Name/Title
Spalsbury: #87 September 12, 1944Entry/Object ID
2021.2.331A-CScope 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 SEP12, 1944, 11:30 AM, Fort Smith, Ark., 8 cents Air Mail stampContext
Monday Night -
11 September 1944
Dear Kids----
It's 10:15 p.m. I'm down in the Day Room writing this, since lights in the barracks go out at 10:00.
We've just been back from the firing range a little over two hours. I took off and put away my field equipment, took apart and cleaned my rifle, and washed and shaved.
We arose at 5 a.m., so as to get out to the rifle range early enough. We were out there all day - up to about 7:30 tonight, and had noon and evening chow off the mess truck, eating out of our mess equipment. We fired from the 200-yd., 300-yd., and 500-yd. lines. It was the first time I'd ever fired on the 500-yd. range. I was surprised at the score I made - 177 out of a possible 210. I qualified as a Sharpshooter - 3 more points and I would've made Expert. All other times I've just qualified as Marksman.
Tomorrow (all day) we fire the same schedule exactly, and tomorrow is the record fire....maybe I can make Expert tomorrow. We're spending the entire week out on the range, i.e., different ones. We scheduled to throw hand grenades 3 times this week, go across the Close Combat Course thrice, and across the Combat-in-Cities Course thrice.
We work all day Saturday now, and also Sunday afternoon from 2 til 5. They really want to get this outfit "on the ball", I guess. Overseas Sunday is just like any other day, I guess. I was lucky, and got all day last Saturday off ----me and 3 other fellas, who did a little extra detail the Saturday before. I went into Ft. Smith early in the morning, walked around a lot, went to the Salvation Army USO for awhile, etc. Left my civilian spectacle frames at an optician's, and for $6.00 they're straightening 'em out and putting in two new lenses. Pretty cheap, huh?
I saw "Going My Way," which had been held over at the Joie Theater (Ft. Smith's finest), and really liked it. I agree with you - it is different, and has a certain appealing touch.
Found out from T/5 Rex Russell today that he was born in Tonkawa, but his family left there in 1934. They lived across from U.P.S.
Yes, I'm enjoying all this training. I like it better than being in Hq. Co. ---But of course I haven't had Guard or K.P. yet.
Yes, I got Haglund's card. I'd written him a letter several days before, since Hanlin had told me he was at Ft. Ord, Calif., and was going overseas as a replacement.
Mom, tell me when you'll get to Tonkawa, and how long you'll be there, and I'll write you while there. ---your letter written Friday nite came this morning. -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 SEP12, 1944, 11:30 AM, 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 one page, 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
