Name/Title
Spalsbury: #106 Letters Home December 9, 1944Entry/Object ID
2021.2.350A-CScope and Content
Letter Home from Pvt. R. C. Spalsbury, 17135556, Co A - 216 Armd Engr Bn, A.P.O. 412, Camp Chaffee, Ark. to his parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Spalsbury, 806 S. 11th, St. Joseph (10), Missouri. Post Marked DEC 9, 1944, 7:30 PM, Fort Smith, Ark., 8 cents Air Mail stampContext
Friday Evening -
8 December 1944
Dear Mom and Pop -
At last I am getting a letter off to you. We have all been so busy -and I do mean busy - the entire past week.
Practically everything is now packed, and the crating team has been organized and is working every night.
Old Spalsbury has been extra busy, what with handling the mail which has been extra heavy lately, due, of course, to the Xmas deluge. Then, we've been filling out Change of Address Cards, and I've been having a time getting everybody in the Company to turn them in. Believe me, some of 'em act like they're signing their lives away. We leave out the date, APO number, and postmaster, so it really looks as if we'll be heading straight for a P.O.E. We all believe it'll be New York. ---These cards are kept on file up at Bn. Hqs., will be turned over to the Camp Post Office when we leave Chafee; they'll stamp in the date, APO, and Postmaster, and mail them five days after we leave. -----Besides taking care of this, I've been helping the Company Clerk all the past week. He's been going over all his records, getting 'em ready for the I.G., who was around yesterday, inspecting everything. However, they didn't inspect "A" Company. Instead, they picked on "C" Company, which is reputed to be the worst. That's the way they do - choose the worst. "A" Company has passed all previous inspections with flying colors, I suppose.
Two fellows returned a day late from furlough the other day, and they really put the pressure on 'em, since it is now considered Desertion -worse than just ordinary AWOL.
A bunch -10- of guys returned from furlough today. Then, another bunch is leaving Tuesday, the 12th. Daoust is among those going. His wife, who is now in Ft. Smith, will go back with him to their home in Cleveland, Ohio. I believe I said he lived in Columbus in my last letter. I got it wrong. Daoust is really an "ace" -another of 1st/Sgt. Vozella's favorite words. Yes, he's (Daoust) really a nice guy, and a pleasure to work with. Besides being assistant Company Clerk, he's alternate Mail Clerk, and can handle the mail if anything happens to me.
A bunch of us worked on the Service Records until 4 a.m. one morning last week. Then, we were working until 1:30 the following night. Believe me, it's a pleasure to get a chance to relax. I went to bed fairly early last night, and intend to go early tonight. I'll take a shower and shave as soon as I finish this letter.
One of the fellows - an Italian- who returned from furlough today - brought back a bunch of food. I just finished a chicken and some pickled green pimientos he had. I just better stop eating, or I'll begin assuming your form, Mom. I weighed 181 on the P.X. scale yesterday.
I get paid for November tomorrow on the Supplementary payroll. Will get about $36.00, (including Ration Money for furlough).
About 20 or so guys will ship out of Co. A in a few weeks. We're 27 men overstrength. A few are class "D" personnel, some are overage, some are neuropsychiatrics. I'm not on the list, so Daoust and the 1st/Sgt. tell me. I'm glad.
I've got most of the packing lists of Ord. + Engr. Equipment typed up for the BSO. Still have a few more to do, however. Sgt. Vozella asked to have me let off for several days last week so I could help Cpl. Manke. When Daoust goes on furlough next week, I suppose I'll be helping him up in Personnel. ---Mom, I don't really need any hankerchiefs ---I've got about 25 now.
Your Loving Son, Bob
[NOTE - written along the left hand side of the front of the page: P.S.- Had a letter from K. Morrow today, but outside of that and the newspaper, haven't received any in quite a while.]
[NOTE - written at the top of the front of the page: P.S.- T/5 Harzepa, Company Armorer, and I are going into Ft. Smith tomorrow evening to buy some Xmas cards. The ones at the P.X. are very tacky. I didn't send any last year, but decided to this.]Lexicon
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Category 08: Communication ObjectsArchive Items Details
Title
Letter Home from Pvt. R. C. Spalsbury, 17135556, Co A - 216 Armd Engr Bn, A.P.O. 412, Camp Chaffee, Ark. to his parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Spalsbury, 806 S. 11th, St. Joseph (10), Missouri. Post Marked DEC 9, 1944, 7:30 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 had been working as a Clerk-Typist in the HQ Company then transferred to Line Company A. He now has the job serving as Mail Clerk for the Company.
This letter is one page, front and back, written in blue ink on plain stationery. The letter was sent in an envelope with red and blue hash marks around the edge. The page is folded in half then roughly thirds.Dimensions
Height
10-1/2 inWidth
7-1/4 inCondition
Overall Condition
Very GoodRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Robert C. Spalsbury
