Name/Title
Spalsbury: #1 Letters Home April 21, 1943Entry/Object ID
2021.2.231A-IScope and Content
Letter Home from US Army Pvt. Robert C. Spalsbury, Battery C-57th A.A. Trng. Bn., 4th Platoon, Camp Callan, California to his parents, Mr. & Mrs. George C. Spalsbury, 806 South Eleventh Street, St. Joseph, Missouri - Postmarked April 21, 1943 San Diego, CA Air MailContext
April 18, 1943
Dear Mom and Pop,
It's now 9:50 Sunday evening, and I'm writing this down in our local Recreation Hall, since lights in barracks go out at 9. I won't make this letter real long because I'm sort of tired, and could use a little sleep. I'm usually (as usual-like at home) one of the very last guys in our barracks to hop into bed every night. I really should be in bed by 10 every night, since that would give me 8 hours' sleep.
Pop, when are you gonna drop me a line? Mom, I got your whopper of an "installment" letter yesterday (Sat.) morning, and was plenty glad to get the addresses and hear the news, etc. We have mail call every day-including Sunday-just before lunch and just before supper. The letter was stamped 3:30 p.m. Thursday, and I got it at about 12:00 noon Saturday, so I'd say it really pays to send letters Air Mail out here. After this I'll send most of mine to you by Air Mail. Also, at mail call this morning I received the letter from Duane and was certainly glad to hear from him. I'll answer in a day or two. My first letter here at Camp Callan was from Tommy Gumbert. Then, about last Thursday, I believe it was, in one bunch I got 4 letters and 1 postcard. There were the 2 letters from Barbara Mann you mentioned, 1 from Miss Reichert, 1 from Marie Spalsbury, and a postcard from Eleanor Harpster. All of them were forwarded from Leavenworth-except Duane's and your last one.
About my birthday - more than anything, - I'd like a nice writing tablet, kit or whatever they're called. I've bought a soft cloth (8 cents) and a jar of shoe polish (14 cents), but the P.X.s all seem to be out of the shoe shine kits themselves. If you could find a nice empty one, that would be nice, too.
2 other guys and I went down this afternoon to La Jolla, a picturesque and beautiful resort town 4 miles south of our Camp. I stood out on the Beach and watched crabs, shells and seaweed, while the surf came in around the mossy rocks I was standing on. The ocean was a blue-gray-green color. Sea gulls were flying around overhead, and the atmosphere was quite hazy, since today's been very cloudy and foggy.
April 19, 1943
I had to leave the Recreation Hall at 10:30 last night and haven't been able to round up an air mail (6 cents) stamp yet. I've asked guys for them, but the few who have them won't part with them. The Post Office is about 8 or 10 blocks from my Btn. area, and honestly, I haven't had time the past day to go up to our local P.X. (about a block) where sometimes stamps are sold in the office.
April 20, 1943
This Army life is almost a 24-hour job. For instance, we're supposed to be free every evening from 5 on. Well, we come in and clean up and dress up and have mail call before we go to supper, which we finish about 5:30. Then-well, tonight for example-we had to pack out complete field kits so they'd be ready in the morning. After the first hour (which every morning is devoted to infantry drill and the running of the obstacle course) we have the following three hours for pack tent drill. Today Battery A marched down to the south gate of Camp Callan - about a mile from 20th Street, on which our barracks face - and thence 2 miles south of there to a high plateau, on which they pitched their pup tents. So I imagine that's what we're in for. I think it'll be fun, and the countryside south of camp is very beautiful. We had 2 hours of pitching our tents the other day, and it was rather interesting. Another thing I enjoy here is infantry close-order-drill - it is very snappy. Rifle marksmanship is rather interesting, altho some of the positions are uncomfortable. I loathe bayonet practice, of which we have 10 hours altogether during our 13-week cycle. We had 2 hours of it this morning. A week from Saturday we fire our first shots on the rifle range - I did very well on triangulation yesterday and the other day, also. Just this week (the 2nd) we've begun a study of automatic weapons - a study of their various parts, their functions, and their assembling (putting 'em together and taking 'em apart)! Oh! Is it dull!!! I'm not the least interested in it and don't intend to get interested, because mechanics is not my inclination and I don't care much for Anti-Aircraft. I have confidence that I'll be put into something in accord with my interests. After all, we're not definitely classified and assigned yet, and won't be probably until our 13-week cycle of basic training is over. Some of us will be shipped out of here before that, even. I do hope I qualify for the A.S.T.P., which is even better than OCS. We won't know for several more weeks, though. Last night most of us in C-57 were given the Mathematics Screening Test. It took 3 hours altogether, and contained 6 parts: - (1) Arithmetic, (2) Algebra, (3) Logarithms, (4) Trigonometry, (5) Graphs and Coordinates, and (6) Practical Problems. I believe I did very well on all except (5). If we pass this test, we must take the slightly more difficult Trig test, given every Wednesday evening, which must be passed in order to qualify for OCS. If we fail to pass this Math Screening Test, we must attend class (a "refresher" course) in the mess hall from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Mon., Wed., Thurs., and Fri. evenings until we do pass it.
