May 9, 1944

Sgt Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

Dodd Field

Fort Sam Houston

Texas

May 9, 1944

My Dear Mother:

I again send a delayed letter and I hope that you receive it before Sunday.  I have had the card for four or five days and it is about time that I was sending it on its way.

Enclosed you will find a money Order for yourself to get whatsoever you wish for yourself as a Mother’s Day gift.  I tried to find something to send but my time is limited and there is not much of value around anyway.

The last few days we have really been busy and I have spent quite a bit of my time in the field with the Major on inspection tours of our three groups which we have in the field every day, and it is rather a change to be outside in the air.

Today after work Kupfer and I played a game of Badminton and then took a shower and feel much better now after the heat has gone away.

We recently got a new fellow in here who can not even read or write and the other fellow in his tent has been writing his letters for him.  That is a good example of the wonderful personnel we have been receiving here lately and we are supposed to be highly specialized, what a laugh.

The Colonel returned from the reconnaissance of Hot Springs, Ark and Marfa, Tx for bivouac sites.  I hope he found a good spot without a lot of fleas etc.

I don’t suppose Mrs. Miner has heard anything as yet from the War Department.  I received a large box of cookies and candy from Aunt Nina today and they are all very good.  I have not yet ever sent her the glassware I promised her and I had better get busy on it.

Tomorrow I am going to head a fifteen mile hike and I am going to try and get the required sleep tonight so as not to be tired tomorrow.

Received a card from Joe today and he tells me as always ahead of time when he is writing me a letter.

Well good night for more and take care of yourself and enjoy your “Mother’s Day” more than ever.

All my love,

Your son,

Stanley

May 16, 1944

My dear Mother:

I am at least going to write you a few lines tonight and let you know that I am still here and alright.  I just do not seem to get much done of my own any more.  All of my time is spent doing something for someone else.

I went over to the pool today or rather this evening and tried to do a little swimming, I do not think I am getting very far with it.

Received a card from Dad the other day and I am very glad to hear of him getting the chance to get a rest.  The desert will do him good and you should do the same thing for I am sure you could stand some rest also.

They are talking quite seriously of going to Carlstadt Caverns, New Mexico on the bivouac and that would mean taking eighteen airplanes and about 75 or 80 Air corps men with us for messing and all, so you can see what I see for us in the future, a lot of work and a lot of trouble.  It would of course be a very nice trip tho and we would all enjoy it as far as the sightseeing part of it goes.  We are waiting for the approval of Major General Donovan on the whole affair.

I received a box of cookies and candy from Aunt Nina the other day and they are really good.

Enclosed you will find a piece of Mrs. Roosevelt poetry which I though rather cute.  You may enjoy it also.

I finally got all of my ballot and registration material off and let me tell you that was certainly a pain in the neck.  The questionnaire had to be made out in duplicate and there were two LA county ballots about the length of my arm also with a lot of names which I had never heard of before.  How did you vote on the “Taxation of Federal Property” ballots?

I wish that I was able to do more for you on Mother’s Day but I am not at home and am not able to do too much but do whatever you wish with the money and if you need more let me know and I will send it to you.

I imagine that you will look real nice in your new dress and hat so send me a picture of yourself the first chance you get.

Yes they have one party of some kind before I graduated but I never paid much attention to it as I usually did not think you were much interested in the whole affair parties or otherwise.

The groups I speak of in the field have about two officers and 10-12 enlisted men on them and they go out to the field as tho under the actual conditions of surgical teams and set up their installations and perform Animal Surgery and camouflage their tents etc.  They spend the entire day out there.

The fifteen mile hike was not had at all, but I have as you know always liked hiking and walking.  I can out walk practically anyone here and they all marvel at it because I spend so much of my time inside.

Well the night grows on and I had better be thinking of getting to bed.

So good night for now and for now and take care of yourself.

As ever

All my love,

Stanley