Spalsbury: #103 Letters Home November 20, 1944

Archive

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St. Joseph Museums

The extra line of addressee is written in presumably, Robert's mother's handwriting after she received the letter. The note along the left hand side of the envelope is also in her handwriting. The purpose of that notation is unclear.

The extra line of addressee is written in presumably, Robert's mother's handwriting after she received the letter. The note along the left hand side of the envelope is also in her handwriting. The purpose of that notation is unclear.

Name/Title

Spalsbury: #103 Letters Home November 20, 1944

Entry/Object ID

2021.2.347A-D

Scope and Content

Letter Home from Pvt. R. C. Spalsbury, 17135556, Co A - 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 NOV 20, 1944, 11:30 AM, Fort Smith, Ark., free postage

Context

Sunday Night - 19 Nov 44 Dear Mom and Pop - Thought I'd have time to drop you a line before T/5 Horzepa and I go to the movie in about half an hour. We're up here now in the Service Club Library, after having had some ice cream in the cafeteria downstairs. As I said in my last letter, I'm in the old groove again, working hard. Don't hardly have time to breathe. In fact, the whole company doesn't. 8 new men had come into the company since I was on furlough. The company went out on a night problem the night I returned, and they shoved them right out on it. As usual, I didn't have to go. However, the following day I was on K.P. from noon till evening, which really wasn't so bad. Each Company pulls Guard now every 4th day, which is a new 4th Army order, or something. Everybody in the Company pulls it, regardless of rank. However, Clerks, Cooks, and Mechanics only half as much as the others. I have to walk from 4-6 tomorrow morning, to relieve some men for the Motor Pool. The co. arises at 5 a.m. tomorrow, eats at 5:15, and then all go down to the Motor Pool to "first echelon" the vehicles and equipment. We worked all day yesterday -Saturday, and all day today - Sunday. Also last night 'til 10 p.m. You see how busy we are kept. Cpl. Manke, Co. Clerk, is in the Hospital with tonsillitis, and T/5 Daoust, ass't Co. Clerk, is gone on a weekend pass yesterday and today, so 1st Sgt. Vozella had me working up in Personnel. And I've been handling the mail, too, besides that. So you see we keep quite busy. Gee, how the guys hate it! They gripe a lot. However, I really don't mind it at all. It's much better than having lots of time on your hands. Well, this is just a note. I got your letter today, Mom, and the pictures, too. They're darn good. One fellow said you looked like you were 34, another - 35, and another -36. Pop, I really enjoyed that box of chocs. Thank you, kiddo. Love, Bob [NOTE - along the left hand side of the back of the page: P.S. - Horzepa is waiting. I'll write more in a few days. P.S.2 - 41 men, all Pvts. came into the Co. yesterday. We're now about 30 guys overstrength.

Collection

Marshall White

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Letter

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Correspondence

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Other Documents

Nomenclature Class

Documentary Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Archive Items Details

Title

Letter Home from Pvt. R. C. Spalsbury, 17135556, Co A - 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 NOV 20, 1944, 11:30 AM, Fort Smith, Ark., free postage

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. 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 had been working as a Clerk-Typist in the HQ Company then transferred to Line Company A. Recently, he was given a new job serving as Mail Clerk for the Company. This letter is one page, front and back, written in blue ink on Camp Chaffee, Ark Service Club Two stationery. It is folded in thirds.

Dimensions

Height

8-1/2 in

Width

5-1/2 in

Condition

Overall Condition

Very Good

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Robert C. Spalsbury