Honoring the 5th Auxiliary Surgical Group: Dr William Coleman PRATT

Tulsa World - Sunday, April 25, 2004

PRATT -- William Coleman, M.D., was born in Sallisaw, OK on January 18, 1912 to Ella Coleman Pratt and John Howard Pratt. Upon his graduation from Central High School in Muskogee, OK in 1929, he was awarded a scholarship to Washington University in St. Louis, MO, where he received his Bachelor's Degree in 1933. There he was the house manager for and a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. He was a swimming and life saving instructor at the Muskogee YMCA for one year prior to entering medical school at Washington University, graduating in 1938. During his internship at Geisinger Memorial Hospital in Danville, PA, he met his wife, Elva, who was a nursing student. They were married on February, 14, 1941 in Des Moines, IA.  Following his first year of surgical residency at Geisinger, he volunteered for service in the U.S. Army, serving for 5 years during WWII.  He was stationed at Fort Des Moines, IA, Camp Leonardwood, MO, Carlisle Barracks, PA, Randolph Field, TX and Fort Sam Houston, TX. His service included 1-1/2 years with the 5th Auxiliary Surgical Group in the European Theater of Operations. He was awarded the Eurpean African Middle Eastern Service Medal with 3 battle stars and the Bronze Star for his service. Following his military service, he continued his training in Rochester, MN, where he was a Fellow at the Mayo Clinic, completing a 31/2 year residency program and earning a Masters of Science in Surgery Degree from the University of Minnesota in 1948. His many accomplishments include membership in the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (1949), Fellow in the American College of Surgeons (1954), Fellow of the Southwestern Surgical Congress (1956), American Board of Surgery (1970), member of the Tulsa County Medical Society and a life member of the American Medical Association. He was an Associate at Children's Medical Center in Tulsa, when it was known as "Sunnyside," served as Chief of Staff at St. Francis Hospital for one year and was a staff member at St. John Hospital, Hillcrest and St. Francis.   Dr. Pratt practiced surgery at Springer Clinic for 20 years. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Elva of the home; and 6 children, Lorraine Pratt (Houston), William Pratt, Jr. (Tulsa), Dr. John Pratt and wife, Sharon (Denver), Nancy Slater and husband, John (Albuquerque), Betsy Long and husband, Lyn (Tulsa), and Thomas Pratt, M.D. and wife, Marsha (Edmond); 10 grandchildren, William Shockley (Los Angeles), Bart Shockley (Houston), Bryce Shockley (Houston), Kerri Snyder (Charlotte, NC), William Pratt III (Tulsa), Matthew Slater (Seattle), Nicole Slater (Albuquerque), and Eric, Sarah and Laura Pratt (Edmond). His great-grandchildren are Cooper, Hayden and Carson Shockley (Houston) and Ashton Shockley (Houston). He was preceded in death by his parents and son, James Wood Pratt. Dr. Pratt dedicated his life to surgery, and the pursuit of knowledge and service to his patients. He had a deep appreciation of the fine arts, and the beauty and wonders of nature. He was an avid reader, an accomplished artist and proud of his Cherokee heritage. His life is celebrated and cherished by the family, friends and former patients to whom he was so devoted. Private family memorial service will be held at All Souls Unitarian Church. Cremation Society of Oklahoma, 599-7337.

March 19, 1945 - Germany

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

Germany

March 19, 1945

Dearest Mother:

Altho no news from you since last I wrote you I will write a few things this evening.

I once again have moved and am on a new team but till in Germany as you see by the heading.  I have never mentioned in any of my previous letters any of  my present team officers.  Altho here I find a very agreeable group of enlisted men who I have been friendly with before at Ft Sam.

I have just completed a very ornate leather writing or stationary portfolio which will replace the one which Miss Mosher gave me prior to leaving worn with all my travels.  This one should last for some time and them some.

I took a very nice walk into the fields from here today and became very much refreshed by the pleasant countryside, since it has been sometime since I have been in the country.  The countryside certainly shows signs of the coming Spring.  The Pussy Willow have become full blown trees and shrubs are beginning to bud and will soon burst forth in their fresh green splendor.  For some reason I have noticed Spring here more so than ever before.

