Name/Title
Spalsbury: #76 Letters Home March14, 1944Entry/Object ID
2021.2.320A-HScope and Content
Letter Home from Pvt. R. C. Spalsbury, 17135556, Btry A - 778th AAA Auto Wpns Bn (S.P.), Camp Haan, California to his parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Spalsbury, 806 South 11th, St. Joseph (10), Missouri. Post Marked MAR 14, 1944, 10:30 AM, Camp Haan, Calif., 6 cents Air Mail stampContext
Monday Evening -
13 March 1944
Dear Folks -
Well, I've got something new to worry me now, and take away my peace of mind. I'm in great danger of being shoved back to the "line" and being used as a "Basic" for details, such as K.P., Guard, etc. Mr. Flynn told us this noon that a T/4 who is now working in Battalion Headquarters is coming into the Office to take over Cpl. Smith's job, and Cpl. Smith is stepping into the Sgt. Major position left vacant by Scringeour's departure for the Air Corps last week. The Pfc. - Bob Neithercott - who used to be Cpl. Hall's assistant, but who has been helping Killian, the Classification Clerk, for the last month or so, is no longer needed to assist Killian. So Neithercott was moved back to Cpl. Hall today, and I was shoved over as assistant to Cpt. Zralik, a young fellow about my age who is the C Btry Personnel Clerk. Mr. Flynn told me I'd probably be transferred to C Btry in the near future to fill the place left by Pvt Ryder who shipped out last week to a searchlight outfit. This irritated me a little bit, but I didn't begin worrying until this evening when Cpt. Hall told me 1st Sgt. Boyer didn't like the idea of me transferring to another Battery, because A Btry was greatly in need of men for all the various details, since it lost 17 Pvts. as overstrength last week. So I'm on needles and pins. Damnit it's almost impossible to fight back. You see, I'm just a Pvt., only 20 years old, and naturally inexperienced when compared to the older, more experienced men who are running this war. And they really hold my fate in their hands, since they're the ones who pull the strings. I think I understand the way they think. Maybe I'm only rationalizing, and deluding myself, but folks, I don't think so. I really try to think things thru clearly, without letting my feelings influence me too much. It seems to me that a person's qualifications don't help them much in an outfit like this. If you have something called "background," such as two years in college, and a mind better than average, as shown by an Army Gen. Classification Test Score of 135, and a previous ability to type and do clerical work as shown by 2 1/2 years' work in a Public Library, you are subject to a natural prejudice from people who don't have those qualifications or experiences - especially those in "power" who are confronted by the unpleasant fact that there, possibly, is a "young squirt" who, it seems, might possibly be "better" than they are. (How dare this young upstart -this "schoolboy"- this Pvt.- this "kid" - come into an outfit, and step into a "soft"(they think) job, up at Headquarters!!! Why, he's only 20, and no better than the rest of the fellows in the Battery. We can use him better for odd jobs around the Battery. And besides, it will take the load off the shoulders of some other man.) It seems to me this is their general line of thought. Oh well, I've seen the same thing happen before - I'm not the only one something like this might happen to. Since I've been in the Army I've been able to see that Mary Jane Hane-Miss Reichert- Library deal in a clearer light. I guess I'm a funny kid. Other peoples' troubles always did worry me, even when I was very young, and the feud between those two "dames" always interested me. I can see how Miss Reichert, and most of the other "cats" at the library, have ridiculed that girl and, in general, sorta kicked her around, because she was a little "odd" - a little "different," and had a quicker mind than they. Lacking the particular "social graces" (if you can call 'em that) of "Queen" Reichert, and having too much self-respect and integrity to "polish the apple" with the old lady, she suffered the inevitable disapproval of "the Power." ---Oh well, there always will be people like Miss Reichert - there must be. After all, where would civilization or humanity get if there wasn't that continual struggle between the forces of regression or stagnation and those of progress?
