Name/Title
Spalsbury: #20 Letters Home July 3, 1943Entry/Object ID
2021.2.264A-IScope and Content
Letter Home from US Army Pvt. Robert C. Spalsbury, 3rd Platoon-Battery C, 57th A.A. Trng. Bn., Camp Callan, San Diego 14 California to his parents, Mr. & Mrs. George C. Spalsbury, 806 South Eleventh Street, St. Joseph, Missouri - Postmarked July 3, 1943, 10:30 AM San Diego, CALIF, 6 cent Air Mail stampContext
Thursday - July 1, 1943
Dear Folks,
Here I am sitting in the Dispensary again soaking my feet. We had noon chow a while ago, then put on our fatigues for Infantry Drill the first period this afternoon. But you know me - I thought of this. Besides, I haven't written you for three days now, and I thought this'd be a dandy time for that. I won't be able to write you tonight because the entire third platoon is going out on the gun positions, radar, etc. tonight. We go immediately after chow, and take our blankets, etc., with us, since we're there the entire night. We'll have to fool around with the 40-mm gun, 50-caliber machine gun, power plant, director, etc. They're all pretty heavy pieces of equipment, so I guess we'll have plenty of work taking them off the truck, setting them in position, etc. I have a pretty nice bunch of boys to work with, though, so it won't be so bad. However, Cpl. O'Neill is going to be our "boss," so we may have a hard time. I had him for four weeks in the 4th platoon, of which he's the head.
Didn't I tell you about the Infiltration Course? Well, I had to go over it twice because I didn't keep my head low enough. You see, machine gun bullets are shot over your heads every now and then about 4 or 5 feet above, and you're expected to almost eat dirt, you must keep so low. I rather enjoyed it, and looked around too much to see how everybody else was doing, so it made the officer-in-charge mad. So -- I went over it twice. Boy, was it dusty - we were full of and covered with dust when we finished.
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An Hour or So Later
Another guy came in to soak his feet, so I didn't get to finish this letter, but had to talk with him. We just saw two training films on "Camouflage" in the Rec. Hall, and then some of us went up to the P.X. - I love that place. Had a damn good choc. soda there, and a damn good choc. malt there earlier this afternoon.
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Well, we've had early chow now, and have put on our cartridge belts, gas masks, interliners, and steel helmets, preparing to go out to gun position No. 3, which is north of Camp a ways. Hope we have an easy night.
I bought my watch last night, and is it a dandy! With my $22.30 pay yesterday, and your 10-dollar money order, which also arrived yesterday (just at the right time!) I had enough to buy it. The girl there at the P.X. said it was about $40.00 in Los Angeles, and Bob Horne said his friend in Lincoln, Nebraska, paid $55.00 for one a lot like it, except that it had a sweep (large) second hand. However, mine just has a small second hand. I guess in a few days I'll take it down to P.X. No.10 (where the jeweler is located) and have him engrave my name and serial number on the inside or back. I've had lots of compliments on it so far - So thanks a lot for the Graduation Gift!
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Well, now it's 9:45 Friday evening, and we've finished "G.I.-ing" (cleaning and scrubbing) the barracks for tomorrow morning's inspection, which, it's rumored, will be conducted by the Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. Moore. I've cleaned my rifle and bayonet, linseeded my rifle stock, took a shower, shaved, and washed my teeth. Just finished eating two large oranges I had in my foot locker, and now I'm drinking a coke down here in our 57th Battalion Recreation Hall.
I should've gotten a letter to you folks sooner, in fact I intended writing Wednesday evening but kept putting it off until now it's two whole days later. My, but you must've been worrying about me, but I'm O.K., - just rushed - that's all.
Wednesday evening, John Hughes and I skipped chow, and went down to the Post Office, since it closes at 6 p.m. I've had a package on hand I've been intending to mail home for some time, but just haven't gotten around to it. It's got a lot of old letters, my old fountain pen and wrist watch and sunglasses (all of which, incidentally, are broke) and a few other silly doo-dads in it. I found out the postage (1st class) would be $1.08, so naturally I didn't mail it. I've had a girl at the P.X. wrap it for me, and I have it all addressed ready to mail. I'll take it down to the P.O. sometime again soon and tell 'em it has some knickknacks and toilet articles, etc., I'm sending home , so will attempt to send it 3rd class -- $1.08! Why, that's robbery!!!
Well, we'll begin our 13th week on Monday. They told us today at Retreat not to send out our laundry tomorrow, so I guess some of us might ship out next week. However, they told the whole Battery, not just the A.S.T.P. boys.
Frank MacMillian left tonight. He's the second A.S.T.P. boy in Battery C to ship out. He goes to the STAR Unit at the University of Illinois. He's 19, and was just a freshman at Rice in Houston. He was one of my good friends.
I got 8 prints tonight at the P.X. - of pictures taken in San Diego and La Jolla when Warren and I were there three weeks ago. I'll keep them here a few days, then send 'em home for you to see.
I bought two post card folders at the P.X. yesterday for 8 cents apiece. One is of Balboa Park in San Diego, and the other is of San Diego in general. I'll send 'em in a few days.
Last Sunday evening Warren and I walked up here to Camp Callan from La Jolla, and saw "Five Graves to Cairo," a pretty good picture. On the way up we stopped at the Scripps Institute, owned by the U. of Calif., and observed some of the marine life on display there. It was not as interesting as it might have been, but we got there after 5 p.m. - closing time, so only a few buildings were open. We intend to get together again this Sunday. Certainly hope I don't have duty this Sunday. There's a chance I might have Table Waiter or K.P. this Sunday, doggone it. But I'm hopin.'
Wednesday after Hughes and I went to the P.O. we ate supper at the cafeteria in the Service Club. They have good meals there, and reasonable, too. Brig. General Stuart (head of Camp Callan) and his guests, whoever they were, were eating at a reserved table there. He certainly doesn't look tough, like some of our non-coms do. ---After supper we went to the movie, "Mr. Big," a kinda silly, but enjoyable, movie.
Pop, I got your letter at mail call this morning, and enjoyed it. I'm glad you liked the stuff I sent. I sent the shaving kit mainly as a novelty. It's good stuff, altho pretty small. It's supposed to be used in air travel, since its so light and compact, I guess.
---I told you I heard from Kathleen the other day, didn't I? She's working at Armour's not Swift's.
---Yes, Barbara wrote me about going to Barnes Hospital in October. What Schenidt twin - Dorothy or Eleanor - is in St. Louis?
---I knew who Albert Stewart was, but not personally. Luther Luckett heard Henry Spencer, his former roommate at M.U., and the letter said Albert got a bayonet wound in the leg.
---I'll look up Fosdick's book at the Service Club library soon.
It's almost 11 p.m. now, so 'll go to bed.
Love, BobLexicon
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Title
Letter Home from US Army Pvt. Robert C. Spalsbury, 3rd Platoon-Battery C, 57th A.A. Trng. Bn., Camp Callan, San Diego 14 California to his parents, Mr. & Mrs. George C. Spalsbury, 806 South Eleventh Street, St. Joseph, Missouri - Postmarked July 3, 1943, 10:30 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 four pages, front & back, written in blue ink pen on plain stationery. The letter was mailed in an Air Mail specific envelope with the red and blue stripes on the left hand and bottom edges. In the bottom left corner of the envelope is a red star and below reads Via Air Mail. The stationary is smaller than the envelope and inside with customary folding. The left hand side of envelope shows some damage.Relationships
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Robert C. Spalsbury
