Name/Title
Spalsbury: #6 Letters Home May 10, 1943Entry/Object ID
2021.2.236A-DScope and Content
Letter Home from US Army Pvt. Robert C. Spalsbury, Battery C-57th A.A. Trng. Bn., 3rd Platoon, Camp Callan, California to his parents, Mr. & Mrs. George C. Spalsbury, 806 South Eleventh Street, St. Joseph, Missouri - Postmarked May 10, 1943, 12:30 PM San Diego, CA Air Mail, 6 cent Air Mail stampContext
May 9, 1943
Dear Mama and Papa,
It's Sunday evening about a quarter to ten and I'm sitting down here in the Recreation Hall, since the lights in the barracks are out. Last night after chow all four platoons in our Battery moved around. I moved from the second floor of the fourth to the first floor of the third, where all the A.S.T.P.'s - about 30 in all - are. All the O.C.S.'s are in the first and second platoons, and the E.S.S.'s (Enlisted Specialist School, which is right here in camp) are on the second floor of the third and the entire fourth platoon. The A.S.T.P. is by far the smallest group.
Today I mailed to you folks a copy of the camp magazine, The Ozzlefinch, which comes out about once or twice a year. It has pictures of many camp activities, and I think you'll find it interesting. It cost 35 cents. I also put a copy of last Friday's Range Finder in it, in which is the third in the series of articles on the A.S.T. P.
All of the A.S.T.P. men in the 57th Battalion went down the other day to a meeting, in which they explained more to us. The Major said we would probably be shipped from the Camp in two or three weeks to Pasadena or Stanford, where there are "Star Units." These, we learned are for the purpose of testing us and classifying us and assigning us to the division of the A.S.T.P. for which we are best fitted. We will probably be there two or three weeks, after which we'll be sent to some college or University for our training. I imagine I'll not have to take the basic course, since I've already completed two years of college, and have a number of math and science credits. I'll probably be put into the advanced program. We were told that our weekly schedule would be approximately as follows: 6 hours drill, 5 hours calisthenics, 25 hours class, and 25 hours supervised study. Sounds interesting. It's said that at the end of each term (12 weeks) we get a week free (for furlough.)
I went down to La Jolla last night after I finished moving last night. I went down by myself - it was pretty late and I couldn't rustle up anybody to go with me, so I made better time by myself. I got a taxi down - it was 35 cents - there were 5 other passengers, but I had to walk back. i picked up my identification bracelet, I bought a suede writing kit for $5.67, chocolate ice cream soda and box of kleenex, and went to the USO and Service Men's Club for awhile.
Today I was a table waiter, together with Speer and Swanson and some other S's and T's. We had to work around 3 hours for each meal, cleaning up dishes, tables, setting the tables, waiting on the boys, etc. We had a little time off to go back to the barracks and loaf around, but I certainly didn't get a lot done.
Tomorrow (beginning the 5th week of our cycle) all OCS and ASTP men begin wearing their names on their shirts and jackets. I guess this is so the cadre will watch us more closely - maybe they're supposed to be harder on us.
The Rec. Hall is ready to close, so I must stop. Will tell you more when I write again, naturally.
Mom, the corsage should have arrived Saturday, May 8th. Did you like it?
Had 1 letter today - from Warren.
Love, BobCollection
Marshall WhiteLexicon
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Category 08: Communication ObjectsArchive Items Details
Title
Letter Home from US Army Pvt. Robert C. Spalsbury, Battery C-57th A.A. Trng. Bn., 3rd Platoon, Camp Callan, California to his parents, Mr. & Mrs. George C. Spalsbury, 806 South Eleventh Street, St. Joseph, Missouri - Postmarked May 10, 1943, 12:30 PM 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 three pages, front & back, written in pen on Air Mail stationery. The envelope is too small to fits the stationery so the pages have an extra fold to fit .Dimensions
Height
10-1/2 inWidth
7-1/4 inCondition
Overall Condition
Very GoodRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Robert C. Spalsbury
