April 1, 1945 - Germany

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

3

Germany

April 1, 1945

Dearest Mother:

After a busy night I will sit down this morning for a few lines to you and also to tell you that I received yesterday your beautiful Easter card and enclosed note and clipping.  The clipping is very interesting.

My Easter spirit was more or less forgotten.  I thought of sending some kind of card but just completely forgot the whole thing.

So far have received all of your letters up to No7 which was received with the Easter cards I really like the numbering system and will keep my own straight from now on.

My Easter Sunday was rather uneventful and I spent all of my time in our quarters.  Attended services and communion in the morning, which was the first time I had been to church in some time.  The chaplain is no good at all where I was last.  I really like the one they have here and he is a real speaker.

We are in a real nice building here and are quite comfortable and life in general is rather nice.  They have a very attractive garden here which looks very nice to me from here and I shall investigate on a nice day.

I do not believe I have mentioned it previously but while at headquarters Col. Gay offered me the chance to apply for a battlefield commission, but my answer was NO for several reasons which are to lengthy to mention here.

Enclosed you will find two orders of our headquarters noting my recent team  changes.  You can put them away for me as they may be of uses some day.

April 7 – 2pm

I grew rather tired this morning so decided to get some more sleep.  Already this afternoon I have gone for a walk into the before mentioned garden and find it very attractive and there are some very interesting plants there.  The apple trees there are coming into bloom and are simply beautiful.  They of course have the ever present Rhubarb in abundance.  All of the vines are coming out into new leaf.

When I was in Maastricht, Holland they had some rather nice collections in their city park all arranged n different collections.  They also have a deer park with two types of deer and a very large bear.

When you mentioned Uncle Ned (---?) Mr. Matson did he know who he was at the time.

I was very glad to hear your opinion on the picture “Frenchmen’s Creek”.  I am in hopes of seeing it.

I am very glad to hear of Dad’s health improving and hope he is well again soon.  You have not mentioned your own recently.  Hope he does not have to return to the garage soon.

In regards to your question about Kupfer’s violin playing.  He plays very well and plays both by ear and music.  He just recently returned from a pass to Paris. 

Major Skinner is still with us and I saw him in January when I happened to be at the hospital he is located in.  Both he and Major Grubin are doing some beautiful work. 

Most of the last few lines are answers to your letters starting with yours of Feb 25.

The silver pitcher came from Fontainebleau, France and was supposed to have belonged to the Empress Josephine at one time.  Quite a unique story as to how I came into possession of it.

You have not mentioned the mine recently.  Are they doing anything on them or what are their plans?

The reason for our living in private homes while at the Evacuation Hospital was for lack of quarters.  The buildings used for hospital were just large enough for such purpose. We all lived in one place or the other.  We of course had all of our meals at the hospital kitchen.

Had I mentioned previously that I had received two letters from Joseph from last October.  They all had just 339 on them and no designation of organization on it.

In reference to my questions regarding the will, I was referring to Grandpa Matthews will.  I know of course from one of your later letters the answer.  What were the special bequests to other members of the family? Did Gladys get what she thought she would.

All troops here were issued sleeping bags according to WD directives.  Every once in a while they make a reissue of things such as new jackets as we are getting now.  They are a much nicer type, but not quite as warm.

I am glad to hear of you buying new records and tying them out on the phonograph.  That is the reason it is there for.  Your latest additions sound very nice and I am sure they are nice.  “Il Bacia” is very nice.  I saw a picture while in Maastricht regarding the life of Ernest Ball the composer.  The picture had a lot of very good music.  Have you seen “Rhapsody in Blue”” yet? Also saw “Mr Skeffington” with Bette Davis which was very good.  It was the last I saw which was a couple months ago.

Very pleased to hear of the apricot and avocado tree doing well, to(o) bad they can not be moved.

In regards to your question about the clipping regarding the furloughs after the ETO.  I do not know but the CBI looms ahead for some reason to me.

Received Nelson’s address and will write him soon as it may take some time for my last to be forwarded to him.

What happened that Don Finley went into the Navy? I should have imagined he would have be (en) exempted with family etc.

If you wish you may give one of the small plates (Delft) to Muriel.  And only give Thelma one large and one small one.

Your war stamp chain sounds interesting and I am looking forward to hearing more of it.

While we were in Holland I did not see many tulips as the season was wrong and they grow the large bulbs of them further west nearer the coast.  A little place called Heize was the fartherest North in Holland from Eindhoven. That  was way last year tho. That was the place the tents blew down.  Remember?

Well about all for now and thank you for the Air Mail stamps and the jokes which were very good.

(Note from transcriber: Strange ending for the letter… no page is missing that I have found.  Nothing else for this letter)

February 19, 1945 - Holland

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

1

Holland

February 19, 1945

Dearest Mother:

Have received in the last couple days your letters of Jan 17 and Feb 6. Also along with them came a message from Marshall telling me he would write a longer letter after Christmas.  Also Christmas card from Prescott Keyes and his wife (Miss Mosher’s nephew) who by the way had a baby on Dec 24 according to Miss Mosher.  I received a card sometime ago from her niece Carol and a note attached, so I answered it the other day. (A money order enclosed $37.50)[1].   Also have here your V-mails of Jan 26 and was very glad to hear sooner than usual.

