eat at the Guild Canteen (free) and then go to the Hollywood Bowl, where Rubinstein, the pianist, is giving a concert. But then I may go to L.A. again in the evening. Who knows?
I guess I'll hitchhike over to Sana Ana on Sunday, and try to see Duane. Santa Ana's about 35 miles directly east of here.
Don't be surprised if I flunk out of Loyola University. I got 2% - the lowest grade - on a chemistry test the other day, and 50% - one of the lowest grades - on a physics test. I can't seem to settle down and study or concentrate - people are always around. But I probably couldn't concentrate, either, if I had more solitude. It's just a weakness of my mind, I guess.
I was really surprised to hear that Mom is taking a job. It sounds like interesting work.
I didn't get any mail this evening, but I guess your letter with the money will arrive tomorrow, Pop. Thanks a lot - I can certainly use it - I just have 60 cents left.
The Hollywood Lutheran Church isn't as nice as ours. And the choir made a lot of blunders, and the organist was terrible. But the Parkers said it wasn't the regular organist. I was surprised - I thought the Hollywood Lutheran Church would be nicer than ours - but it isn't half as nice.
Well, I think I'll stop and mail this in the orderly room and then go into the auditorium to wait in line (what don't we wait in line for in the Army?) for my new suntans; at 7:30 we're having an assembly in the Auditorium. We don't know what about. Write me. - -
Love, BobCollection
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Title
Letter Home from Pvt. Robert C. Spalsbury, ASTU 3938, Loyola University, Los Angeles 34, California to his parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Spalsbury, 806 South Eleventh Street, St. Joseph, Missouri. Post Marked AUG 21, 1943, 2 PM, Los Angeles, 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 and is now stationed at Loyola University in Los Angeles, CA for additional training.
This letter is three pages, front and back, written in blue ink on plain stationery. The letter was mailed in a plain envelope, larger than the stationery, with a 6 cent Air Mail stamp. The stationery is folded in thirds.Condition
Overall Condition
Very GoodRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Robert C. Spalsbury
