PFC
Stanley W Safford
Co
“B” Med Serv Sch
Barracks
No3
Ft
Sam Houston
Texas
May
10, 1943
My
dear Mother
Here
I am still here, and they keep telling me that not to go very far for fear of
getting a shipping list for me and them not being able to find me. I have already graduated and no longer belong
the school and I am legally under orders from Washington, but in a way still responsible
to the school in a way that is hard to explain.
We
had Brig. Gen. Beach[1]
speak at our graduation and he is certainly an old sleepy eyed fool. He sat there and yawned and acted as tho he
were simply disgusted with the entire affair and the room was very hot and
stuffy as the weather has been the last week or so. That is until last night we had quite a storm
which the wind had blown in. Thunder and
lightning included but it has cleared up and is a very nice day today not too
hot with a cool breeze blowing. The rain
has sure been needed here for things have been very dry and were beginning to
look rather withered.
You
may tell Muriel that she may have the baseball and bat she wanted, but to take
good care of them.
All
that I have asked about my leaving think that it is a very good idea. Even all
the attached Co A cadre would like the chance to leave and also a new order has
come though that only limited service men may be kept here attached.
The
pictures of the cymbidium are quite good.
I suppose in spite of the film.
What is the size of your film? I
think that I have forgotten. Perhaps I
may find some good Eastman somewhere and will send it to you. We quite often have access to such things
which the public do not. How is Muriel’s
supply of gum holding out? I shall still
get you your medical corp. insignia. I
have a small one for Muriel but have not found anything decent for you both.
I
received a note from Ray Coates the
other day and he now tells me that he, at long last, has gotten into Special
Services (production etc of plays etc) which he has been trying to get into
every month since he has been n the army.
He is a very good example of a good person being held down. Even then a
Major General gave him a boost. What
doesn’t a person have to go through to get somewhere here.
I
just found out yesterday that there (are) some greenhouses here on the post and
that there is a special branch which this comes under. But as usual no one seems to know any too
much about it but they never do.
The
picture of Ann which you sent in your last letter was very good. Only she shows signs of growing up.
And
it is quite a laugh about Richard M sending for money. Big shot.
And again the PX is run by the government and they usually always serve
better food. I wonder why, although I
have only eaten here about twice.
There
is sure a big graft here somewhere. You
can get ice cream in town at all the places and they have none here most of the
time.
A
couple of the boys who came in last night were in my same Co. at Camp Barkeley
and at the same time and they are corporals and Sgts. They seem to get somewhere else everywhere
but here.
Sgt Elkins finally got his final transfer through a roundabout
way from Senator Raiburn[2]
of Texas. His wife’s father knows them
in some way. And when the Co. commander
heard of that he could hardly wait until he had called Sgt Elkins in and told
him that it was a better idea for the army to run alone without the aid of
civilians and that they would all get long much better in all ways
concerned. He was quite disturbed over it
although I don’t blame Sgt Elkins for wanting to leave.
For
some reason I just don’t seem to have much nerve very likely because I haven’t
done much but wait and have not tried to start a letter for fear of having to
drop it for the reason of the usual last minute rush. And I had intended on writing and letting you
know of my leaving by special letter and then would have mailed you one upon my
arrival at of course I don’t know where. What a mess.
Enclosed
you will find some negatives of which you can have about six copies made of the
one of myself on the porch when you are around some drug store or other. And maybe some or a couple copies made of the
other couple good ones. The purpose is
to send a couple to the Matsons and Miss Mosher.
They
would probably like a couple. The same
with Frances and Esther. Then you will find another envelope with nothing else
but negatives of some of the pictures that I have taken here. Unless you want any you can put them away for
me.
I,
even after doing nothing today, feel quite dragged out, I suppose the waiting is the reason. It gets on a persons’ nerves after a while of
it.
The
sun is now going down and evening is coming on.
One
of the Sgts. asked me how I was enjoying my vacation.? Ha ha.
How
are the rest of the cymbidiums doing and also how are the two doing and also
how are the two doing that are in the ground.
And has the Easter lily come up again this year. And how is the large
begonia doing after so much rain. Joseph
tells me his garden is just going wild with so much water.
Well
I had better really bring this to a close before it becomes boring and
tiresome.
Your
son,
Stanley
[1] George
Corwin Jr., Brigadier-General (1888 – 1948) - http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/gcbeach.htm
1941- 1942: Commanding Officer Station Hospital Fort
Sam Houston
1942- 1946: Commandant Brooke Medical Center Fort Sam
Houston
1948: Commandant Walter Reed Army Medical Center
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