December 1, 1942

From Pvt Stanley Safford
US Army
Co A 62 Med Tng Bn
Camp Barkeley
Texas

December 1, 1942
Dearest Mother:
I have been trying to get a chance to write you a little ever since Thursday, but have not been able to get around to it although did get one mailed to Marshall and Frances and was sure glad to get them off.
I also was in hopes of finishing something to send you for a wedding anniversary present but could not find anything within the limits of this place then today thought of a telegram but the only place is at the other end of the camp about three or four miles so I want you to go out to a nice place for dinner and a show and I will pay for it. Yes I am quite rich. We were paid yesterday and I got the large sum of thirty-seven dollars and they were all brand new ones so I will therefore send some money home if I can get to the post office some evening before it closes which is seven. I am usually through eating about six fifteen then we have mail call at six thirty then I usually wouldn’t be able to get down if it takes as long to call the mail as it did this evening. I missed dinner this evening to get a haircut to avoid having to stand in line an hour or so after dinner and I told him in good plain English what kind of a haircut I wanted and I believe I got it because the other boys in the tent remarked upon what a good one it was compared to some that some of the others have gotten.
We had an exceptionally large meal this noon and it was quite good but a little greasy so I could afford to miss this evening as a lot of them do to avoid getting stomach ache as I had last night, we don’t do much so a heavy and greasy meal is quite often too much.
The reason for only 37 dollars is insurance for two months – November and December, $6.50 each month - I put down the proper things on the insurance policy only was not sure of the birth place and after thinking of your middle name I got the idea that it might be Helen but I am alright on it now. And if you will send me Dads birthplace, date etc I may need it.
The process of paying us here is quite a procedure we one at a time come before a first lieutenant who calls the last name and we answer with our first and middle initials, then next to him sits the company commander who has a few stacks of new bills in front of him: ones, fives, tens and twenties, then piles of silver all new. We salute him, he counts the money on the table before him, we bend over, scoop the money into our hat, thank him and walk on to the next lieutenant and assistant who is there for the purpose of collecting for the laundry the awful price of four dollars a month but I have not sent any in as yet but will this month because I do not have time to do my own and will put the extra time into writing or something of that kind of course they have to take it 200 miles to the laundry.
I just had to tell the bunch of Mexicans at the other end of the table to shut up or get out, the bunch of dirty monkeys get in here and start chattering and jarring the table and making a lot of noise. They sure could get rid of a lot of them here to suit a lot of us.
Well perhaps the most sensational news of the week was what took place Friday. I was called before the company commander who is a first lieutenant for a promotion. And was I frightened and nervous! Because I couldn’t imagine what he could want me for until the first (..) told me it was regarding officers training, so when I walked into the tent I expected to find him and probably one or two others but instead there were six or eight first and second lieutenants flanked sitting in chairs each side of him. I had to walk to the desk, salute, then stand at attention and answer his questions then when the interview was done I had to thank him then salute again then make an about face and walk out being till under the steady view of all in the room. Have not heard anything of it yet and may not until the end of the tests and then maybe not then. In fact I am beginning to wonder if it would interest me of course it would mean 6 more months here for me.
We have been out of coal here for two days so I got my hands dirty this evening trying to get a fire started and it didn’t want to start too well.
We have had ice a couple mornings. We got up this morning and it wasn’t bad but we had no sooner gotten to the classes (?) in the tent when clouds gathered and a strong cold wind came up and we would like to have frozen before we were brought into the mess hall.
And by the way while I am on the subject I want you to send me a pair of gloves, fleece lined if possible. I have lost one of the poor kind they gave us and the cold seemed to come right through them. Most of the workmen here working on the new buildings wear those hats usually checkered with flap down over the ears and gloves, then watch them trying to work with all that. No wonder the buildings are not done.
I have not been into Abilene as yet and perhaps may not go but once if then. From what I hear it is not much of a place. I may go just to see what it is like.
