Name/Title
Spalsbury: #86 Letters Home September 7, 1944Entry/Object ID
2021.2.330A-EScope and Content
Letter Home from Pvt. R. C. Spalsbury, 17135556, Co A - 216th Armd Engr Bn, A.P.O. 412, Camp Chaffee, Arkansas to his parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Spalsbury, 806 South 11th, St. Joseph (10), Missouri. Post Marked SEP 7, 1944, 3 PM, Fort Smith, Ark., 8 cents Air Mail stampContext
Wednesday Night -
6 September 1944
Dear Folks-
Finally got down here to the Day Room to write this letter to you. It seems as if I fool away more time, and don't get anything really important done. I fixed my laundry to turn in to the Supply Room tomorrow, went up to the P.X. a couple of times, washed and shaved, and read the Laredo Army Air Base Newspaper, which Lilbern Roberts enclosed in a letter I got from him yesterday.
Rex Russell and I went into Ft. Smith, just "to get away from this hole", as he puts it. Honestly, I've found very, very few soldiers who like it at all here at Chaffee, and many of 'em have been stuck here close to a year or more. When they tell me how long they've been here, I say brightly, "Well, I guess you've at least gotten used to it," to which they invariably reply, "Brother, I'll never get used to this G-D- hole!" Russell and I enjoyed the ride in and back, had some hot dogs, hamburgers, sundaes, and watermelon, and walked around a bit. Lord, how he eats! He's much worse than me. -But he's got a lot more to feed - he weighs 205 lbs!
Monday we ate out in the field - that is, noon chow - out of our mess gear. Monday and yesterday we practiced Combat Principles, moving across fields, through weeds and tall grass and brush, and puddles, and firing on targets along the way, with live ammunition. Last week on our night problem we had blanks.
We arose at 5:30 instead of 6:30 this morning, and got ready for the problem today. We had to darken our faces with mud, etc. We moved several hundred yards over several ridges, crawling through weeds and grass on our bellies and hands and knees, waded down a stream for several hundred yards (it was around a foot deep), and had to fix our bayonets and charge the targets at the finish. We were just about ready to drop over, sweating and panting like horses. Believe me, it isn't fun.
We had this afternoon off to clean our rifles and equipment. Cpl. Manke needed help up in Personnel, so Pfc. Andberg and I went up and helped him after awhile. I really don't miss not working up there steadily.
Pop, moving in with Phillips Oil Co. at 17th and Penn sounds like a better deal all the way around. I'd think the shorter distance would be the best item; then too, if "Whoopee" went on the "blink", it'd only be 10 blocks to walk, or just 3 blocks if you caught the bus at 9th and Olive. I imagine the offices will be nicer in the new location. All in all, it sounds better to me. I guess, though, it's a lot of trouble moving, and will take a while to get things located and settled down.
I enjoyed the clipping about Harold Cunningham. It sounded just like him - he was always very conceited and vain.------ Yes, Duane and I knew Eldon Coffey in Jr. High and High School.
Dear old Mrs. Neimann! I'd like to visit with her again. Give her my love....
"Going My Way" was at the Joie (the best) Theater in Ft. Smith Sunday, but I didn't want to see it. I never cared much for Bing Crosby's acting.
It seems impossible that Jack Sewell is in New Guinea already. Wonder where Haglund is now - somewhere in the South Pacific, I guess. Wonder if I'll ever get over the waters someplace??? Can't ever tell what the Army might do.
Again, thanks for the delicious cookies and candy. They were greatly enjoyed by me and the boys.
It's been fairly warm the last several days, especially out in the sun. I'm getting my old tan back, being out under the hot Arkansas sun so much on these problems. My nose and part of my back is peeling from getting sunburned when I went swimming last Saturday afternoon.
Three other fellows and I get this coming Sat. morning off, since we were "selected" to sycle some grass up around Div. Hqs. for a couple of hours last Sat. evening. I intend to go into Ft. Smith, take my glasses frames, and get fitted for two new lenses. I don't like these heavy G.I. glasses, and I have two pair of 'em, at that.
I answered Kathleen Morrow's letter more than a week ago. Goodness no, I'm not mad at her. Why should I be?
Well, it's ten minutes to eleven so I guess I'll go to bed.
With much love, BobCollection
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Category 08: Communication ObjectsArchive Items Details
Title
Letter Home from Pvt. R. C. Spalsbury, 17135556, Co A - 216th Armd Engr Bn, A.P.O. 412, Camp Chaffee, Arkansas to his parents Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Spalsbury, 806 South 11th, St. Joseph (10), Missouri. Post Marked SEP 7, 1944, 3 PM, Fort Smith, Ark., 8 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. Then Robert was stationed at Camp Haan in southern California, a U.S. Army training camp for Coast Artillery Anti Aircraft gunners. During his time at Camp Haan, Robert was transferred from Battery B to Battery A and began working as an office Clerk in Battery A.
At the time this letter was written, Robert is serving at Camp Chaffee at Fort Smith, Arkansas. He had been working as a Clerk-Typist in the HQ Company but has now been transferred to Line Company A, still working as an office clerk.
This letter is two pages, front and back, written in blue ink on United States Army stationery which features a red and blue inked emblem centered on the page with an eagle in flight carrying a U.S. flag. The letter was sent in a plain envelope. The page is folded in thirds.Dimensions
Height
10-1/2 inWidth
7-1/4 inCondition
Overall Condition
Very GoodRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Robert C. Spalsbury
