Name/Title
Spalsbury: #2 Letters Home April 30, 1943Entry/Object ID
2021.2.232A-JScope 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 30, 1943, 11AM San Diego, CA Air Mail, 6 cent Air Mail stampContext
April 27, 1943 (upper right corner)
(Upper left corner note)Speer & I walked down to see Raidt the other night - we located his bunk but he was at the show - we'll go down again soon.
(Upper right note) I guess I should really use that Air Mail Stationary you bought me for Air Mail letters.
Dear Folks,
It's Tuesday evening, 10:30 p.m., and I'm writing this note in the latrine prior to taking a shower and shaving. Pop, thanks for the letter, which came this afternoon, and Mom, thanks for your two, one of which came yesterday morning and the other of which came yesterday afternoon. You've been more faithful than I have about writing, and I guess Duane has, too, but if you knew how busy they keep us here you'd forgive me. I had another letter from Duane yesterday. I think he and Tootie are sorta drifting apart. He was telling me about the long letters Laura Lee writes him and the short ones of Tootie. I also had a birthday present from Kathleen - a nice small box of stationary (a gentle hint, I suppose), cards from Miss Reichert (2 from her - 1 Easter & 1 birthday), Miss Tadlock, Mr. Bundy , and letters from Duane, Miss Lawlor, & you. Some of the mail had arrived on Sunday, but I was in San Diego, so didn't get it.
April 28, '43
Five other boys and I got passes late Sunday morning, and went to San Diego on the bus. The fare is 25 cents one way. In the early morn, at 6:45 a.m., I'd attended the Easter Sunrise Service, which was not particularly interesting and rather cold and cloudy. But I'm glad I went anyway - I want to see lots of things and learn a lot about the Camp, etc. We boys ate lunch at "Ye Golden Lion," a ritzy restaurant. I had oyster stew (not as good as yours, Mom, and not as much), French fried potatoes, and a strawberry malt. My bill was the lowest - $1.19, and one of the boys' bills was $2.25. Bob Bailey, the native San Diego boy, said that all eating places were expensive like that in San Diego, because of the great many service men there. After lunch we rode the bus out to Bailey's home, where we played records, piano, and sat around and talked. He and his parents live in a small apartment, and his Pop owns the entire apt. house - 16 apts. in all. After a delicious chicken dinner served by Mrs. Bailey, all six of us boys rode the bus down town and decided to attend the Burlesque Show at the Hollywood Theatre. So we all went - 80 cents a ticket - whew!!! I'd never go to one of those things by myself - they're not worth it, - but if you're in a group it's kinda fun. Afterwards we dropped in at the Army - Navy Y. M. C. A., where we awaited the bus back to Camp Callan. We got back and checked in at the Battery office about 10:15 p.m. It was an enjoyable day, although somewhat expensive. I wanted to look up Warren, but the other guys didn't want to waste the time, and I believe we weren't near the destroyer base, anyway. So I'll look him up some other Sunday. I wrote him a letter last Tuesday, after getting one from him last week.
April 29, 1943
It looks as if I'll never finish this letter. Last night after chow (over at about 5:30) I made my bed, rested for awhile, went up to the Post Exchange with Swanson, returned and cleaned my rifle, and then cleaned up to go to the movie at theatre No. 2 with Swanson. It was "My Friend Flicka", a technicolor film with beautiful photography. It was the story of a little farm boy and his pet colt - reminded me of "The Yearling." There were some beautiful horses in the film. Pop, you'd like it. Swanson and I returned to our barracks at 5 or 10 minutes after eleven. Luckily, bed check hadn't been made yet, so we hurriedly hopped into bed - just in time. My goodness - I need a shave - they've all been telling me about it - it'll be a week tomorrow evening since I last shaved. Just so I get shaved before Saturday morning - weekly Inspection. I started this April 29th section during a 5-minute "break" between periods this afternoon, and now it's 6 o'clock. We finished chow about 20 minutes ago. We really have delicious food - plenty of it and a variety of it. Every Friday we have fish. We have ice cream several times a week. Had pork chops this noon and beef stew this evening. I was on my first K.P. duty last Saturday all day. K.P. and table waiter duty is given alphabetically by our last name, so Speer, Swanson and I were on K.P. together. Swanson and I washed and scalded dishes for about two hours after each meal - then odd jobs in between. We ate cookies, oranges and hard candy from the pantry. We were certainly lucky to get K.P. on Saturday because we didn't have to worry about Inspection. We were fortunate in just missing getting it on Sunday, also, because we couldn't have got passes then. Mom, I got your letter of April 27th at mail call this afternoon and enjoyed it a lot. I hope your cold is all over by now. At last I'm pretty well rid of mine - everybody gets one when they first come here. The fruit cake, taffy and olives were delicious. I let almost everybody upstairs taste the cake and