As to what they do for amusement around here, well most of us either study or write and the rest gamble and for no small stakes from what I hear. One of the boys here won 140 dollars yesterday. Of course it was pay day and much to my astonishment I went to the lavatory this morning at 2:30am – I have not usually gone until 6:30 and when I opened the door there they were in there, gambling and no small crowd either. There is usually four or five crowds in there gambling and the rest of the oakies standing around the fire completely fill the place so anyone else can not get in. They have two companies using a one company lavatory now and company B is all from Alabama or somewhere and if they are not peculiar looking bunch and they are continually having to give them inspections on finger nails with bath etc because they don’t keep themselves very clean, and they for amusement play a banjo and sing some of these awful songs of Texas plains and the tent right in back of us is full of a bunch that hog call etc all hours of the day and night. Quite enjoyable with their very good English along with it.
We have some very interesting persons in our company also two or three of them they have sent to the asylum already and a lot more of them could be there with them.
There is one that is one of the filthiest people I have ever seen. It actually is in crusts on him and his mouth hangs open and his nose runs continually and in class he asks questions about something entirely or about two classes late. He almost made me sick at the dinner table today. He had messed out everything within reach then he had a piece of meat left on his dish, then he proceeded to offer it to each one of us at the table telling us that it was a shame to waste good meat that had not been touched.
Then we have a seven day Adventist in the same tent with him who is a vegetarian and will above all not do a thing on Saturday. Then there is one person who is probably fifty years old and was perhaps a drunkard previous to here and they found him drunk on the field today and perhaps as I have not told you this county is dry – not even beer – and come to find out he had been working in the kitchen and he had gotten hold of a bottle of pure vanilla and drank it ha! Ha! And was he drunk!
And we have quite a few others also.
I am enclosing a sample of the notebook paper I would like you to get for me. I got it there on Central at Vests(?). The only place I have been able to find it and also will you send me a notebook of about seven by nine or approx. only not one of the large ones (loose leaf of course and perfectly a loose soft cover and get quite a lot of paper for each of them.
Speaking of the camera – do not get too cheap a one or of course too expensive. I have seen too many of the cheap complicated ones sent here that do not work after a short time.
Joseph kept harping on what he could send me in his letter so I will ask him if he wants to get me one of those small atlases showing all countries etc. but I would like you to send me a map of the US.
I sure enjoyed and appreciated getting the newspaper clippings and if you get any more on the African of French situation would you send more (of) them. They may come in handy.
We had a very nice Thanksgiving dinner and I had a short spell of homesickness when they had a couple boys play la Golondrina[1].http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX7Dikxmt3U It reminded me of home for some reason. The meal was just as the menu you sent me.
I am enclosing a couple clippings clipped from a Fort Worth paper, one dealing with the Balkan 2nd front. The first of any mention I have heard of it and who may be backing it.
I received a nice card and letter from Miss Mosher. I wrote her first sometime ago. The mail I sometimes wonder if it leaves here and comes in as promptly as it may. I also wrote Matson’s some time ago but have received a note from Mrs. Moore whose letter was mailed the same time I mailed Matson’s. I do not quite understand. Glad to hear that they got it. I will write another letter very soon and tell you more about myself and answer some of your questions in your letter before last and as you said I am full of figures and loads of news and elaborate latin names of bones etc and nice long names for some army terms.
If I get my picture taken, do you want it in a garrison cap (with the bill) or the other skull cap type? I do not have one of the first and I will have to have time to buy one. But there may be a chance I will get home after the first of 43. I will also try and get something for Muriel and send her. I had better be closing now for it is getting late.
Good bye with lots of love,
Stanley
[1] MEXICAN SONG CREATED BY Narciso Serradel Sevilla, 1862. (1843-1910), a native of Alvarado, Veracruz, Mexico, was both a doctor and a composer. During the war against the French Maximiliano, Serradel fought against the French Imperial troops alongside General Zaragoza. He was taken prisoner - and deported to France. He is most famous for his popular song of farewell, "La Golondrina." The song is often thought of as "traditional."

