9 February 1945 - Holland

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

Holland

9 February 1945

Dearest Mother:

Received your envelope of pictures yesterday and find some of them very good, others not so wonderful.

Mailed a box this morning containing a statue and some wooden shoes.  The large pair is for myself.  The three souvenir Belgian shoes are for you, Muriel and Nina and the two large ones are for the Chapin children.  Also you will find a wrist watchband sections which I would like to use in getting me a new one.  The sample is merely for width.

Heard from Muriel Oswald.  Very excited as usual.

Well about all for now as I have little time.

All my Love,

Your son,

Stanley

March 21, 1945 - Germany

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

1

Germany

March 21, 1945

Dearest Mother:

Well write a few lines this evening to let you know that I received yesterday your well received letters of February 26 and of March 2.  And as you mentioned the former is the largest letter ever received from you.  I will not endeavor to answer your questions now other than the flower ones.

The Wastonias I do want you to take some of as long as they reproduce so rapidly Or think all of you wish.  The Fuchsias can all be left behind.  The Ivy you can take slips of but take none from the ground.  The cacti of course would all be nice to take along and repot at some future time.  I did not mention the Rhubarb since you I imagined would take such things.

Also in the mail yesterday I received a letter from Aunt Dell and a roll of film from Thelma which I will have to answer for soon.

Enclosed you will find two sheets of Dutch stamps which the boy at the house in Holland gave me while there.  These are all German printed and as I understand these are the entire set of those printed.  I think these are quite nice.

The other day while still at my last station.  I had the chance to go to one of the large mansion nearby and you can well imagine my delight at going over.  In the barn there were some very beautiful carriages, one in particular was black and all shined with red velvet cushions and interior and the thing really had good springs for a change.  The green box was full of rare plants and the house had a beautiful solarium full of plants such as azaleas, camillias, ferns, cyclamen etc.  The lace curtains at the windows were really beautiful as well as everything else in the house.

I have started once again to use the numbering system on my letters and will continue since I have a system now for keeping track of it.  This one will be No 1 again.

Well all for now and more again.

All my Love

Stanley

26 stamps enclosed

Dulken, Germany - March 1945 - 105th EVAC

20 February 1945 - Holland

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

2

Holland

20 February 1945

Dearest Mother:

Received today your most welcome letters of January 22 and February 2 and they answered a lot of my questions previously asked.  I am also quite relieved to hear of the $35 money order.  Now you have one more on the way which was mailed yesterday.

You mentioned nothing of the amounts involved etc. in the will I am rather curious although I have no reason to be so.

The weather outside here today is quite muddy since it has rained for the last two days and just the other day it looked like real Spring.  Anyway nature is getting ready as the buds are all swelling and will be ready when Spring does arrive.

Also received the Air Mail stamps which were enclosed in both letters.

Also very glad to hear of the allotment and Bonds finally getting all straightened out and in order.  Any of the money orders sent I want you to use them or deposit them to my account and use them for the purchase of stock or such things.  I am glad to hear of you thinking of buying more.  They are for me money better than the bank or War Bonds.

We were playing cards here at the house with the people the other evening.  We had a very enjoyable time topped off with some very good wine with cherries etc in it.  The wine was currant.  You remember how I liked the currant wine Clarence[1] brought down with him a few years ago.

We are going to work tonight and without a doubt will be up all night as we are First Call.  Last night we were Third Call, so slept.

We have been issued new sleeping bags and they are rather nice if a person can prevent himself from being entangled in it as it has a habit of becoming trusted around the sleeper.  We have just laid our sleeping bags on the matters which is on the bed in our room.  So we are quite comfortable.

Dad taking the fruit trees etc to the desert is a very good idea.  They should do alright if they are not eaten up, and have a mild winter the first year.  Were they not rather expensive?  Did you get any kind of a discount?

In looking over Gertrude’s last letter she tells me he was in England and expecting to be sent over here.  Did you know he was here?

I met a nurse here who knows Gaylord Hess[2] in Chicago.  She says he has a special incubator that they were using at St Luke’s where she worked.

Yes, I remember the Camillia “Franciscus.  Very beautiful.  Also very expensive variety.

Well can think of not much more tonight so will close for now.

I heard from Susanna Ingram.  Their three are really doing well.  Funny about those kids.

Well good bye for now.  Take care of yourself and the same for the rest of the family.

All my Love,

Stanley

PS:

Yes, I think you are right about the desert trip you should be the one to take a vacation once in a while.  Very hard for me to understand why she should care so much about going up there is more than I know.

Very amusing about the chick from Florence.  You are perhaps right about it.

Enclosed find four notes

 – 3 Luxembourg

-          1 – 10 francs

-          1-20 francs

-          1-50 francs

- 1 German

-          1-100 marks 1908

Signing off.

Note from the Transcriber:

CODE: SITTARD

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[1] Clarence WILDE

[2] Gaylord HESS, son of Charles Hess and Bertha Safford, b Mar 1890, Newton Co. IN.  Bertha Safford was Stanley’s paternal GreatAunt, making Gaylord and Stanley 1^st cousins once removed.

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

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[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

January 23, 1945 - Holland

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

Holland

January 23, 1945

(2 cards enclosed)[1]

My dear Mother:

 Have nothing much to write about this evening but will make a try at a few lines anyway.

Last evening since the play with Catherine Cornell was still playing here I decided to go see it, so started out two and a half hours early so in order to get a seat, but arrived there to find a long line already formed outside and returned home since she is not that good.  I have seen her in the states anyway.  That is the way with all things of that type here.  They are all ruined by the ordeal required in order to see them.

This is the actual pair of  wooden shoes mentioned here

In view of the recent events in Belgium I may tell you that the wooden shoes and lace which I sent were purchased there (Bastogne). This in a way adds something to them.  I have obtained a large pair of wooden shoes for myself and will send them off soon.  I am going to try and get a few more for home.

I was able to get a little sunshine today for a change.  It melted quite a bit of the snow and in a way cleared things up.  We have a small interior court here which would really be nice if fixed up during the summer, now it is covered with snow and the formal design barely visible beneath the snow.

You would enjoy seeing the small children being pulled on little sleds instead of carriages along the frozen sidewalks.  They are usually all bundled up in a small furring and are always pink cheeked from the cold.

Today I helped a little with the inventory and am quite dizzy this evening from seeing figures etc all day so I believe I will attend the show again as that is about all unless I wish to remain here in the noise etc.

Can think of not much else tonight so will close now asking you to take good care of yourself and give my fondest regards to all.

Always

All my Love,

Stanley

(Find two 3¢ stamps)

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[1] Were no longer with the letters as neither are any pictures.  The pictures are pulled from his WWII Photo album or loose pictures found within the album.

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