Of course you should not mention this but also two days ago I received a late box from Miss Mosher containing of all things a tie.  A very nice one and all that but I have not worn a tie since Paris and no one else here does either and there is only a couple place(s) they can be worn here on the continent and Paris is one of them since there are more or less a garrison life in progress (Money order $37.50).  But anyway I can keep it. I am rather amused at the thoughts some people have of our existence over here.  Also a nice long letter from the Matsons.  Thank you for discouraging the money order idea as it would only involve more trouble and I already have more money than I know what to use it for over here.  That is the reason for the money order. Altho I always keep enough on hand just in case I find anything worthwhile to send home.  I may run across some more children’s books in some place so I will keep them in mind.  They have some nice ones in Belgium all in French.  They have “Snow White”, “Little Red Riding Hood”, and many others all very beautifully illustrated in color.  Sgt Olson bought a few of them for his coming child, due sometimes in March I believe.

I like the sample of material enclosed in your letter and I imagine you will look quite attractive in that color.

Your mention of the difference in my income brings to my mind more than ever that I should have purchased more stocks when I bought my other.

So keep on the look out for more.

Yes I can well imagine the anxiety on Nina’s mother’s part and just let them remain in a dither would serve them right.  I can not imagine why you are so late in receiving your copy of the will.  You would think all those concerned would receive a copy.  Why did Grandpa[2] ever make a point of telling you to be sure and get a copy?  Why did Grandpa ever make a point of telling you to be sure and get a copy?  Did he have in his mind that you would not get one otherwise?

My address book tells me Jay’s birthday is soon so I will have to get a greeting of some kind off to him soon.

Glad to hear of you mentioning the one money order.  They go thru so many hands sometimes that I worry.

I never heard so such a thing as you paying me interest.  It is there for you to use.  I have no need of it here certainly so use it.

If you remember the chocolate and the tea were in another box than the one they took

I think I may have an idea to help solve the letter situation on my end anyway.  Start numbering your letters starting with the first one you mail after receiving this one.  I will do the same on this end starting with this letter as One.  Miss Mosher has been doing that and I can get them straight after they arrive.

Remember a good attic would be nice for me?

Whatever the insect was I do not know as I had been cleaning the operating room and the place had been an old storeroom and was alive with thing when we first went there.

Well about all for now.

All my Love,

Your son, Stanley

---

[1] Bottom of the pages 1 and 2

[2] William Matthews, 3^rd husband of Isabella Griswold, step-father of her daughter Cora, Grace’s (and Nina’s ) mother.  There was a falling out with Cora for some reason, which could explain why Stanley refers to his grandmother Cora, the way he does.  William Matthews thus was his step-great-grandfather

September 8, 1944

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York

New York

September 8, 1944

Dear Mother:

Sitting here today trying to get a little sunshine after a few days of rain.  I decided to write you a few lines.

Received your letter of the 23 August yesterday and your two V-Mails and Letter of 12,14 and 15 of Aug the day before.  They were part of the first mail I have received for 2 weeks.  In moving we have been unable to get mail etc as we had in England.  Also received letters from the Wildes in Frisco and one from Muriel at the same time.

I hope you will be getting the silver soon as I am quite anxious about it.

It may not have had enough postage on it, but that was all the room for stamps and I felt you would be willing to pay whatever was due upon receipt of it.  That package was carried by me all the way from our last station in England to the place of mailing and it really had the chance of acquiring some more history.

Was quite sorry to hear of Grandpa Matthews' decease, but you may feel the same as I do regarding it.  He has suffered a long time and gone thru a lot in the last few years.

Wrote a letter to Nelson last evening and will catch up on a lot more in the next few days if we have nothing more to do than we have had in the last couple weeks.  We are still awaiting the day when we will go to work.  It takes time for a unit of our type to begin to function.

In regards to your question on V-Mail or Air Mail. I think it is much better for me to use Air since it takes such a long time for us to finally get the mail on its way and besides there is not much else to spend money on anyway.

The armies ahead of us have cleaned everything up in the way of small antiques or anything else of that type, although I keep my eyes open.

Visited a Count’s home or chateau in Valognes while up that way the other day and it is in very poor state of repair.  He has been dead about five years and his nephew is the present owner.  A German general lived there during the occupation and now the American finance office is there.  The rare and priceless antiques are still there and are beginning to show wear by the dozen or so soldiers using the house for quarters.  GI shoes and dirty clothes on the spread in the Master Bedroom and the portraits still on the wall. When they get tired of a piece of furniture they merrily shove it out into the hall and it may land on an oil canvas or another rare silk, little do they care.  And they have pasted Pin-Up pictures on the Damask wall coverings and the people say the Count has two more homes in France larger and better yet.

I visited it have (CUT OUT) while in England and found it quite a charming place and loads of history connected with it.  We lived in a huge Manor house or hall not too far from there and it was worth seeing also.  Built about 1805 by an Earl of a famous family and made a lot of history. There were no furnishings there but the Hall alone was enough.  The natives of course told tales of ghosts etc.  the same as all of the old places there, but I never had the occasion to see one.  There was a very beautiful library there that would put Huntington’s to shame.  It originally cost 150,000£ ($600,000) American money.  The gardens there must have been beautiful beyond compare in their day.  The house had as many windows as the year has days.  Well enough for the manor at this time and on to other things.

I visited Cherbourg the other day and was quite surprised to find it so well built up. They have all American railroad equipment and have really put a change into the place.  A good number of the people are returning to their homes and have begun to rebuild their homes.  My description could go on forever and we do not have the room here for them so is there are any questions you wish answered, let me know and I will answer them if I can.  Censorship has been lifted so I understand, so may be able to tell more.

Trips for us do not mean much as distances are much shorter here than in the States. And rides are quite easy to get on GI vehicles which there are a lot of.  I am happy to see Paris and when and if I do you will be told all.

Well enough for now and I am hoping that you are all well and will remain so.

All my love,

Stanley