November 22, 1942

From Pvt Stanley Safford
US Army
Co A 62 Med Tng Bn
Camp Barkeley
Texas

November 22, 1942
Dear Folks:
Hear it is Sunday and my first free Sunday in the army. I awoke this morning quite early and the usual cold strong wind was blowing and I did not get up for breakfast and understand that I did not miss very much, then got dressed and went out with the intention of going to church but could not find it and nobody at that time could tell me where it was. It was in one of the tents last Sunday. SO I then returned home to our tent and like to have frozen half to death before getting back. SO I will spend the most of the day writing letters which I am far behind on because of lack of time and by the (way) I do not have Jay Elmonts’ address which you can send me.
We have had the fire in the tent all day and upon going out I have had to put on our field jacket and the pair of gloves and lunch was quite good but this evening meal was not very good.
They opened the new latrine (lavatory) and shower room last evening and it was a very happy occasion for our camp to have hot water once again and it sure feels good.
Last Tuesday we went on a nine mile hike up into the hills where there are a few small cypress and some small undergrowth and we then had lunch there then returned home after repacking our tents etc. They not only had the ambulances but the kitchen and water trucks full of boys who thought they could not make it and didn’t. On the march we walked through the ground where the 90th division of infantry practices and saw their camouflaged trucks and guns, also we had some gas masks practices on the way.
We also had a class on gas masks drill this week. First we went out on the field and they exploded three different types of gasses to let us smell and we then went into the gas shelter to see what one was like. From there we went into a house with our gas masks on and went through the procedure of a drill we were then told to take off our masks and walk from the house. We then discovered that the room was filled with tear gas. From there we went outside into the air. The purpose of the drill was to give us confidence in our mask. The gas comes at a person like a huge cloud of smoke and quite thick and it was all quite interesting and we have had some very interesting classes on gas, orientation, bandaging, Germany invasion scheme etc. Can’t you just see me all wrapped up in bandages of all kinds and descriptions around the legs etc.
We have also had the first stages of letter carrying which does not seem to(o) interesting any way the first part of it.
We have some interesting character here in camp. One of them can ask some of the funniest questions imaginable and when the officers see him getting ready to ask one they grim to themselves, such as the one he asked on what to do with the gas mask when crossing a stream to protect it from the water. The captain answered him to use his own judgment in carrying it but only above water – quite a character(!) how he even got her is a problem to us all because he even looks crazy.
We then had the person whom I often wanted to ask if I had ever seen before, the first thing we heard was that they had him in the guardhouse for going under an assumed name and having had a previous jail record in L A and that he was a real colored boy from the Central Avenue district and his real name was Brown and he was using the name Martiny but he could speak a little Spanish, which made it the much more surprising but anyway they have gotten rid of him.
They are just beginning to start separating the cooks and truck drivers from our company, they will be for the balance of the six weeks given classes according to their line because they all have to have the basic two weeks training. They will still belong to the medical corps only they will do the cooking and the ambulance driving.
The camp was in quite an uproar last evening because the two weeks quarantine was up and that meant the granting of passes to town etc. But quite a few of them could not go because we have not as yet got our hats or caps back, which they tool to have braids put on them about a week and a half ago they are to be maroon piped with white you have perhaps noticed it but did not know that you could tell what they belonged to by the color of the braid.
In our handbooks it tells us all the designs we will see and the colors they will be in we now have three handbooks and two books of mimeographed papers which we as yet have not had much time to study. I may have spoken of it before but our emblem is called the caduceus. It is Mercury’s staff with wings attached and two snakes entwined around it. I think it is probably one of the nicest emblems that I have seen before. Of course you know that the officers wear a black and gold braid in their hats.
