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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

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC09620.131 Author/Creator: Stone, Robert L. (1921-2009) Place Written: Oahu, Hawaii Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 23 September 1944 Pagination: 2 p. : envelope ; 27.4 x 19.4 cm. Order a Copy PDF Download(s): Transcript of document

Addressed to "Dad + Bee." He thanks them for their various letters written anywhere from a month to six days ago. He catches up with his father about news from home and asks if his parents received a letter and a card where he asked them to order flowers for Pam. If they did, he asks that they cash the check so his bank account will be squared away. His program is bogged down as they don't have enough functioning planes to fly or enough people to fix them.

The letter is dated as "Oahu, Hawaii, September 23rd." "Letters in a Box" dates the letter as September 23, 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]
Oahu, Hawaii
September 23rd
Dear Dad & Bee -
Many thanks for all your various letters which have been coming through quite rapidly of late. Your last letter only took six days, Dad. On the other side of the ledger however, I've gotten some that have taken over a month so I guess it's all just luck.
That certainly was something about Toni being caught thieving. I never did think she was all there. The oddest coincidence was that the afternoon I received your letter with the clipping I spotted the enclosed out of Yank magazine. Also out of Yank is the clipping of Lt. Shepard Shedden who I believe is the son of one of your friends, Dad. I remembered that name and it struck a familiar note, am I not right that you know his dad?
Before I forget, my July bank statement just arrived from N.Y. and you have a check for $12 outstanding. I'm wondering if you ever received that letter. I mailed it to pay for Pam's flowers you ordered and asked you to send her some more and enclosed a card. Please be sure to let me know if you received that letter and if so please cash the check because it's bawling up my bank book.

[2]
Very little to report on from out here cause life goes on about the same as ever. Our program is bogged down badly due to a scarcity of airplanes in commission. We've got lots of 'em but they sit on the ramp on the blink and we're short men to repair them. At the moment we're all rather unhappy just wasting time, apparently not accomplishing much but c'est la guerre!
The mosquitos have just about got the best of me so I'll close here. By the way, as yet the films haven't arrived [strikeout] Bee, but I'm sure they will. Many thanks in advance.

My love to you all -
Bobby

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

Mr. 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

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