Name/Title
Spalsbury: #17 Letters Home June 18, 1943Entry/Object ID
2021.2.261A-FScope and Content
Letter Home from US Army Pvt. Robert C. Spalsbury, 3rd Platoon-Battery C, 57th A.A. Trng. Bn., Camp Callan, California to his parents, Mr. & Mrs. George C. Spalsbury, 806 South Eleventh Street, St. Joseph, Missouri - Postmarked June 18, 1943, 11:30 AM San Diego, CALIF, 6 cent Air Mail stampContext
Thursday, June 17, 1943
Dear kids and Pat,
I'm in the Rec. Hall writing room and I have until 11:00 p.m. to finish this - it's now 9:15 p.m. I just came down here from my barracks a while ago, after taking a refreshing shower, rubbing ointment on my feet, making my bed, cleaning my mess kit, etc. I was also "shooting the shit" with some of the guys (that's local Army slang for "talking or gabbing or discussing). We've been busy this week. From Tuesday noon until Wednesday noon I, together with three other A.S.T.P. boys and Cpl. Beinhorn, were on Beach Guard at Outpost No. 5. This outpost is much nicer than No. 3, the one I was on last time. No. 5 is several blocks south of the Camp on the west road to La Jolla, has a water faucet right by the tent, and the latrine about 50 feet away. However, Outpost No. 3 was stuck on a lonely point halfway down the bluff. -----I was very fortunate in my watches, which we flipped for. I drew 4-6 p.m., 8-10 p.m., and 6-8 a.m. So you see I had from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. to sleep. However, Stewart Nelson and I shot the shit until about 11:30 - he was on guard until 12:00 ----I didn't get any letters written, although I took my writing equipment. But I did get a little reading done, and much loafing.
We came back yesterday noon, Wednesday, had a delicious chow in our Mess Hall, and had the whole afternoon to clean up, shake out our blankets, and pack our full field packs for the bivouac last night. Directly after retreat last night we marched way down to and out the south gate of camp, then north for about a mile along Highway 101 to the bivouac area we used last Wednesday night also. I slept under the moon (and fog) on my tent half and comforter, spread my two woolen blanket over me, and used my field jacket as a pillow. The main bothersome thing about bivouac is that we arise so early (about 3:30 or 4:30) it's so dark that we have to roll our tent half and blanket and tie it, mostly by our sense of touch. And you know how unhandy I am, anyway. We ate supper and breakfast out there. I had guard duty from 9 to 10 last night, - very good hours, by the way. Better than in the wee hours of the morning, anyway. I really sort of enjoy bivouacs, especially if we don't have to march very far to them. Our first bivouac was a bitch! (another Army slang term for "a killer-diller," etc.) It was the one clear out to Linda Vista (about 7 miles) when it rained during the night. We've had three bivouacs now so far.
All tomorrow morning (from 7:30 until about 11:30) our Battery goes on a forced march, several of which we've had before. A forced march is one in which we march a quick cadence, not stopping for ten-minute breaks every hour. We had a bitch of a one last week, when we climbed to the concrete cross on the top of a mountain several miles east of La Jolla. Many boys dropped out. We always carry our full field packs on forced marches, although we don't use them for anything. It's just to toughen us.
---It must have been Don Buzard who brought the things back, for Frank told Hubert and me that Bob is now taking his Basic Training in a Field Artillery Camp - I forget just where.
I imagine everything is freshly green in St. Joseph, with all the moisture you've had. It's really fine for the Victory Gardens, to say nothing of flowers and lawns. What is in bloom now, if anything - after the roses and ( ? )? Did the Pfitzer Juniper by the door snap out of it, and how did the pear trees set on this year?
Mom, your last letter was postmarked at 2:30 Saturday afternoon, and I didn't receive it until yesterday (Wednesday) evening. However, it had been missent to McClellan Field, California, and besides, I believe it was there earlier, only I hadn't received it because I was on Beach Guard. I enjoyed the clipping about the Brush brothers The Marine Camp, Camp Elliott, where Paul, the baby is, is just two miles east of Camp Callan. However, I wouldn't go to the time and trouble of looking him up, because I never knew him well, and it probably wouldn't be worth it, anyway (catty, aren't I?) I'd read in the Sunday News-Press several weeks ago that he was stationed at Camp Elliott.
I think the U.S.O. would be very interesting to work in. Marian Burton had a clever article about it in "Penny Whistles," didn't she? That certainly was flattering ---The Cookie Incident.
Didn't I ever tell you about the result of the "General's" Inspection that we prepared so thoroughly for? Well, it turned out that several of the O.C.S. men inspected us, and the General wasn't there at all. However, last Saturday the Inspection was carried out by Lt. Colonel Moore, who is Commander of the 57th Battalion. He did a very hasty job, but of course he had to inspect all four batteries.
I finally got my photos yesterday. They were at the developer's exactly two weeks. The bill was $1.47 - there were 7 negatives which came out, and I got 2 prints of each one, enlarged to 3x4. The 14 prints, (at 10 cents a print) plus 7 cents Calif. sales tax, made the bill $1.47. Whew!!! The last negative (which, incidentally, didn't develop) was supposed to be one of me - all dusty in my fatigues after the ordeal of the Infiltration Course. But the guy that "snapped " it didn't know how to work the camera, apparently, because I don't believe he even snapped the shutter. Such carelessness! I'll send 2 of Katie and me and the 1 of the Morrows to Kathleen in her next letter, since I have 2 prints of each. They'll appreciate it very much. I think the one of K. and me, where I look sleepy, is very good of K., don't you? I may have you send that one back to me, since I don't have a photo of K. with me.
I earned some money the other night. I went down to the Service Club and bought two guys in my barracks each a pint of ice cream at 15 cents per pint, and they each paid me 50 cents per pint for it because I went after it. Silly nuts! I'm down to my last few cents of change. I borrowed 50 cents tonite, and 4 different guys owe me a total of 80 cents. I hope that 10 dollar money is on the way by now.
Yes, you told me about Patty and True. Tsk, Tsk!
The Rec Hall is closing now - it's about 10:45 p.m. So goodnight.---
Lovingly, BobLexicon
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Category 08: Communication ObjectsArchive Items Details
Title
Letter Home from US Army Pvt. Robert C. Spalsbury, 3rd Platoon-Battery C, 57th A.A. Trng. Bn., Camp Callan, California to his parents, Mr. & Mrs. George C. Spalsbury, 806 South Eleventh Street, St. Joseph, Missouri - Postmarked June 18, 1943, 11:30 AM San Diego, CALIF, 6 cent 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, is at Camp Callen, California for Basic Training. The letter is two pages, front & back with a third page front only, written in blue ink pen on plain Air Mail stationery. The envelope specifies Via Air Mail. The envelope is smaller than the stationary so it is quarter folded to fit.Dimensions
Height
10-1/2 inWidth
7-1/2 inCondition
Overall Condition
Very GoodRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Robert C. Spalsbury
