Name/Title
Spalsbury: #48 Letters Home September 25, 1943Entry/Object ID
2021.2.292A-EScope and Content
Letter Home from Pvt. Robert C. Spalsbury, ASTU 3938, Loyola University, Los Angeles 34, California to his parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Spalsbury, 806 South Eleventh, Saint Joseph 10, Missouri. Post Marked SEPT 25, 1943, 2:30 PM, Los Angeles, Calif., 6 cent Air Mail stamp.Context
September 24, 1943
Dear Folks,
I'm in a study hall now, so will just use notebook paper to write you. I have a double study hall on Friday from 3-5. I started my algebra assignment for Monday, but got stuck; I looked at the physics problems which are due tomorrow morning, but decided they were too hard to bother with - right now anyway; I looked at the chemistry chapter we're supposed to have outlined sometime soon, and decided I probably wouldn't get very far on that. So I saw another boy writing a letter, and decided to write one to you folks.
I got your letter written last Monday Eve this noon at Mail Call, Mom; you must be pretty busy, cause I hadn't heard from home for a week or so, I guess it is. But you're forgiven, because I'm sure you're busy.
We had some more news on our furloughs at one o'clock this afternoon when we fell out for our usual Friday afternoon parade. The Greyhound Bus deal has been cancelled. In it's place, we have a train deal now. If we get enough men to sign, we'll get coaches to Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, etc. I haven't signed yet, because if you sign you're obligated to go on the train. And I'm not sure that I'm going home yet. The train would leave here at 6:30 Thursday evening, October 28th, and arrive in Kansas City Saturday evening at about the same time, probably a bit later. The same train would begin the trek back the following Friday and arrive in L. A. at 9:30 Sunday evening. The price of the round trip ticket would be $49.75, which is a furlough rate. Some of the boys who live in Nebraska and Iowa are planning to go back on The Challenger, whose furlough rate for round trip is $47.50. It goes to Des Moines, I believe. I hear that it's just practically useless to try to get a ride on a bomber; they don't do that as much as they used to. And then it's always so uncertain, anyway.
I guess you talked to Mr. Raidt before Bob heard that we'd get 10 1/2 days instead of only a week. I think practically everybody here is planning to go home now. No, it would be impossible to come home at Xmas, unless I go A.W.O.L. At the end of every 12-week term we get a week furlough, and then only.
Later - Evening
I didn't finish this letter, so will finish it now. I'm in study hall now, my regular study period from 7:30-9:30.
I just saw on the Bulletin Board that we have to sign the train list by noon Monday. Only two have signed so far. I think I'll sign before Monday, even if it does obligate me, because it appears to be the best arrangement. I heard this evening that the Challenger is two days later now, which means it'd take four days instead of two to get to Des Moines, Iowa. Hanlin, who lives in Fonda, Iowa, and Frantz, who lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, are sorta mad at this and they've begun to look for other ways to get home.
I haven't written Duane because I thought he'd probably write me first. I told him to write me or call me whenever he wanted to go over to visit the Wenzs.
Furlough is the correct spelling, Mom, not "furlow."
Thanks for Warren's new address, but I already beat you to it. I had a letter from him the other day. The letter was stamped "Passed by the Naval Censor," as were the snapshots I sent him, which he returned. I don't have any idea where he's stationed, and of course he didn't give any hint of where it was in his letter. He seems to like it O.K., though. Said they had movies and entertainment on the way over.
My goodness, but Jenene's blessed event isn't very far off, is it? If I come home on furlough, I may be able to see it.
Had another letter from Lilbern Roberts the other day. He doesn't think he'll be put in the ASTP, but says the Army will probably make him keep on attending airplane mechanics school. It's very odd, because he's very smart and was a good student in school. He's fairly young, too, and is certainly college material. But I guess he has a natural flair for mechanics, which the Army is capitalizing on. I wonder if Jack Planalp or Verlin Wells have got in the program yet. Maybe the Army plans to keep them, too.
Is Bob Cox still studying meteorology at the University of Iowa? Yes, you wrote and told me Junior Olsen was at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
The Sunday paper hasn't arrived yet, but I'm looking for it tomorrow at mail call. Paul Leibowitz got a News-Press at mail call today.
I dropped this fountain pen a couple of times, and ever since then it has flowed too freely, as you can probably tell by this letter. I'll have to take it to the Pen Shop in Hollywood some weekend, and have it fixed. I had my name engraved on it there for 25 cents when we first arrived here at Loyola and had our 3-day passes, and Hanlin, Rubins, and I spent most of our time in Hollywood.
Hanlin is expecting another "shipment" - of stuff to eat - I believe it's to be caramel popcorn this time. I've never known anybody to get so many packages! His mother and aunt are always sending something. I really feast on the shipments, too - he's very generous with it all. I owe him $5.00 too, which I borrowed about six weeks ago. He' certainly been nice to me. He and Frances are going into L.A. this Saturday night to the Philharmonic Auditorium to see "The Waltz King," a light opera based on the life of Johann Strauss. He paid $3.30 apiece for the tickets.
The weather here has been very odd lately. Several days have been cloudy, and its' been sorta windy lately - both very unusual around here. The mornings have been unusually foggy, too. I guess these are all indications of approaching winter.
This climate really spoils us. When Olsen and I went into Hollywood and L.A. last weekend, we certainly noticed the heat. It seems to be about 10 degrees cooler out here because of the proximity of the ocean. From what I hear it's warmer out here in winter than it is in town. The ocean tends to keep the temperature up then. The lowest it ever gets here is about 37 degrees, while in L.A. it freezes every now and then.
This is sort of a slip shod letter. But it's full of news (I think). 'S'all for now.
Love
BobbyCollection
Marshall WhiteLexicon
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Letter Home from Pvt. Robert C. Spalsbury, ASTU 3938, Loyola University, Los Angeles 34, California to his parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Spalsbury, 806 South Eleventh, Saint Joseph 10, Missouri. Post Marked SEPT 25, 1943, 2:30 PM, Los Angeles, Calif., 6 cent Air Mail stamp.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, was stationed for a short time with a STAR Unit for ASTP (Army Specialized Training Program) soldiers in Pasadena, CA and is now stationed at Loyola University in Los Angeles, CA for additional training.
This letter is two pages, front and back, written in blue ink on notebook paper. The letter was mailed in a plain envelope with a 6 cent Air Mail stamp. The paper is folded in half and then in thirds.Condition
Overall Condition
Very GoodRelationships
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Person or Organization
Robert C. Spalsbury