The other day I received a couple letters which were mailed in December.  They were both Christmas cards, one form Miss Mosher and the other from her nephew.  Also a letter of more recent date from Sgt Rapp telling me he is the father of a baby girl.

I was in to headquarters the other night for a visit and they are in a former textile mill and are quite well situated.  Some of the looms are just as they were left when they fled.  Some of the rolls are only partially completed.  I enjoy going thru some of these mansions which the Nazis have fled and left. They have certainly lived like kings here in some of their places.  They of course have been gone only a short time.  Some of the homes still have plants and such still alive in their green houses and solariums.  And the furniture is certainly all in a grand manor.  Some of the places the furniture is being moved out because it is of such value.  The signs remaining of their existence showed a very pleasant and idle one.  You can well imagine my glory in going thru some of these places.  Can’t you?

Well once again it is bed time and I am ready since it has been a very active day for me since I have played baseball etc for the first time in some time. 

Hope you are all well and happy.

I remain,

Your son,

Stanley

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

23 September 1944

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York

New York

23 September 1944

Dear Mother:

Decided this morning, after coming off work, that I have waited long enough to write you.

We have been moved since my last station that is six of our teams here at this field hospital and our team has been on the night shift from 8-8, and I have been using the day hours for sleep.  During the last few night (two) I have been able to sleep some during the night.

The information that Mrs. Hall’s cats being of the Cheshire type.  We were stationed there for a while you know.

I am getting quite a collection of post cards in my travels which I am having to carry around with me as I am not able (to) mail them home as yet.  I acquired quite a few in our last station as it was the first chance I have had to really get around.  The French really have some very attractive cards.  Much nicer a lot of them than ours.

In one city we were in recently they were willing to pay 100 francs for a package of cigarettes.  As for myself I managed to do more by trading then for things I wanted.  The present exchange is 50 francs to our American dollar, so you can imagine what some things cost in American dollars.  Of course we are filthy rich to most of them.

Have the censors been doing much to my mail?  I never try and write anything which I tab(oo)  but often wonder if they find non passable things.

Just two months from leaving Fort Sam were we ready to start to work here.  That is rather quick, and much faster than most units.

I received your letter of the 31 Aug the night before leaving.  Have had no mail since then, of any kind.  But as time goes on I do not miss it as I used to because we have waited quite often since we left home.  That is one objection to us being Auxiliary.

I left so hurriedly from our last station that I did not have time to mail home some perfume which I bought.  So Sgt Kupfer said that he would wrap and send it for me to you.  There are two bottles, one is “Balloggia”[1] by Caron which is sky high in (the) states and the other was just put into the bargain.  I want you to divide the bottle of Ballloggia between Nina, Muriel and some for yourself as Xmas presents. You may keep the other bottle for yourself.

I wish I could get more for you but the condition seem against it.  I hope you have received the English silver by the time you receive this.

In answer to your question regarding the bicycle riding.  I usually borrowed one from the Major of someone else when I needed or wanted one to go somewhere.  Yes, I had to practically (learn) how to ride one before going very far, but I caught on quite soon and landed in a briar hedge one evening while going down a small hill which there are a lot of in England.  All of their roads are hedged and quite a few of them are plants with thorns, and a lot of them.

I hope that you will excuse this stationary as I am too lazy to go to my tent and get my other.

I understand Bob returned East still troubled.  From the money he has spent he should be free from such trouble by this time.

Well enough for now and I will try not wait so long the next time.

All my love,

Stanley

 

Separate sheet:

You are perhaps very right about o many of the relatives being so close to us there.  Perhaps we can move again to another place.  Of course Florence can well take care of her father for a while. Ha! Ha!

I am writing a letter to Muriel on the afore mentioned subject and let us hope it does some good.

PS: also mailed the perfume to you

Note from the transcriber:

coded word: BREST

These last few letters are not in chronological order but in the order they were received by Grace Safford, Stanley's mother.

