February 27, 1944

Sgt Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

Dodd Field

Fort Sam Houston

Texas

February 27, 1944

Dear Mother:

It’s Sunday afternoon here now and we have just finished our afternoon meal, although I did not eat so very much as Sgt Kupfer and myself are going out to eat this evening for a change.

I helped this morning in a funny little ceremony although informed of removing Major McIntyre’s gold leaves and pinning on the silver ones making him a Lt. Col.  The letter of promotion came thru this morning and he came down right away and got a pair of silver ones which were in the Col’s desk for him.  They have been waiting for them some time now.  He can quit working so hard now.  The next thing that we expect will be full eagles for the Lt Col.  He’s also expecting it very soon.

The officers training program is now in full swing and am I busy.  There is something every minute of the day for me to work on.  And there is usually a big mess of some kind about every day that requires undoing or adjustment to please someone.  I have a grand time getting all the training films to the class on time and the right ones when they do get there.  The projectionist that we have had is one of those Georgia back woods dumb bell and he certainly is a good example of the average man here.  You tell him something and he will pay no more attention than if I were talking to a blank wall.  We therefore had to have some more projectionists.  I asked for five and got them.

Saffords and Finleys, Feb 44

I was quite surprised to hear from you so soon one letter the day after the other.  Altho I like to receive lots of mail.  I had heard of the heavy rain in California over the radio and was very glad to hear more about it from the clipping.  You really must have had a time of it there and I understand the power and light are out on strike along with it as the other clipping mentions and one of the Majors told me so also.

We have had the most peculiar weather here also.  Rain one day and then the sun will shine for a while then go back to a drizzle again.  The other day the sun shone all then along toward evening when I was on my way to town it clouded up and we had thunder lightning, rain and hail about the size of marbles in about ten minutes time.  I got a little wet in just running from one bus to another.  When we got into town it had not rained there at all.  It rained here this morning but is sultry dry and rather breezy outside now.

I was quite pleased to receive the pictures.  They turned out quite nice for a change.  You can have copies made for Finleys of the ones they are in and you can the copies numbered on the back of each picture in this envelope and you can keep thee small ones at home for me.  The fellow you speak of by the car is Sgt Harmless, a boy from Indiana and he is a Dental technician.  The fellow on the walk is Sgt Rapp the s/Sgt Mess Sgt.  The other boy in the pictures with Kupfer and myself is Johnson my former clerk.  I want you to keep closer tract of what I owe you.  Keep tract of all this and send me bills for it.  I expect to pay for these things.

Well I am about out of news for now so will close for now and write again soon.  Take care of yourself and don’t work too hard.

As ever,

Stanley

Major MacIntyre, Colonel Gay, Captain Fugera, Captain Jones and in the jeep, Major Grubin

PS: I was just down here and decided to write a letter so am using a straight pen instead of other

October 20, 1943

Sgt Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

Dodd Field

Ft Sam Houston

Texas

October 20, 1943

My dear Mother:

Well after so many days of laxness in writing I decided that this evening I would finally get down to business and get a letter off to you. I have just finished rereading the clipping “A Package of Seed” which you sent me a couple of letters back and I think that it is really a very pretty little piece and a little different.  Mrs. Tedesco thought that the piece about the registered fathers was a real good one and she copied it and sent it to her husband.  Have I mentioned before that I met her husband one evening a short time ago?  I really liked him a lot, more than I imagined I would.

Last Sunday I became rather tired of staying around here so did not get a letter written to you.  I got ready and went to town for dinner and show “Heaven Can Wait” which I thought very good although I usually don’t care for Don Ameche.  But it was a different kind of picture.

The dinner I had was also very delicious and I enjoyed it for a change from our every day thing here which seems to be getting worse as the time goes on.  Last evening Mrs. Tedesco had invited me to a chamber music concert so we went to that, before which we had dinner at the St Anthony.  I had chicken which was exceptionally good with wild rice and candied yam.  We also had iced tea which was very good since it was quite warm.  And speaking of warmth we really put on our woolens too soon since the weather has certainly warmed up but it is more than likely just for a short time since everything shows signs of winter.

My watch certainly has come in handy and I am always looking at the time I really have quite a bit of use for it.  If I see a cheaper one I will get it and send this one home because it is much too nice for the army.

The last few days I have been fooling around with a mess of stamping all my clothing and then going over it with indelible ink.  What a mess and we are all tired of it.  And the Lieutenant should have his head examined for such an idea.

Major Skinner is due back tomorrow and I will be glad to see him as usual.  But there are a few others here that are not as glad as I.

I had hoped that Dad would get a deer while away on his trip after going to so much trouble.  But he very likely had a nice trip and a good rest.

It is too bad that Mr. Finley could not or shall I say can not get better since he has quit work and really made an effort to get well.

I can hardly imagine myself with a wife of Helen’s caliber because I have no use for one of that type.

Yes I can well imagine the mess that the windows were at the garage and I am glad that I was clear of that job.

I am sure glad to know that Aunt Nina has stood her operation so well and she will soon be able to be up and around, but as you say it will take her some time to recover her strength as she was bound to have lost a lot of blood being in the operating room for so long a time.  A person is bound to take a long time to recover after an operation of that type.  And I also can well imagine Jay calling on her at the hospital.

The candy which was in the box with the watch was certainly good.  I really liked the almonds and what is more is that we have been able to get the Hershey almond bars quite easily here recently.

Yes, the poinsettias of yours will more than likely be much nicer than the Miners and they are not expected to grow as rampant as the single varieties do.

Recently the different kinds of stamps have been coming out and I have collected quite a few of them which I will send home one of these days, and you can put them away for me.

We have been expecting Major General Kirk (Surgeon General) here on an inspection tour but he didn’t show up.

Personally I think he is not interested in this outfit any more than this desk is but the Col. Thought that he was sure to come here to see him.  But he went right on by and never even stopped.  He does not even know we exist here.  We have also had three high British generals here the last few days, but they didn’t stay long.  I rode in the same elevator with Gen Beach today and his bright silver stars of silver.

My writing has certainly took (taken) a tumble tonight.  It is hardly legible.  But I will improve the next one.

It is now bedtime, so good night for now.

Love as always,

Stanley

Those pictures in the box were very good, one of them hardly looks like me tho (the one of myself in the chair)