May 19, 1945 - Germany

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

 

Germany

May 19, 1945

Dearest Mother:

After so many days of not writing I am going to write a few lines this evening to let you know I am still in circulation around Germany.

I have had your letters 15, 16 and 17 which I will not answer now but will do so in the near future.

Was quite sorry to hear of the recent auto accident but am much relieved to hear of Dad getting out of it well and unhurt.  He is very lucky and I am glad of that.

I am now engaged in the allied administration of PW Hospitals.  I am living at one of them in a grand style.  We are in nice rooms with sheets and all and we have maid service at our table.

As far as the German and I (are ) concerned, I am not doing too well and I am not too enthused over it anyway.  I would rather they would learn English and be on an even keel in my own language.

Hamm postcard for sale at Delcampe.net

The grounds around here are very beautiful and have all kinds of interesting copper beech outside there which is by far the most beautiful I have ever seen.  The weather here has been very warm and ideal, except yesterday when I went to Hamm on a trip and then a summer storm came up and drenched everything, but it very soon cleared off and once again when we got back here we had a beautiful thunderstorm which lasted until about midnight when it cleared off and was nice this morning.

I am going back to headquarters for a while tomorrow which will take half a day or so.  That is where most of my time is spent. On the road between one place or the other.

I suppose you are quite busy with the house and all at present.

I was glad to hear of you using the 1,000 dollars.  You may as well have the use of it as the bank.  More regarding this all later.

Well about all for now and I send you my fondest regards and ask you all to take care of yourselves and another and better letter will follow.

All my Love,

Stanley

May 2, 1945 - Germany

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

 

Germany

May 2, 1945

Again this morning I will write you a few lines to let you know how things are on this side of the Atlantic with me.

Have here your letter of April 16, Nov 13 which I received two days ago.  Received a letter from Joe and wrote one to him the day before.  That always happens.  I hear from him at the same time I write him.

I have the package mentioned previously, all packed and ready to mail this afternoon (German) and the jackets.  Muriel can have one of them, Dad another and you one if you wish.  They are quite warm and perhaps of a little souvenir value.  The other or remaining ones you can put away for me.  You can make a scarf for Muriel and yourself if you wish but do not let Muriel have wholesale usage of it. Ryan told his sister he was going to send her enough silk for a handkerchief or two, and he sent the whole parachute, case and all.  Won’t she be surprised when she opens that.

I am enclosing there snapshots, two of scenes on the recent convoy and 3 of myself.  The one of the tower was taken in Reckinghausen and the other one across one of the rivers.  The three of myself are fair.  The one on the generator is the better one.  Will send Muriel a couple of them later when I have more prints.  I really have a surprise for you in some forthcoming portraits, some of which are not bad.  I have had no real goo pictures taken overseas tho.

The cannas annoyed me while at home and you remember me digging out quite a few.  The cacti needed repotting long ago.  A grape arbor over the driveway between house and garage would be rather nice, with an added driveway gate at corner of the house.  There is already part of the grape vine near there.  What are you going to do about the water in the garage?  I always have ideas for yards etc tho that may be impractical.

Richard and Myrtle owe me a letter but it does not make much difference as I am not overly fond of hearing from them anyway.  Too many others of more interest.

I am not surprised to hear of gophers again appearing.  Is the rear lot again being used for gardening?  Blairs never did take care of their yard.  It will be a good thing when she gets out of work again and stays at home I guess.

Received also your 5 air-mail stamps.

I expect soon to again be recalled to headquarters as have done nothing and no one else is either.  Very little use for us I guess anywhere.  Some teams have already been recalled.  And I have the thought of going back.  Well we may of course get a chance for a pass and get the chance to see something again.  I have really seen none of the places very well.  That all started when we arrived at New York.  It has been a rush ever since.  I went aboard the boat on an advance party, the only enlisted men among about fifty officers.  My job as Sergeant Major required that I be aboard over a day early.  We left camp by police escort, sirens and all.  I went thru the tunnel and over the skyline bridge and the chauffeur carried my baggage.  I was quite in style.  Nothing less than a stateroom alone for me after a complaint of poor quarters.  I quit a long time ago going thru a lot of misery from people in the army.  If you do not look out for yourself no one else will.  The channel crossing was on one of Belgium’s pre-war largest boats. And a regular hag pen it was too.  Well enough of this for now and on to other subjects.

Enclosed you will find some German stamps which were sent me by Olson in headquarters.  Quite a few of them knowing I collect them, save them for me from time to time.  71 of them are enclosed.

Received a letter from Muriel the other day also.  She is getting much better about writing for some reason.

The weather has been cold and damp and a jacket is still required for warmth.

We now have a French surgical team here.  Something new.

Thanks a lot and until I write again, all my Love.

Your son,

Stanley

February 13, 1944 - Holland

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

Holland

February 13, 1945

Dearest Mother:

Have here your two letters of Jan 25 and 29 which I received about four days ago.  There is a lapse of time between them and your last ones of January but I am like you in being glad to receive them no matter in what order.

Our team is now at work again and we are at an Evacuation hospital this time.  You have heard me speak of Col MacIntyre before.  He is Chief of Surgery here now.  We, for some reason, are the only surgical team here.  We are living in private homes and Saunders and myself are the only two living here in our house.  We find it quite a novel experience and interesting in some ways.  It is quite hard for myself to adapt myself to living in someone else’s home and going in and out more or less at our will.

I am quite sorry to hear of both Dad and yourself having so much bad health and I hope you both get well again soon.

Your mention of the blood reminds me to tell you regarding our use of it.  You are right regarding the east coast donations coming here. Anyway all I have used here has come from the East.  Some of it reaches here in about seven days.  There is perhaps other which gets here sooner, which I do not see.  The plasma I have never paid much attention to.

We have certainly had some rather messy weather here recently with all the rain which has followed the slush which we have had after the snow.  I would like to see the sun come out for a couple days drying everything out for a change.

The people here were saying that four years of English are required in the schools along with German, French and during the occupation Italian.  So you see, we do not have too much trouble getting around.

I believe I mentioned previously of receiving the pictures.  Some of them are very good while others were a failure.

How does it happen that Russell Morgan is again returning to business?

You have heard me mention Leonard Johnson previously.  He is now down in the First Army area at a Battalion headquarters of some kind.  He was in the recent breakthrough area.

It is all news to me regarding Marshall expecting to leave Portland at all.  For what reason?  I thought his location there was rather permanent.

I like the picture of yourself in your Jan 29 letter.  The glasses do not hurt your looks any and in fact make you look rather distinguished in a way.  I am very glad to have this picture and am always glad to receive them.

I understand they are cleaning up England of all misc. troops except actual maintenance groups such as Medical etc. Herb Burdick’s group is very likely considered now essential for England.

I can think of not much else so I guess I will bring this to a close and send you all my regards as always.

All my Love,

Your son