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