Name/Title
Spalsbury: #59 Letters Home November 17,1943Entry/Object ID
2021.2.303A-GScope and Content
Letter Home from Pvt. Robert C. Spalsbury, 17135556 Btry B - 778th AAA BN, Camp Haan, Calif. to his parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Spalsbury, 806 South 11th, Saint Joseph 10, Missouri. Post Marked NOV 17, 1943, 5 PM, Camp Haan, Calif., 6 cent Air Mail stamp.Context
Tuesday Evening
16 November 1943
Dear Mom, Pop, and Pat -
I just returned from Bottomside. I paid 5 cents and got on the bus, only to find at the M.P. Headquarters when I arrived there that the 516th had recently been made a new outfit and moved up to Topside. So I promptly jumped on another bus and returned to Topside, getting off at Area 24, where I heard the 516th was now located. I went to D Battery's Orderly Room, but they said they believe Speer had been moved to Battery C. I inquired at the Orderly Room, and they said he was there, but the Battery was having a meeting in the mess hall. So I peeked in thru the mess hall door, and sure enough, there sat Hubert, his head leaning on one of his hands. It was certainly good to see him. Of course I couldn't go in, but I'm going back over in an hour or so, when the meeting should be over, and see him. He'll probably be plenty surprised to see me. I don't think he's ever been very happy since he's been in the Army, so he'll probably be happy to see an old fellow Joe-towner. Oh yes, guess what, I thought the 516th looked familiar, so I asked a fella about it. Sure enough, it used to be the 468th. That's the outfit Haglund's in, you know. I guess I told you they left for the desert last Saturday, and Haglund was so blue because it was Port of Embarkation after that. I thought they'd probably return here to Camp before they departed, but I guess not, now that the 516th has moved in to where they were. It's only about three blocks from the 778th. That's nice because Hubert and I can get together pretty often, I guess.
About eight of us new fellows here in "Baker" Battery are scheduled to fire the Thompson Submachine Gun tomorrow morning. We have to report to Battalion Headquarters at 7:45 a.m.
Hubert's outfit is on two guns I've never heard of before - the 40.7 or 4.7 or something like that, and some other confounded, infernal piece. I guess he'll never see overseas duty because of his eyes - I believe he was in limited service. The Army has done away with limited service now, you know. They discharged the worst and kept those not so bad, I believe. They don't give very many discharges anymore, either. They sure gave a mess of 'em the past year. I just read a short paragraph in this week's YANK magazine that said between Dec. 7, 1941 and Aug. 31, 1943, approximately 550,000 officers and enlisted men were honorably discharged from the Army. Of course this figure included about 200,000 men who were over 38 and were let out to go into essential war work. I'd sorta hate to be discharged, even though I don't like the Army.
Mom, I got your letters, written last Wednesday and Friday, yesterday at mail call. It was the first mail since I've been here. Then today the second letter came - the one you wrote Sunday. I should be getting some forwarded from Roberts. Warren owes me one. So does Kathleen, Barbara, and Pauline Mangelsdorf. Also, Duane - I wrote him a long one the Sunday I left Roberts, incidentally thanking him for the money. I answered Lilbern's letter the other night, then last night I wrote a long one to Johnny Hughes over at Loyola - he's the fella who stuck 7 pieces of gum in the letter he sent me at Roberts. By the way, look at the sketch Pauline sent me in her last letter. It's in that bunch I sent home.
Where is Lancaster, California?
I don't need anything in particular for Christmas. The first thing that came to my mind was a nice billfold. I could use one of those. The one Katie gave me for Xmas '41, is pretty well shot. I don't need any shorts, undershirts, handkerchiefs, or socks. Besides, it's always easy for me to buy those at P.X.s, etc. The laundry is wearing out some of my hankies pretty fast, - also keeping some of my best ones, and giving me ones not so nice, but I still have plenty. Don't send a garrison hat or belt, because I think they're superfluous. They can't be taken overseas, anyway. If I think of something else, I'll let ya no.
So it snowed in Joetown. The weather here at Topside is mild. It's very dry and dusty - it's not very pretty here - far from Callan. The rains haven't stared yet, but they say when they do they hardly stop. It was cloudy all day today. The mornings here aren't as unbearably cold as they were at Roberts.
I'm sorry you're having headaches, Mom. I think you are doing too much, in addition to worrying about Duane and me. The fact that Duane's flying now probably bothers you a lot. But heck, this is a war and there are millions of other mothers who have sons in it. Old Updike said last night that no matter where their children are or what they are doing, mothers will worry about them all the time. It's just natural, I guess.
I inquired at the P.X. about watches. They don't have any, but said the General Store, a large establishment at Bottomside, has watches. I'll make a trip there soon, and inquire about 'em.
Tell Uncle Leo hello for me - he's certainly been good to Duane and me. I hope he's feeling O.K. now.
No, I didn't stop in to see Leanna because I never felt very good. I worried a lot when I was at Loyola because I wasn't mastering the work, and didn't feel up to paying social calls, which I think should be made when you're in a happy frame of mind.
We've been having quite a few classes here lately - Radio Communications, Mines and Booby Traps, Map Reading, and other boring things.
I'll enjoy reading the Sunday paper. Thanks, Pop for sending it.
Yes, the picture was intended for you folks. I'm glad you like it. I never did get to see it. It was free, you know. Bill Cribben and I both had ours taken with the free coupons we were handed in the Broadway Hollywood Department Store. They just took one proof, so it had to be good.
No, Kathleen hasn't written me yet since she was down to see you.
Tell Pat I'm sorry the itch has bothered him.
I'll write Grandma Whinery, even though she owes me a letter.
It's 9:45, and they're yelling "Light's out!," so I'll close.
Love and Kisses, Bob
P.S. - Do you kids have trouble getting chewing gum or candy? I can get plenty at the P.X. if you'd like some. - Just let me know.Collection
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Category 08: Communication ObjectsArchive Items Details
Title
Letter Home from Pvt. Robert C. Spalsbury, 17135556 Btry B - 778th AAA BN, Camp Haan, Calif. to his parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Spalsbury, 806 South 11th, Saint Joseph 10, Missouri. Post Marked NOV 17, 1943, 5 PM, Camp Haan, 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 then moved to engineering training at Loyola University in Los Angeles, CA. After flunking out of the ASTP program, Robert was briefly stationed at Camp Roberts, located in central California assigned to the Infantry Replacement Training Center. At the time of this letter, Robert is stationed at Camp Haan in southern California, a U.S. Army training camp for Coast Artillery Antiaircraft gunners.
This letter is three pages, front and back, written in blue ink on Camp Roberts stationery. He crossed out Roberts and wrote Haan above it. The stationery is off white with a brown ink image in the top left corner that features a soldier on the hill above the camp with an Army logo in the clouds. The paper is folded in half then in thirds.Condition
Overall Condition
Very GoodRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Robert C. Spalsbury