I saw David Spencer this evening. He's been here 3 weeks, and is only 2 barracks from me. I knew him at Central. He was a soph. at Washington University when called.
I got your letter today, Mom. Thanks a lot for the 2 bucks. I still have that 5 buck money order, besides 2 or 3 dollar bills. I lent Hubert Speer a dollar of it this evening - he was almost out. He's written his folks several letters lately - I guess they just hadn't arrived when you talked to Mrs. Speer.
Also had a letter from Warren at San Diego this evening. Several other guys and I plan to go to San Diego next Sunday if we can get passes. I'll probably see Warren then. One of the guys lives in San Diego, and he said his folks would feed us if we went to his home. Besides - he has a lot of popular records we can play - he's a hepcat too!
This evening at mail call I got my first Griffon News - Kathleen had sent it, bless her heart. Was I surprised to read in it that I was one of the 10 highest ranking sophomores at J.C.! There were 3 boys and 7 girls in the list. My name was there 2 other times. The issue was April 9 - maybe you can get one; or I'll send you mine soon.
I owe so many letters-I haven't written Jack or Stewart yet -nor Kathleen, nor Barbara, nor Miss Reichert, nor Gumbert, - but maybe there'll come some time when we're not so damn busy around here. I'd better send Kathleen an Air Mail letter-my birthday's coming up. I must write Aunt Esther and Grandma Whinery sometime too.
For your kids' Easter I'm sending a little remembrance, but since it takes about 5 days for ordinary mail to get to St. Joe, it may arrive a few days after Easter. I've located an extra copy of the Trainee's Guide Book, which I think you'll find of interest. I'll enclose it, too. So here's a big wish for a happy Easter!
I'm sure Kathleen can find a well-paying job this summer. Mrs. Morrow is slightly screwy.
You mailed the letter Sat. Eve, and I got it this (Tuesday) noon. I think Air Mail pays - I bought 8 Air Mail stamps at the P.X. this evening, besides some toilet articles, candy and gum.
It was very thoughtful of you to send a cake. I'm waiting for it. Gee! - 61 cents - I wouldn't send any more packages, either.
Kay Kyser gives 3 performances here tomorrow - 7 passes were issued to our Barracks - I'll be lucky indeed if I get one.
To the eye clinic today. We all get G.I. glasses, which stand more wear and tear than our own. Mine don't need strengthening however. My vision is 20/70 in each eye, and 20/20 with glasses. Not very bad. H. Speer's is about 20/300.
It's twenty till eleven. I'd better mail this in our local box, take my shower, and get up to bed by 11, when bed check is made. Let's hope I make it!!!
Much love to you all,
Bob xxxxxxCollection
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Category 08: Communication ObjectsArchive Items Details
Title
Letter Home from US Army Pvt. Robert C. Spalsbury, Battery C-57th A.A. Trng. Bn., 4th Platoon, Camp Callan, California to his parents, Mr. & Mrs. George C. Spalsbury, 806 South Eleventh Street, St. Joseph, Missouri - Postmarked April 21, 1943 San Diego, CA Air MailDescription
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, is at Camp Callen, California for Basic Training. The letter is four pages, front & back, written in pen on stationary with a red, white, blue with stars & ribbon V in the center on the front of each page. The envelope fits the stationary.Dimensions
Dimension Description
Stationary dimensions, not envelopeHeight
10 inWidth
6-1/2 inCondition
Overall Condition
Very GoodRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Robert C. Spalsbury
