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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 #: GLC09620.157 Author/Creator: Stone, Robert L. (1921-2009) Place Written: Mariana Islands Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 12 January 1945 Pagination: 3 p. : envelope ; 24.6 x 15.7 cm. Order a Copy PDF Download(s): Transcript of document

Addressed to "Dad + Bee." He thanks Bee for the Christmas box which finally arrived in great shape. He enjoyed the shorts, bingo game, writing paper, and the "cute" picture frame and photographs [not included in collection]. He hopes that Bee is feeling better after her holiday illness.

He is up to eighteen missions, and he hopes that his crew can reach twenty-five before they go on rest leave. There are two crews before his, so he believes they'll go in February if all goes well. He thanks his father for sending a thank you note from Jim and for wrapping Bee's presents.

The place is more livable as all the boys in the unit are working on an officers club. Things are very different from three months ago.

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]
The Marianas
January 12, 1945
Dear Dad & Bee -
Yes Bee, your wonderful Christmas box finally arrived a bit late but in perfect shape. Many, many thanks for all the various packages. It was such fun opening each individual gift - the shorts, bingo game, writing paper, and especially the cute picture frame and pictures were truly appreciated. Many thanks for all the beautifully wrapped packages, Bee. 'Twas too bad they were late but better late than never as they say, and frankly our mail services out here is hardly the best.
I hope this letter finds you up and at 'em again after your illness. It was such a shame that it spoiled your Christmas for you.
All's well out here and we now [struck: hope] have eighteen missions to our credit. We're hoping to get in twenty-five by the time we go on rest leave so that we'll only have fifteen

[2]
to go when we get back from Oahu. There are two crews to go on rest before our turn comes up but we ought to go sometime in February, if all goes per schedule.
You mentioned again that you thought Don was in Belgium, but as I said in my last letter I believe he's still in England. I too received his Christmas card with a picture of the cathedral at Bruges, Belgium.
I received a letter from Jim thanking for my wallet. Thanks for sending it along Dad, as well as attending to wrapping Bee's gifts.
Please continue to send along the clippings as you have been doing, Dad. It's fun to read about the missions we are flying.
Missed Barry a couple of days ago when I was away on a raid. He left a note saying that we'd tried to get together again sometime next week when I'm not flying.

[3]
Between raids we've been busy working on the officers club we're building. Everybody pitches in when we're not busy and before long we ought to have a nifty club. Little by little this place is becoming more and more livable - things have really changed from the day we arrived three months ago. There are a great many places on the island that have completely changed face and are now unrecognizable from a few months ago.
Guess that'll have to do for now. Again many thanks for all the effort you put into my Christmas package, Bee.

Best love -
Bobby
[envelope]
Lt. R. L. Stone 0696041
431st Bomb Squadron 11th Group
APO 246 ? Postmaster
San Francisco, Cal.

Mr. & Mrs. J. C. Stone
375 Park Avenue
New York City (22)
NY

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

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