3 December 1944 - Germany

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

Germany

3 December 1944

Dearest Mother:

Since my last letter was a V-Mail I will try and make this letter a little more interesting and somewhat longer.

I hope that yesterday being your anniversary was a very enjoyable one for you.  Only wish that I were home and able to do something more for you.

N regards to your question about the bonds.  The last bond you should receive will be for the month of October.  Beginning November 1 then should be the $50 per month allotment.  You should not of course receive the first $50 until about the middle of December or whenever the $25 check has been arriving.  I will, provided the bonds in question do not show up soon, write Ft Sam in regards to them.

Have here before me your letters of Oct 24 & 28 & Nov 13 & 15, all of which have been received during the last week.  So the mail is all off here also.  Also here are one from Nina and Nelson.  Received your Air Mail stamps also.

Your clippings in one of the letters makes me homesick for the rain.  We have had rain here but nothing like at home.  We have had some cold winds and a lot of mud unlike any we ever had.  I can easily see how a huge war machine very easily becomes bogged down.

Received a very nice box from Thelma and will have use for the things she sent.  Also a wonderful box of dried fruit from Jay and a nice one from Miss Mosher.  Perhaps I mean hers has a few more dates etc., in other words a larger selection.  Some of the packages are arriving here all wet and moldy inside.  Hope mine fare better than that.

The new water mains you speak of sound interesting.  I am interested in hearing about the results you receive.

Received a letter from Sgt Rapp now Pvt Rapp.  He is in England at a General Hospital.  He left our unit while we were still in England.  They had quite a fuss and he was taken advantage of.  He is better off where he is now.  He is the same person you have in mind.

Was glad to hear of the dividend check on the telephone stock arriving, as I seem to have lost all tract of that type of thing.  Again upon the accumulation of enough funds and the stock is again at the figure of my last purchase or lower, you buy one for me.  I still want more.  I was never able to find out much on Western Elec Mfg.

Forgot to mention receiving your package containing the stationary, shaving cup etc.  You certainly send useful things and I really want to thank you for them.

The shirt you speak of sounds interesting and you will never know how I long to once again go to the wardrobe and take out some of my clothes hanging there and put them on and wear them.  My clothing selection will very likely increase more than ever before merely as a mania, so be prepared for a change.

I can not say I would feel perhaps the way Tom Miner feels.  He is exceptionally lucky and I would certainly not stay home on account of it.

Enjoyed a lot in receiving the note of Dads on the back of your letter.  Will answer him soon.  Very pleased to hear of the slip which he speaks of.

Very pleased to hear of the perfumes arriving.  The Balloggia[1] I imagined would be liked as well as any.  The GI(s) have just about bought out Paris and what is left is high.  I tried to buy some prints, but the prices were beyond reason and I am not to be taken advantage of.  They are taking advantage of the soldier.

I keep expecting to hear of Muriel becoming engaged or something, but I am always quite surprised at the end of each friendship.  She must have changed a lot.

The calla lily bed on the West has something wrong with it and avoid taking things from there for other places in the garden.

Enclosed you will find fourteen (14) negatives which are some taken of a manor house in England which struck me as being very beautiful and another building there with an exceptionally fine drive.  Others are of Reims Cathedral and of myself in Holland.  There is one of some little wooden shoe wearing boys also.  Have 3 each made of the house and cathedral and other Arc.  The others you may have one of each made.  Send them to me and I will or may have more prints made.

The country here has certainly been a change as the building here told us we were in Germany without knowing it.  They are much worse than anything previously.  The people who are here all stay indoors and there is a penalty of $60 for speaking to any of them.  They would not interest me anyway.  I am not here for a campaign tour of any kind so therefore stay inside our buildings most of the time and tend to my own business.

You will find enclosed our Christmas card which I hope reaches you in time for Xmas and may you all have one of the nicest holiday season ever and my thoughts will be with you all.

Tell me more of Andre Allen changing his entire novel again.

All for now and take care of yourselves.

All my Love,

Stanley

NOTE from the transcriber:  AACHEN

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[1] Bellodgia

November 14, 1944 - Holland

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

Holland

November 14, 1944

Dearest Mother:

Here again this evening the time has come around for another letter to you, but I find being stationed here in headquarters as we are I have not too much news.

Have received letters from Aunt Dell telling of not receiving any letters from me, and I just mailed one a short time ago and then again the day before receiving hers.  I fail to understand the mail situation.  Also a letter from Mrs. Matson, Miss Mosher which by the ay will not be opened until 5 December.  Received a V-Mail from Thelma Chapin telling me of a package on the way.  Another from Jay which is already answered and on its way.

