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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Stone, Robert L. (1921-2009) to Jacob Stone and Beatrice Stone and brothers

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC09620.014 Author/Creator: Stone, Robert L. (1921-2009) Place Written: Nashville, Tennessee Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 21 March 1943 Pagination: 2 p. : envelope ; 27.8 x 19.6 cm. Order a Copy PDF Download(s): Transcript of document

Addressed to "Dad and Bee (also the freres [brothers] if home)." Hasn't written lately because he was sick "with a temp of 102 and a very bad sore throat," and just got out of the hospital after being there for five days. He was disappointed earlier in the week as he and others received shipping orders, but were taken off said orders. Their numbers started at two hundred and ten and been narrowed down to thirty "poor souls." He mentions that today is the first day of Spring, but it is snowing. He blames the weather for making everyone sick. He has nothing much to report, as the duties rotate the same, but he has been seeing Phil and Lois a lot when he is not sick. However, he has no plans to visit Tennessee after the war is over. Mentions that he'll let his parents know when he is going to ship out, but cannot disclose the day or location without losing his cadet appointment.
Post-Script: Congratulates Jim on making the Marines.

The letter is written on stationary with "U.S. Army Air Forces" written in blue at the top of the letter, with the blue U.S. Army Air Forces logo. The date is written as "Sunday" but "Letters in a Box" notes it was written on March 21, 1943.

Robert "Bob" Stone was a Bombardier in World War II and served in the Pacific Front. These letters, were compiled by Bob's wife, Sheila M. Stone, and Ali Adair into a book named Letters in a Box. This book details Bob's service to his country, and his life after the war. Bob's letters were donated to the collection by his wife, Sheila M. Stone, in 2017. It contains a variety of letters, postcards, patches, pins, photographs, and scrapbooks that relate to Bob's training and combat missions.

[Draft Created by Crowdsourcing]
Sunday
Dear Dad & Bee (also the frères if home) -
I hope you'll excuse the long wait without mail but unfortunately nothing has broken my way of late and consequently I haven't felt up to writing. As a matter of fact, I just got out of the hospital last night after being in for five days with a temp. of 102 and a very bad sore throat. Never have I spent a more miserable few days or under worse conditions.
A week ago today I got another one of those disappointments that the army is so free with. We were put on shipping orders and were to leave last Sunday, that is until they took us off orders and so here we sit. Right now our original squadron of 210 men has been narrowed down to about 30 poor souls who are left here in Nashville - all the rest have been shipped out. There are so few of us left that we're all in one barracks when formerly we occupied seven. It's really rotten to have all your friends sent away cause you get used to live with one another and then your friendship is broken up.
I'm told that today is the first day of Spring and believe it or not it's snowing outside. This place

[2]
has the damnest weather of any spot I've ever been. That's why so many of the kids spend half of their time in the hospital - it's really miserable!
There's very little to write in the way of news since our days are so very routine. The main accent is on continual guard duty, K.P., and many other odd details. Of course we drill, have gas mask practise, and do calisthenics.
Since I was sick last week, I wasn't in town at all, but before that I saw quite a bit of Lois and Phil. It's swell having them here since the town of Nashville has so little to offer. When the war is over, Tenn. is one state I will never visit again.
Can't think of any more news to write [struck: and] [inserted: but] I'll let you know as soon as I have any idea of moving out although I can't tell you exactly the day cause it's all very secret. As a matter of fact, they threaten to take away our cadet appointment if we tell anyone our date or destination of shippment [sic].
Write often!
Lots of love to all -
Bobby

P.S. Think it's swell about your making the marines, Jim!

[envelope]
A/C R. L. Stone <text loss> 20188
Squadron D-4
Nashville Army Air Center
Nashville, Tenn.

Lt. Comdr. J. C. Stone
375 Park Avenue
New York City
N. Y.

Stone, Robert L., 1921-2009
Stone, Beatrice Hecht Marks, 1901-1962
Stone, Jacob, fl. 1894-1985
Stone, Donald, 1925-2017

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