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[1] "Bellodgia"  Perfume by Caron in Paris, France, was introduced in 1927 .

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.

5 October 1944

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York

New York

5 October 1944

Dearest Mother:

Again I sit down and will write you a few lines.  Received your letter of 16 Aug., just four days ago, and have also a few others to catch up on answering for you.

As you may have already guessed our team was working in Brittany at the time of the Fall of Brest.  Sometimes the headings on my letters may give you a hint.  We were, I guess, about 12 or 14 miles behind the lines and as you know our duty is caring for casualties.  We could hear and see the sound and the smoke from the bombardment.

After our duty there our or part of our team came back to headquarters for a few days to again, after a couple of days, leave to rejoin our hospital again, and believe it or not I really enjoy being away from headquarters and all that goes on there.  We all here feel the same.  But I guess we were there for such a long time and we all needed a change.

Again I also had the chance to see Paris and again I purchased a few more things which you will I hope soon receive. Also enclosed you will find a small lace collar which I picked up in my travels which I hope you can use in some way, if for nothing other than a wash cloth.  You might find use for it on a nice black dress of some kind.  I hope it reaches you in good shape.  I sent a large photographic book on Versailles and a rare Botanical book which I picked up on the famous bookshop row on the Seine River.  I also sent Miss Mosher some stationary from Paris.  I will get some more things when I have the chance.  Lace is of course my favourite and I hope to get a centerpiece for Marshall and wife as a wedding present.  He should like that.  I am quite anxious to hear of Nina’s receiving the perfume.  She is quite hard to please.  She also wants a lace tablecloth, but I have seen none as yet.  You will get one when she does.

Paris is indeed a changed place since I saw it first.  The city is full of people and practically everything is open again.  The ladies and gentlemen of wealth are again out in their carriages up and down the “Champs Elysees” and the Boulevard Housmann.  The Place de l’Opera is the place for you to see some day.  The styles and the clothing of both men and women is the latest thing.  The coiffeurs are simply out of this world for smartness.  How they all can afford the clothes they wear certainly surprises me.  One of the officers bought it beautiful handbag of brown suede for about fifty American dollars. So you can see what conditions are, and of course the soldiers here have helped matters along some.

The Louvre and the Palace of the Tuileries are as yet not open but will soon be open again. Most of the fountains are running in the gardens of the Palace’s Tuileries and Luxembourg.

Again I had the chance to see something of great beauty.  That was the famous cathedral of Reims and as I expected the famous Rose window is not there.  The altar is not as grand as some but ornate and rich with gold candlesticks etc.  The ceiling is of great height and still quite a bit of other stained glass remains.

This may be hard for you to believe but our group of teams here with us have traveled over seven thousand miles since we left Fort Sam Houston. What would we have paid for such a trip otherwise?

In answer to your question regarding the evacuation of patients.  All are sent back to the states that will not recover in a very few months.  All the ones not going to the states are all but a few going to England for recovery.

Received letters also from Marshall and Frances Whelchel.

You can send me in one of your packages some tea and also some dehydrated milk and also some chocolate for making cocoa on cold days.

While I was in Paris I was able to get some film.  They have film and camera supplies in abundance there.  So I have enough for awhile.

Thanks a lot for the “Air Mail” stamps which you recently sent.

Mailed my ballot in today and sincerely hope it does some good.

I do not seem to have the piece of poetry right here but have it in another place.  If not I will ask for another copy.

Yes the War damage is as bad in places as the pictures you see.  Some of the roads are littered with tanks and wreckage of other kinds.  Some cities or villages are suffering from very little damage.  The Engineers have repaired quite a bit of the damage in the places they are using.  We saw one air field which is certainly a big mess and you should see some of the railroads, yards etc.

Well this is about far enough for today and I had better bring this to a close and get it on its way to you.

Is it not quite strange to you about Barbara Ellen leaving Greenacres?

Send me also a can or so of popcorn and some salt also when you get a chance.

Love as always,

Your son,

Stanley

Note from the transcriber:

BELG = probably for Belgium, don’t you think?