Stone, Robert L. (1921-2009) to Jacob Stone and Beatrice Stone.
Order a pdf of this item here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC09620.123 Author/Creator: Stone, Robert L. (1921-2009) Place Written: Oahu, Hawaii Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 6 August 1944 Pagination: 2 p. : envelope ; 27.2 x 21.4 cm. Order a Copy PDF Download(s): Transcript of document
Addressed to "Dad + Bee." The first week of classes is over and they have a day off to spend at the beach. There's a "lovely officers club" right on the beach with an "attractive snack bar" and other perks. He found a college register as well and recognizes a few other names based in Hawaii.
Mail is still jumbled, but he's getting the ones with his new APO. He asks for them to continue writing.
Post-Script: Asks his parents to send him some 620 film by taking this letter to Eastman Kodak.
The letter is dated as "Sunday Aug. 6th." "Letters in a Box" dates the letter as August 6, 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]
Sunday, Aug 6th
Dear Dad & Bee -
Our first week of classes [strikeout] is over and today is our day-off, and so we're down here on the beach enjoying a little sun and relaxation. As I look out on the beach it's hard to believe that there's a war on - there are people swimming, surf-boarding, and sailing.
This is really a lovely officers club located on the beach just beyond the Royal Hawaiian. They have swimming and sunbathing facilities, a writing room, and an attractive snack bar. There's a college register book here and I ran across several boys name's that I knew. Harvey Daniels' name was under the Dartmouth group.
Many thanks for your long newsy letter, Bee. It's one of the first I received with my new APO address. Haven't heard from Dad for awhile but I guess that's because he's still fishing. Our mail service here is terrible.
[2]
The letters chase around the island for awhile until they locate us.
Can't think of anything else, and besides it's time to be getting back. Please write often because mail is really a welcome treat.
All love -
Bobby
P.S. Please see if you can get some 620 film to send me. I believe if you take this letter to Eastman Kodak (near the station) they'll give you a few rolls to [strikeout] send me.
Love again -
Bobby
[envelope]
Lt. R.L. Stone 0-696041
VII Bomber Command (Heavy Tng. Det.)
APO 953 ? Postmaster
San Francisco, Cal.
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.