Name/Title
Spalsbury: #82 Letters Home August 19, 1944Entry/Object ID
2021.2.326A-CScope and Content
Letter Home from Pvt. R. C. Spalsbury, 17135556, Hq Co - 216th Armd Engr Bn, A.P.O. 412, Camp Chaffee, Arkansas to his parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Spalsbury, 806 South 11th, St. Joseph (10), Missouri. Post Marked AUG 19, 1944, 2 PM, Fort Smith, Ark., 8 cents Air Mail stampContext
Friday Evening -
18 August 1944
Dear Folks -
Letters keep coming in. -Had one from Warren this afternoon. He said he'd been resting up lately, so I guess he means he's been on Hawaii. - Had one from Cummins yesterday - the 778th is still at Haan. Had one from Duane day before yesterday. He is supremely happy.
We didn't have to stand retreat tonight. They're usually very G.I. (strict) about that around here. In fact, they're quite strict about almost everything. That's one thing everybody hates about this place. Tonight, being Friday night, we G.I. (scrub) the barracks floor.
It rained a bit yesterday morning, and we rushed down from Hqs. to drag our mattresses and bed clothes back into the barracks. We have to hang 'em out every Thursday morning. Today has been moderately cool, and it has sure felt good. Early this morning was quite chilly.
I gave the box of gum to the mail clerk yesterday morning. There are also some old letters in the box. The postage was only 12 cents. Hope you enjoy the gum. I can save some more, if you wish. Just tell me.
It's now 9:05 p.m. I came back from the P.X. a while ago, bringing some ice cream for me and another fellow. He's on Special duty here from "C" Company, -one of the two steady KPs working a whole month for $30.00. He has heat rash, hives, and a cold.
I guess I told you I went into Ft. Smith last Sunday afternoon. There are busses which go continually between the town and camp. It costs 20 cents one way, and 35 cents round trip. I walked up and down Main Street, dropping in here and there for a little refreshment, and finally went to a movie, which I'd been back at Camp Haan - "Lady in the Dark." It seemed sort of ridiculous this time - her dreams and their interpretations. You say Ft. Smith is supposed to be a very nice town - well, it certainly isn't very impressive. - And the way some of these punks around here get in fights and drunken brawls there, doesn't sound so nice. Of course that 's not the town's fault, though. I'll probably go in again this Sunday. Saturday night, however, sounds much too wild and crowded.
Warren writes Kathleen wrote him I was a "Pall Mall" fan. He says he started last August, and prefers Luckies, although he doesn't smoke much. I smoke very little around here, maybe one package every 5 to 7 days. Don't say anything to Mrs. Montgomery, as Warren never wrote her he smoked.
I'll stop and go take a shower.
Love, BobCollection
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Category 08: Communication ObjectsArchive Items Details
Title
Letter Home from Pvt. R. C. Spalsbury, 17135556, Hq Co - 216th Armd Engr Bn, A.P.O. 412, Camp Chaffee, Arkansas to his parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Spalsbury, 806 South 11th, St. Joseph (10), Missouri. Post Marked AUG 19, 1944, 2 PM, Fort Smith, Ark., 8 cents Air Mail stampDescription
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. Then Robert was stationed at Camp Haan in southern California, a U.S. Army training camp for Coast Artillery Anti Aircraft gunners. During his time at Camp Haan, Robert was transferred from Battery B to Battery A and began working as an office Clerk in Battery A.
At the time this letter was written, Robert is serving at Camp Chaffee at Fort Smith, Arkansas. He is working as a clerk in the Personnel Office.
This letter is only one page, front and back, written in blue ink on plain stationery. The page is folded in half then again in thirds. The envelope has red and blue hash marks around the edge.Dimensions
Height
10-1/2 inWidth
7-1/4 inCondition
Overall Condition
Very GoodRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Robert C. Spalsbury