everybody who likes olives had some of them. Not many people like olives as well as I do. How many points was that can worth? The hangars haven't arrived yet, but "reckon" (there are many Texas boys here) they'll come tomorrow. Night before last I got an Easter present from Grandma Whinery - a box of 6 pralines which I finished yesterday. I haven't got Aunt Esther's gift yet, which I guess is a book, like you said. I wonder which it is. I had a second letter from Duane the other day - he's sending me some gift in a few days. It's 9:15 p.m. now. I just came back from my Barracks. I left the Rec Hall here about 10 till 9 in order to make my bed and to eat a large orange and a Hershey bar before coming back down here. I left my fountain pen and writing equipment and gas mask here on the table. There's not much stealing around here. My 25 cent writing folder is going to pieces. In San Diego last Sunday I looked around in 3 or 4 Drug Stores for a nice leather writing kit, but they just had cheap ones. This Sunday Swanson and I, I believe, are going into Diego again, and I'll go to the Army-Navy Store, which was open last Sunday, but which we didn't have time to go into last Sunday. I cashed that 5-dollar money order you brought me at Leavenworth at the Post Office last Saturday, and am down to the 2-dollar money order you sent me. I borrowed a dollar bill from Swanson this evening, since the Post Office was closed when he and I walked down there this evening about 6:30. Maybe I'll get the money order cashed tomorrow sometime, but it doesn't really matter, since we get our first pay check tomorrow. I see by the bulletin board that it's going to take up all 4 periods in the afternoon for us to get paid - there must be a lot of formalities to go through. I turned in a bunch of laundry last Saturday. It is sent up to L.A. and comes back the following Saturday. The price is $2.40 monthly (60 cents weekly), and I think it's worth it, since we can turn in any amount, and we really don't have a lot of extra time around here to wash clothes in. At present I'm down to my last pair of socks, undershirt, shorts, and handkerchief. Tomorrow will be the 7th day I've worn them. The dirt here in California is like Oklahoma's - sandy and light in color. I took my other pair of woolen trousers and my other woolen shirt up to the P.X. tailor shop last Tuesday evening, to have them cleaned and pressed. They'll be ready tomorrow afternoon (Friday) and the bill is 55 cents. Pretty good service. Camp Callen isn't exactly like a Country Club, like you heard, Mom, but I think it's really a dandy Army Camp. The 53rd and 57th are the 2 school battalions, and we're told they're superior to the other 6 battalions here. There are scores of fine boys in my battery, and I'm getting acquainted with lots of them. I'll soon look into the matter of making you co-owner of my war bond. I imagine I'll get 25 or 30 dollars tomorrow, after $18.75 bond deduction, $6.50 insurance deduction, and $ .60 laundry deduction. We're paid from the day we reported at the Reception Center - March 22nd for me. The fog rolled in in great clouds from the sea all day. It looked just like smoke. We had our first regimental parade this afternoon. I had letters from Ann Ashcroft and Bette Mae Bone yesterday, and ones from Marjorie Kramer and Lois Borden the other day. Honestly, I owe 15 or 20 now. I must drop Sewell and S. Brown post cards tonight . I haven't written or heard from them yet. Am anxious to get The Griffon, since I don't have Jack Planalp's Verlin Wells', or Lilbern Roberts' addresses. Last Saturday morning a few other boys, men, and I were called out to report before the O.C.S. Board to choose O.C.S. or A.S.T.P - I passed my A.S.T.P. test. I chose A.S.T.P - I'll tell ya more later. xxxxxx Bob
Extra page notes included in this letter:
(top of page two - left hand corner) I was issued another pair of "sun tan" (summer) trousers & shirt the other day, so now I have 3 pair)
(top of page two - right hand corner)
Dinner - $1.19
tip - $ .09
Bus Fare - $.50
Theatre - $ .80
Gum, Candy, Etc. - $ .50
$3.08
(top of page three - left hand corner) Our platoons aren't particularly crowded. I think there are about 30 upstairs & 30 down.
(top of page three - right hand corner) Our shades are down only when its dark enough to have lights on. I've seen some clever camouflage here & in Diego)
(top of page four - left hand corner) Enclosed is a Sunrise Service Program and an article appearing in the Camp Paper about the A.S.T.P.
(top of page four - right hand corner) I enjoyed K. Kyser & his troupe very much; last Tuesday night I heard Dick Rogers & his band & singer - really good, too.
(final page - along left hand side) P.S. - Isn't this letter messy?Collection
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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 30, 1943, 11AM San Diego, CA Air Mail, 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 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. On the back of the envelope Bob has sketched a 57th Battalion logo with the slogan "WE KEEP 'EM FALLING"Condition
Overall Condition
Very GoodRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Robert C. Spalsbury