I received the box of things you sent and I sure appreciate them especially the candy, almonds, pecans and the dictionary. It has come in very handy already. I also received Muriel’s letter and want to thank her for Luther’s address and she is right about his mother being able to talk a leg off a person. I have been trying to find something to send home as a souvenir but yet have not found anything worthwhile but perhaps will find something of some value in the near future. I walked over to the other side of the camp this evening but didn’t find anything there to give you an idea of the size of the camp. They have a three thousand bed hospital over there. You perhaps do not have any idea of the size of this camp.
You speaking of cameras, there is a fairly nice camera and camera supply store on the North side of Sixth street between Olive and Grand anyway in the same block as the Beltmore. You might be able to find something there.
Tell Muriel that is she wants gum I can get it for her at 3c per pkg. approx. if she want it they do seem to have plenty of that here.
If the things on the back porch are bulbs, you can plant them now, as for the bulbs along the fence they are not planted clear to the South end and I thought I left a ridge there.
As for the bulbs in the refrigerator you can plant them anywhere as long as they get a part day shade and plant the crowns about five inches deep and perhaps you can wait until about Xmas before planting them. How are the callas coming out front. If you get time, would you check all the labels on my cymbidiums and make sure they are all kept tagged in some way and if you would make out a list of them and what size pot they are in and if they are in the ground, I will perhaps then let you know further what to do with them. Have you as yet seen Mr. Matson and showed him the pictures of the antiques and gotten the Hollandin azalea for Mr. Ricks.
Speaking of pictures will you have another set of them made including the ones taken at Joe’s house and send them to me because I would like to send him the ones taken at his home and distribute the other ones taken at his house and distribute the other ones in a couple chain letters to them and back to me and out again. Have you got the antiques covered as yet? There is a table cloth out in the backroom on the table that may be used if cleaned maybe. Do you play the phonograph very much? But don’t let Muriel play it. I have Aunt Maybells’ address.
And if Ned Safford follows the footsteps of his parents you probably won’t hear from him.
The letters and cards I mailed in Phoenix were mailed by the lieutenant in charge because we were not able to go into any depot of any kind.
I sometimes wonder if the Tanabes’ really trusted you with the packages you speak of as for insuring them for twelve thousand dollars I do not know.
I do not know or see any signs of any one getting fat on the food here.
The dark glasses will sure come in handy.
One of the boys in my tent is a Basque and is sure a nice person to good hearted for his own good the one next to him is a nice person perhaps a man of 35 or 40 rather hard of hearing and easy to get along with the next one is a dirty Mexican which I did not know until just 5 or 6 days ago. I knew he had some Spanish or something in him but when he tells you he does not speak Mexican and does not associate with them and then you catch him in his lies and he starts talking and associating with them, there is something wrong. The lieutenants have jumped him several times about his sloppy wearing of clothes and the mess he leaves his bed and surroundings but he still tries to pass for a white man with the name of Richman. Then the other boy is Italian on the verge of a breakdown and just goes to pieces everyone once in a while. He has been married 3 or 4 months and it is easy to see why they do not make good fighters. Then the other person is perhaps a man of 30 years and very easy to get along with.
I have as yet quite a few letters to write and I do want to answer Marshall’s letter.
Will you please send me some of my latest stationary or just a mixture of it and also my flashlight because I may have difficulty in getting batteries for the one Miss Mosher gave me here, but check the batteries and get a new bulb for it. Because I may have use for a stronger light, also send me a couple of air mail stamps for I may have use for them. I do not know when I will get a PO(?)
I also have to write Aunt Nina and thank her for the dictionary. Also, Richard Rohde, is the last name spelled correct or is it Rhode?
I received a nice long letter from Joe the other day. He always writes long letters and nice ones.
I surely wish I could be home for Thanksgiving but suppose we will have the day of so it will be a short week for us. If you ever have to reach me quickly you can sometimes reach me through the Red Cross sooner than by telephone. They come through so slowly.
Your son,
Stanley