1 June 1944

Sgt Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

Dodd Field

Fort Sam Houston

Texas

1 June 1944

Dearest Mother

I am worse this week than ever before in writing, but I hope that you will understand that we have really been busy here the last few days and there is no sign of it becoming more slack as time goes on.

I am quite glad to hear of you getting the chance to rest a little during Dad’s absence, and you should do it a little more often.  It will do you good.  Give you the chance to rest a little more because I am sure you become more tired every day of the same old thing as I do.

Well we have had our clothing showdown today which means that we turned in a lot of things that are worn and will be issued new for them.  A person never realizes just how many clothes he has until one of these.  I have a huge pile of things to be turned in.  I wonder what type we will be issued?

I received a letter from Jay today or should I say a short note.

I am quite pleased to hear of the grapevine having such an abundant crop of fruit.  Perhaps the Amaryllis could be transplanted into a larger pot for next year.  Had the Cymbidiums shown much growth as yet this season, keep them quite moist.

The weather here has been terribly hot and I just about fall asleep here every afternoon when it gets so warm.

Last night was pay day night and I was kept awake until about thru this morning by the drunks coming in and making their noise.  I hope that will be more quiet tonight.

We have about all of our nurses and are housing them here on the post.  They are as I have predicted already becoming a problem, and will be more of one before we are done with them.

Doc Skinner told me of his plans to retire and from the clippings in the letter he has had quite a long history in the school system.

You mentioning Dad’s teeth reminds me of my teeth and the time I have had from them and about them.  Ever since the OCS examination (last one) I knew I had a couple cavities so asked Major Kuhns to check them and he found one in the upper R3 (will enclose a Dentist form later).  After he got in he found a small one in the next tooth. Neither one of them were very large and can not be seen from the front.  He then took an X-Ray of the lower one and found a small cavity there.  While in Xray I asked him to take a picture of one of my left lower wisdom teeth which ha(ve) become quite slanted.  So he did and the picture was shocking.  The roots of the tooth are almost straight back and the tooth in impacted.  I decided to have it pulled and made the appointment but had to cancel because of the big Service Command Inspection we had the following day.  So will some day have Major Grubin remove it.  He tells me it may mean a couple weeks in the hospital. So when we get over I will have a lot of time for such things since it is not bothering me any.  A picture of it is like the drawing here

Yes, Sgt Rapp’s wife has been here for about three weeks and I am invited over to dinner this Sunday.

I have been going to go up here and play at golf with one of the boys here but have never gotten around to it.  Doubt if I will at this stage.

I am still and was quite surprised to hear of getting the money in from the Income tax.  You may use the money to pay yourself whatever I owe you for telephone stock etc and deposit the rest and buy some more stock when and if it get(s) lower.  You may soon get so much each month from me in an allotment which I will send you the details of later.

One of the new officers we have here is from S F and is about 6’8” and wears a size 14 shoe.  He is certainly a card and tells me that he thinks that he will not make a good soldier.  I asked him what he thought of me as one.  He told me that he thought I was a very good one and was quite the person here. Ha ha.

As for your coming down, I see the same picture as you do regarding the unpracticability of the whole thing.  It of course would be very nice and I would enjoy it so very much. But to my way of thinking it would be more trouble than it would be worth.

Enclosed you will find a few pictures you may like and I will have a few more of them here if you want some of them.  There are also a couple of the Galveston bivouac which may interest you.  Will send more of them later to avoid making this letter too heavy.

 Heard from William Orum, often longed to hear from him.

Well enough for this time and will write again soon.

As ever

Your son

Love,

Stanley