Stone, Robert L. (1921-2009) to Jacob Stone and Beatrice Stone
Order a pdf of this item here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC09620.098 Author/Creator: Stone, Robert L. (1921-2009) Place Written: March Field, California Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 3 June 1944 Pagination: 2 p. : envelope ; 25.3 x 16.2 cm. Order a Copy PDF Download(s): Transcript of document
Addressed to "Dad + Bee." Writes that he's glad "Alderbrook" was a huge success and that the "Navy situation has come to a head," as his father can truly get a break. As he mentioned on the phone, "not for repeition," he'll be leaving March Field to a combat zone. Everything is quite indefinite at this moment. He asks that his family keeps writing to his address.
The letter is dated "Saturday." "Letters in a Box," notes the letter was sent on June 3, 1944.
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]
Saturday
Dear Dad & Bee -
As usual, it was swell to talk to you the other night. I was so glad to get you after trying Alderbrook with no answer for two hours. I kept trying, thinking you might be fishing.
Your stay sounded like a huge success and I'm sure the rest did you a world of good, Dad. I'm glad for your sake that your Navy situation has come to a head because I know how restless you were with the whole thing in mid-air. It's swell that you're so philosophical about the whole thing and I'm sure that the Navy's decision is all for your own good. Now you can get a good rest without feeling
[2]
that you're not doing your duty. It's not easy to have to live by the rigorous routine of the hours you did.
As I told you on the phone (and it's not for repitition [sic]) I'll be pulling out of here in around three weeks. From March you know where I go and from there it's all a guess. Once we leave March our whereabouts is supposedly secret and all mail etc. has to be sent here and forwarded on. The other crews have stayed in the country about 10 days or so after leaving here but of course that's all quite indefinite. That's all I can tell you because I don't know anything more definite right now.
Let's hear from you soon.
All love -
Bobby
[envelope]
Lt. R.L. Stone 0-696041
Box 1416
March Field
Riverside, California
Lt. Comdr. J.C. Stone
375 Park Avenue
New York City
N.Y.
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.