May 15, 1943

PFC Stanley W Safford

5^th Aux Surgical Group

Dodd Field

Ft Sam Houston

Texas

May 15, 1943

Dear Mother,

I am here at the service desk again writing.  I went into town this afternoon and took in my dirty pair of Khaki pants and shirt to the cleaners.  And on my way back decided to go over to the school and see if they by any chance had any mail there and they did.  The one which you mailed on the thirteenth and I was very glad to receive it because my mail has been few and far between of late since I told everybody that I was planning on leaving so therefore they have not written me any.

Well, after today I am more pleased with my new camp than I was last night. But of course it could be better.  My job as near as I can find out is going to be the assistant to the plans and training officer, a Captain Skinner who seem to be a very nice person.  And then there are a couple other doctors around who seem to be very nice.  The idea of the outfit is to go overseas and to work where they are needed and then return to their home outfit and then go elsewhere.  I am going to try and make an effort to get out before they go anywhere of course. I am going to instruct classes and more or less be his right hand man around so they tell me now.  The outfit when done will have 170 enlisted men, 130 officers and quite a number of nurses.  The men the Captain told me this morning are about to thirds very ignorant and most of them have not finished Junior high School and he also tells me that he can never see them as making anything out of them but letter bearers.

Did you find the booklet on Fort Sam Houston inside the front corner of the Audubon book? You know the bonds that I have paid for, well they tell me the Service School has just laid aside the money and that I am going to get it all back.  So I shall send it home and you can buy bonds for me with it.  And then I will again start my bond allotment and get things straightened out to running order.

The news of the garden makes me want to be home and see it again. Just for curiosity I called Southern Pacific a few minutes ago and asked the furlough rates for a round trip ticket to L.A. from here and they told me it was 35.85 round trip which is not very bad, but when I don’t know?

From the newspapers here in the Library (The Examiner) I gather Governor Warren is really showing them a few things on how to run a State government.  I always thought he was a good man.

After finishing my letter here I shall go home and go to the day room and write a letter to Frances and Joseph if possible and will spend the time tomorrow writing and amuse myself in that way.  And maybe after I get to work I shall like my new home better.  In one way I really think that it is for the better only hope and pray that I may get a chance at OCS.  I think that if at all possible the officers here will help me more than the last ones did.  You know that Captain Rosenbaum, when he was transferred, came to the 1^st Aux. Surgical Group. Only he is now studying in California somewhere for something?

I am quite anxious to see the pictures which you mentioned taking Sunday.  I believe that I will send home some more things soon.  Maybe my Hortus although I would hate to even tho I haven’t used it but very little.  What do you think?  And then there are some more papers etc. And maybe in time my camera if I go to OCS.

I shall close now hoping you are all well and especially my love to you mother,

Your son,

Stanley.