I am sending a few antique Delft tiles to a few people such as Mrs. Matson, Jay and Thelma, which I think they will like, at least I hope so.  I have part of them and will obtain the balance and get them on their way.  They are quite nice and are about the only thing I can think of anyone would care for and there is really nothing much here that one can get.  As you know we are not even allowed to buy anything to eat here other than fresh fruit of one kind or another. I am very fond of the apples which they now have here for sale.  Things in the way of wearing apparel are all rationed.

Was very glad to hear of your receiving the silver, which by the way I was beginning to worry about.  The silver spoon by the way was a gift so do not think I was cheated because of its condition.  The salt cellar was one of an original three, all of which were on a small silver tray.  The pepper was one of two, but the other one was rather battered and of poor appearance and balance.  Hope you are able to use them.  When you get the cards you will know more about them and the real history was made by me taking them from England and how they finally reached the shores of France.  They really worried me for a while.  Your letter telling me of their arrival really made good time, mailed 30 Oct and reached me two days ago.  Faster for a change.

Have seen two pictures recently, the first in months.  One of which you mention, “Gent of Barbary coast”[1] with Wallace Beery and the other “Marriage is a Private Affair”[2] Lana Turner.  Liked the former but could have gotten along without the latter.  They have them in an old opera house here which in its day has been a grand place.

In one of your recent letters you mention passing under the Arc de Triomphe.  Well as a matter of fact, no vehicles pass under it.  The Tomb of France’s Unknown Soldier is buried under it and the Eternal Torch burns there.  Pictures can be taken after the vehicles have gone around the star or “Etoile” and are leaving the Arc so that they look that way.  People can walk under, in fact troop do.  The size of it is immense and really surprise me.  I have some post cards of it which I am going to send home soon in fact will enclose one in this letter.

The sweet potato crop on the lot sounds very interesting, but the soil there should be very rich and ideal for them.

The venison does sound very good and I would enjoy some of it.

Well about all for now, and will write soon again.  Hope this reaches you all in good health and hoping you are taking care of yourself.

All my love,

Stanley

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[1] “Barbary Coast Gent” - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbary_Coast_Gent

[2] http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/139002|0/Marriage-is-a-Private-Affair.html

October 8, 1944 - Belgium

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York

New York

October 8, 1944

Belgium

Dearest Mother:

I will start again on a letter and hope to finish it this evening.

We are still here having a short rest and perhaps will start to work here soon.  Of course I am not complaining and am having a very nice time catching up on all of my mail and writing a little sooner in answer to some than usual.  Just finished a nice long letter to Joe and answered one to Sgt Rapp whom you have heard me speak of at Fort Sam Houston.

Our mail has been delayed a great deal because of our moving.  For that reason I have received very little mail here lately.

I am having a very good time here learning French and seeing the countryside which is perhaps some of the most beautiful since England.  It is entirely different from any previous.  The countryside is dotted with small groves of trees which are planted at periodic times and are cut down in time and used planted on another piece of land and the place where they had been is plowed up and used for pasture. After pasture they use the land for crops.  All the families here seem to all pitch in and help with the harvesting.  Most or a lot of the men here are gone since the Germans have had some of them prisoners for a period four years or so.  I was speaking to one of them and she told me her husband has been gone for four and a half years.

This one lady is trying her best to learn English.  They all want to go to the states some time.  They all like American cigarettes and will always trade apples, pears and French plums or prunes for them.  A lot of them just automatically give us these items.

I am trying to get a small pair of wooden shoes for my collection.  I wonder if Clive (or Olive) and Elizabeth Chapin would like a pair.  I saw a whole wagon load of them the other day.  Some of them have some carving on the toes, especially the children’s shoes.  They will stuff straw also for warmth.  They would very soon tire my feet if I had to wear them.

I found enclosed in both of your letters the “Air Mail” stamps.  And I do want to pay you for them.  Charge them to me and deduct the amount from my monthly allowance.  You can also send me a statement of my bank account as it stands now. Also send me the prices (average) of American T&T stock for the last few months.  I have not seen the stock quotations for about two months.  Do you think it wise to buy at present time?

Back to the stamps again.  Send me about five once a week.  I will manage the other from here.  We are able to get the ready stamped envelopes here sometimes.

Have you found out as yet what the operation Thelma Chapin had as yet?  Give her my regards and I will write her soon.  She owes me a letter since I was the last to write her.  I have gotten away from writing too many people unless they write me.  There are a few of course who deserve better attention.

I can not think of much more to say this evening other than to tell you all to take care of yourselves and I will write you when I can.

All my love,

Stanley.