Spaulding, Robert M., August 22-23, 1982

Robert M. Spaulding (September 26, 1923 – December 7, 2013) was an author, scholar, and professor born in Aliceville, AL who grew up in Mississippi. While at the University of Mississippi, he enlisted in the Enlisted Reserve Corps for the Army and was called in to attend the Army Japanese Language School at the University of Michigan in 1943. He received his bachelor’s in oriental studies in 1945 from the University of Michigan before being sent to Military Intelligence Service Language School at Fort Snelling. In December 1945, he was commissioned to go to Japan, first working with telegraph censorship in the Civil Censorship Detachment (CCD) under the Publication and Broadcasting Section of SCAP. He then changed to press censorship, joining the news agency section. He was discharged from the Army in 1947, but remained in Japan as a civilian helping with military services until 1958, working with censorship, psychological warfare, and serving as the Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff, Headquarters, U.S. Far East Command, Japan. After returning to the States, Spaulding received his MA and PhD from the University of Michigan in 1959 and 1965 in Japanese history. He remained at the University of Michigan until 1971, before becoming a professor of Japanese history at Oklahoma State University. In 2013, Robert M. Spaulding passed away at the age of 90.