I've sure been "letting off steam," haven't I ? -But the thoughts have surely been racing thru my mind. I'm not very good at writing down something like this, and I imagine it sounds somewhat illogical. But I think you get the general idea. In short, I'm worried, rather frightened, and pretty angry. However, I've got myself in hand and won't let it "get me down." Now maybe I've been jumping to conclusions too fast, but I always seem to "sense" things that might happen. As I said before, the thing which really bothers me is what Hall told me this evening about what the 1st Sgt. said. --that is, the possibility of not getting a transfer to C Btry, because I'm "too important" to A Btry as a Basic. -I don't know whether sarcasm offends you or not. I've certainly used it fully in this letter. It's a form of consolation, I guess.
Believe me, some day I'll have a little more of this thing called "power" and "influence" and will run "my world" as I see fit. But then, maybe I'm not that kind of person - maybe I should remain in my little "Ivory Tower," and find fulfillment and satisfaction in things instead of in people. Most people are so disappointing and disillusioning to a "screwy" idealist like me. And this thing called "the future" - should one plan on it too much when it seems so uncertain, and at times - dark? Yes, I guess we should -isn't that the thing which makes man a little higher than most animals -his ability to hope and plan and dream for the future?
Does this all sound screwy to you? It may be rather illogical, and scatter brained. Tell me if it does, and I'll "calm down", and go blindly on, accepting things as they come, not expecting much, not asking anything. Maybe I should spill my "sob story" to the Chaplain. Well, we'll see. - Let's hope and pray things work out for the best. God knows I try hard and am sincere in wanting to succeed in most of the things I do. I know folks are very interested in their children -their happiness, etc.
Your welcome letter came this afternoon, Mom. I enjoyed reading Mrs. Riddle's letter. Gee, but she "slings it" thick, doesn't she? I guess that's just her natural style, though. It was very nice of her to write so quickly - just after I'd been there. Little things like that mean so much.
No, I haven't heard from Barb lately, because I've owed her for some time now.
Yes, I do keep the road hot between Haan and Hollywood But I feel we won't be around here much longer, and I like this part of the country so much, and have such dandy - good, clean, -times in L.A. and Vicinity, that I really feel it's worth the dough I spend. Memories and impressions - sights and sounds - mean a lot to me. I feel the intrinsic value of these weekly "trips" greatly outweights their monetary cost to me.
This is getting sorta messy. I'm trying to finish before the lights go out, before I go to the latrine to shower and shave.
Haglund got to Hollywood that weekend because he was on the detail that brought his Battery's laundry in on Thursday. He really had 3 or 4 days for his weekend. -Good deal! They're still using him for any odd job around his Battery. They don't bother him too much, though.
No, I didn't know about Uncle Leo. I wondered why he hadn't written. He said he would write me after my visit that Sunday afternoon.
Yes, I agree with you. I could see where Ruth Riddle is the dominate one.
Well, be good and don't work too hard. And don't worry. I'll get along.
Lights are going out.
Love and Kisses, Bob
P.S. -Pop, I haven't found a suitable gift yet, but it'll still reach you eventually. Sorry to be so late -Collection
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Category 08: Communication ObjectsArchive Items Details
Title
Letter Home from Pvt. R. C. Spalsbury, 17135556, Btry A - 778th AAA Auto Wpns Bn (S.P.), Camp Haan, California to his parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Spalsbury, 806 South 11th, St. Joseph (10), Missouri. Post Marked MAR 14, 1944, 10:30 AM, Camp Haan, Calif., 6 cents 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, 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. Robert is stationed at Camp Haan in southern California, a U.S. Army training camp for Coast Artillery Anti Aircraft gunners. At the time of this letter, Robert has recently been transferred from Battery B to Battery A since he began working as an office Clerk in Battery A.
This letter is three pages, front and back, written in blue ink on very thin plain stationery (likely Air Mail stock). The matching envelope is equally thin and shows signs of deterioration along the edges. The pages are folded in thirds.
This is the last letter Robert writes from Camp Haan, California. There is a significant gap in letters between this one and the next one which is post marked 5 months later from an Army Camp in Arkansas. This is the longest gap in correspondence of the Letters Home collection to date.Dimensions
Height
10-1/2 ftWidth
7-1/4 inCondition
Overall Condition
Very GoodRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Robert C. Spalsbury
