Our Collection

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, Beatrice Stone, Don Stone, Jim Stone, Ken Marks, and Barry Marks

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC09620.116 Author/Creator: Stone, Robert L. (1921-2009) Place Written: Oahu, Hawaii Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 13 July 1944 Pagination: 3 p. : envelope ; 27.3 x 19.4 cm. Order a Copy PDF Download(s): Transcript of document

Addressed to "All." He finally arrived in the "beautiful Hawaiian Islands." He stayed aboard the ship the first night and they were taken to base by trucks the following morning. The base is a small landing strip surrounded by mountains and jungles on one side and the ocean on the other. They'll be in flying training and patrol missions before going "down under." Everything is "hush hush" and Honolulu is filled with "Navy." He saw the "famous Pearl Harbor" and writes that he'll be able to get letters out to his parents and Pam, but they will be minimal, just like his free time. He includes his new address and signs off.

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]
Thursday July 13th
Dearest All -
At long last we arrived at our new home. We were greeted by a lovely sight as our ship steamed into the beautiful Hawaiian Islands. The blue water and sandy beaches made us a royal welcome.
We stayed on ship board the first night and didn't debark until the next morning at which time we were met by trucks. They took us to our base which is a small landing strip.
To one side of us are mountains and jungle and on the other is the ocean. We live in tents and have to use mosquito nets at night because of the insects etc. Everything at the base is quite crude and life is rather on the rugged side.
For awhile we will be flying training and patrol missions before going "down under." I'm not completely sure of the nature of our work but for awhile I believe it will

[2]
consist of training.
Everything [inserted: military] here on the islands is extremely hush-hush and so it's very hard to write a good letter. Anything much pertaining to our base and flying etc. is out.
Was in Honolulu yesterday and it's not much of a place. It's full of navy. All of the stores are full of junk for the American soldiers to buy. It's almost like Playland. Got a look at famous Pearl Harbor although you can't get inside to look around. The islands are really beautiful with their volcanic peaks jutting up into the blue skies. Parts of the island (where we're based) are really kinda wild and woolly - nothing like the beautiful Hawaii that you see on posters and in the movies.
I hope by now that you've received the letters I wrote on the boat. As yet I haven't received any mail over here and I'm looking forward to my first letter. Incidentally, they say that air-mail comes lots faster than V-mail so please use that. From now on our time off will be quite scarce so you'll have to bear with me if I can't write often. I definitely won't be able to write anyone but you and Pam. Please tell all my friends to write

[3]
but not to expect to hear from me because I just won't be able to make it, even though I'd like to. Be sure that the boys all get a copy of my letters. The following is my new address and be sure you make it exact so that I'll be sure to receive my mail.
Lt. Robert L. Stone 0-696041
7th Bomber Command (Heavy Training Detachment)
APO 953 ? Postmaster
San Francisco, Cal.
I'm looking forward to finding that you make use of this often. Mail call is the big event of the day here.
Enough for now.
With love -
Bobby

[envelope]
Lt. R. L. Stone 0-696041
7th Bomber Command (Heavy Training Det.)
APO 953 ? Postmaster
San Francisco, Cal.

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

Stone, Robert L., 1921-2009
Stone, Jacob, fl. 1894-1985
Stone, Beatrice Hecht Marks, 1901-1962
Stone, James, 1926-2007
Stone, Donald, 1925-2017
Marks, Barry, 1926-1983

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