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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 #: GLC09620.183 Author/Creator: Stone, Robert L. (1921-2009) Place Written: Camp Davis, North Carolina Type: Typed letter signed Date: 14 July 1945 Pagination: 1 p. : envelope ; 26.6 x 18.7 cm. Order a Copy PDF Download(s): Transcript of document

Addressed to "Dad and Bee." Life is extremely dull in Camp Davis, a German prisoner of war camp in North Carolina. He was put on a list to have an administrative job, but he doesn't have any experience. He hopes he won't be sent for a refresher course before getting assigned to a non-combat job. He doesn't understand why the army is holding on to everyone. He hopes to call tomorrow on his father's birthday and thanks them for a "perfectly swell" leave at home.

The letter is dated "Camp Davis, Saturday 14th, 1945." A post-it note that came with the collection notes the letter was written on July 14, 1945.

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]
Camp Davis
Saturday 14th, 1945
Dear Dad and Bee:
Really haven't much news to pass on as life is extremely dull down here. As I told you in my last letter I won't be able to get out of the service for the time being. Oh how the army sticks to its word! You've never seen a more disillusioned bunch of fellows as we have here.
Today I went to the classification part of my processing. They sent in a recommendation for me to be assigned to a place like Fort Dix and do some kind of administrative work. Frankly I doubt if this will be accepted as I have had no administrative experience, but I'll just have to wait and see. I'd give just about anything to be stationed at Dix. It will take about a week to find out if this assignment goes through. If it doesn't I believe I'll be sent out to Midland Texas (God forbid) to go through a refresher course. At the completion of the course which lasts six weeks you go into a pool and they try to find you some sort of job. By that time they may have released us [as essential] and we can get out. You see, they have more of us than they need but for some reason they're not releasing us at the moment. Any job we get we'll just be marking time and so it won't amount to a damn. I won't ramble on any further because it's all so confused that makes me mad to discuss it. To think that the army doesn't need us yet they insist on making us stay in the army and do nothing but bide our time.
I have received a letter from you this morning, Dad, as well as one ## that I had written you. I forgot that airmail is eight cents in the states and so they returned my letter for two cents. No matter what happens I'll probably be here for another week at least, so please continue to write.
Just to prove that I wasn't exaggerating about this dump, they are no longer taking any returnees, and it will merely continue to be a German POW camp. Rain, mosquitos, and heat are the most outstanding things that Camp Davis boasts and frankly I don't like any of them.
Last night a couple of us went into Wilmington for dinner and we were sadly disappointed. It's a typical small town overrun with soldiers and marines from Camp Lejeune.
Guess that's about all for now as I intend to talk to you tomorrow on Dad's birthday. Oh say, in my state of confusion since I've been down here I forgot to thank you for a perfectly swell leave at home. It was really great to get home and be with you again after all those months. You certainly did everything to make my stay just like old times what with theater and all. I don't need to say thanks a million because you know how much I appreciated everything you did for me. Enough said!
Best love,
Bobby

[envelope]
Lt. Robert L. Stone 0-696041
1079th AFF Base Unit
Camp Davis
North Carolina

Mr. J.C Stone
35 Cushman Road
Scarsdale NY
AIRMAIL

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

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