Name/Title
Spalsbury: #27 Letters Home July 28, 1943Entry/Object ID
2021.2.271A-IScope and Content
Letter Home from Pvt. Robert C. Spalsbury, STAR Unit 3906, 1905 Lincoln Avenue, Pasadena, California to his parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Spalsbury, 806 South Eleventh Street, Saint Joseph, Missouri. Post Marked JUL 28 1943, 3 PM, Pasadena, Calif., 6 cent Air Mail stamp.
Robert has moved from basic training at Camp Callan, CA to ASTP (Army Specialized Training Program).Context
Tuesday Evening - July 27, 1943
Dear Kids, and Pat,
It's 7:30 p.m., and I'm in the Room 200, across the hall from the Library. The Library is a huge room with very high windows on two sides, and it's extremely hot. So I came over here, where I can enjoy the breeze - though small - which passes through the window by which I'm sitting.
While standing in line for chow this evening (and we stand in line for every meal here); I bought a Los Angeles Times and read it. Big things are certainly happening in Italy now, aren't they? I also saw a small article inside which listed a number of L. A. men who had died in Jap prison camps recently. And then you mentioned about Ralph Crandall in the letter I got from you this afternoon. I guess Crandalls have reason to be worried. --
I heard a report over a kid's radio earlier this evening that a gale of from 80-90 m.p.h. had passed through Galveston and was moving on up to Houston.
This morning I had Gym from 10-12. We did push-ups, sit-ups, ran around the track twice, and played at basketball for awhile. Of course I just stood around - I always hated basketball, anyway. But the second hour we went in the pool, and I enjoyed that. Next to eating and loafing, there's nothing I'd rather do than swim (or play tennis). Another boy and I played tennis the other morning. This morning I swam the length of the pool in 16.5 seconds, which was fairly good.
Well, I guess I told you that the damn Examining Board put me in Basic Engineering - Term II. There are three terms in Basic Engineering, and most of the boys are put in Term I. A very small number were put in Advanced (beginning with Term IV and higher). I'm attending a very dull military correspondence class twice a week, and an hour apiece of physics and chemistry six days a week. You can imagine how I hate it. I really feel like a round peg in a square hole. Most boys just naturally like chemistry and physics and math, but not me.
The Board told me I made fairly high scores on the math parts of the test we took; and that the Army needed good engineers much more than they need linguists. The Board told me that I had good potential qualities of leadership, but I think they always tell you a crock of bullshit just to make you feel good if you're not put in what you want.
I certainly hope Jack Planalp gets put in Language. I know that's what he wants, and he's so good at it. Like me, he has no interest in math, physics or chemistry.
While at J.C. the only two M's I received were in the little chemistry and physics I took there. All my other grades were S's and E's. I always made my best grades in English and Languages. Damn it!
Naturally, I find it very hard to start concentrating on studies, especially in such horrible heat (it was around 95 degrees today). But I'm always very slow in adjusting myself to new situations, so I'm not worrying too much about it. Besides, the main purpose of these refresher courses is to get you used to going to class and studying again.
I like our chemistry instructor, but don't care much about our physics instructor.
I was exempted from attending a math class. I guess it was because I had a fairly good background in it. When I went before the Board, they asked me where I thought I should be put, and I said in the very lowest in chem and physics but that I thought I could be put in slightly advanced in math. So they put me in Term II in chem and physics, and I don't have any math class at all.
Some of the boys are being flunked by the Board, and they'll either be sent back to their original camp, or to a unit, I guess.
I feel sorry for Hubert. I'll try to look up his relatives this weekend. We're not even allowed out on the front sidewalk until we get out weekend passes - from 5:30 p.m. Sat. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
I sort of miss Camp Callan. The climate there is delightful (I was actually chilly from the cool breezes during the first part of this month) and we didn't have any strenuous mental work, which I hate. Our life there was much more wholesome and invigorating.
No, I don't hear from Kathleen very often. She owes me a letter now - I wrote her one just before I left Callan. Tonight I'm sending her one of those folders of Hollywood I sent you.
I'll appreciate the Centennial Edition of the News-Press. Thanks a lot for sending it, Pop.
I wonder if I ever told you folks we were paid before we left Callan - I guess it was Kathleen I told. I got $23.00, which is for the month of July. Next payday should be August 31st, I guess. Thanks a lot for the money order, anyway. I may need it before the end of August. I bought a notebook at the P.X. for $1.00.
I rather envy John Jamieson in a way. He'll see quite a bit of the world, probably, and will have some very interesting experiences, beside some excitement, possibly. Maybe I'll get across someday though.
Yes, Mom, I had one letter from you, forwarded from Callan. Then I've received two from you addressed directly to the STAR Unit.
It seems impossible that Jr. Olsen is being drafted. I didn't know he was 18.
Well, I think I'll stop this long letter. It's 9:10 p.m. I'll go downstairs, walk out to the mailbox, drop it in - also the folder for Kathleen - then plod back up to study a bit. -Not too much - because I've Library tomorrow from 9 - 11 a.m.
I've certainly done a lot of good bitching (griping) in this letter, but I rather enjoyed it. Don't take it too seriously.
Love, BobCollection
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Title
Letter Home from Pvt. Robert C. Spalsbury, STAR Unit 3906, 1905 Lincoln Avenue, Pasadena, California to his parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Spalsbury, 806 South Eleventh Street, Saint Joseph, Missouri. Post Marked JUL 28 1943, 3 PM, Pasadena, Calif., 6 cent Air Mail stamp. Robert has moved from basic training at Camp Callan, CA to ASTP (Army Specialized Training Program).Description
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 and is serving in a STAR Unit for ASTP (Army Specialized Training Program) soldiers in Pasadena, CA.
The letter is four pages, both front & back written in blue ink pen on plain stationery. The letter was mailed in an regular envelope with a 6 cent Air Mail stamp. The stationary is smaller than the envelope and folded in thirds.Condition
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Robert C. Spalsbury
