Name/Title
Spalsbury: #116 Letters Home July 27, 1945Entry/Object ID
2021.2.360A-EScope and Content
Letter Home from Pvt. R. C. Spalsbury, 17135556, Ward 26 - A - Kennedy General Hospital, Memphis 15, Tennessee to his parents Mr. and Mrs. George C. Spalsbury, 806 So. 11th, St. Joseph 10, Missouri Post Marked JUL 27, 1945, 4 PM, Memphis, Tenn., free postage. Also attached up side down to the envelope in the top right segment is a 13 cent special delivery postage stamp.
This is the final letter in the Letters Home collection.
In the return address Robert writes Pvt. once again instead of Pfc. - Reason unknown.Context
Thursday Afternoon
26 July 1945
Dear Folks,
It's been several days now since I've heard from you. It's funny how you get out of the habit of receiving mail overseas - it usually comes in bunches over there - but once you get back in the States and get used to a letter arriving every two or three days, you miss it when you don't receive any.
I've written almost everybody now except Duane and Aunt Esther. Thought I'd wait until after the box arrives to write her. I sent letters to both Mr. Bundy and Miss Reichert last Sunday and Monday.
We went to a "Cotton Ball" down in the South Rec. Hall last night. It was very entertaining, and there were a lot of good-looking girls there. A "Cotton queen" was chosen. The orchestra was very good; likewise the decorations. About an hour before the dance we had quite a thurdershower, accompanied by a lot of lightning, which cooled things off considerably. It seemed as if it had just rained to make the weather ideal for the dance.
I am soon to be "boarded" (appear for a few minutes before two or three officers). I had a short interview with the ward officer, this morning.
I've been playing a lot of cards lately - pinochle and cribbage. Also much ping pong. Went to the bowling alleys yesterday morning, and bowled 100 - not as good as last week. Completed my black leather billfold and have started on a leather belt. I won't have time to tool it, probably, but I'll stamp it instead.
It's been cloudy and fairly cool all day today.
Well, there's not much news so I'll stop. Life goes on about the same here from day to day. I'm looking forward more and more to seeing you-all before long.
Love, BobLexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Secondary Object Term
LetterNomenclature Primary Object Term
CorrespondenceNomenclature Sub-Class
Other DocumentsNomenclature Class
Documentary ObjectsNomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication ObjectsArchive Items Details
Title
Letter Home from Pvt. R. C. Spalsbury, 17135556, Ward 26 - A - Kennedy General Hospital, Memphis 15, Tennessee to his parents Mr. and Mrs. George C. Spalsbury, 806 So. 11th, St. Joseph 10, Missouri Post Marked JUL 27, 1945, 4 PM, Memphis, Tenn., free postage. Also attached up side down to the envelope in the top right segment is a 13 cent special delivery postage stamp. This is the final letter in the Letters Home collection. In the return address Robert writes Pvt. once again instead of Pfc. - Reason unknown.Description
Handwritten letter home to his 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. Robert then served at Camp Chaffee at Fort Smith, Arkansas where he worked as a Clerk-Typist in the HQ Company then transferred to Line Company A and served as Mail Clerk.
In several letters during the end of 1944 and beginning of 1945, Robert made reference to the unit preparing for deployment without any specifics of dates or locations.
This letter is Robert's only letter in the collection written following his unit's deployment overseas and is written after he has returned to the States to the Kennedy General Hospital in Memphis. Letter #115 of the collection, written by Lt. Col. WW Smith, Jr. addressed from Czechoslovakia and dated May 14, 1945 indicated that Robert was hospitalized due to "suffering from the equivalent of battle fatigue".
This letter is one page, front and back written in pencil on United State Army stationery with brown logo and lettering. The letter was sent in a plain envelope. The page is folded in 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
