May 22, 1945 - Germany

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

 

Germany -  13

May 22, 1945

Dearest Mother

After such a long time the censorship has been lifted and the idea alone inspires me to write a few letters today.

From my room here, which is a corner room on the third floor of a German civilian hospital I can see for some distance in places where the trees do not restrict my view.  The sky is overcast and has been trying to rain but perhaps eventually the sun perhaps will shine.

Another sergeant and myself are the only ones here, and that is only for the military portion of the hospital of which they have 200.  Our business is merely the Allied Administration of POW Hospitals and the last place I was doing the same work only the major was with me.  He is now across town at another hospital.  I only make rounds with him once in a while.

My last station was at Bad Salzuflen, which is one of the very beautiful little towns in the famous resort center of Germany.  The Wehrmacht turned it into a hospital center before their defeat and we have taken over and are clearing out all the sick POWs.  Our house there was surrounded by beautiful gardens full of trees, shrubs and flowers. We have gardens here but we are more or less in a hotel.  We had maid service there for everything including the serving of the meal.  We have the same here. And the beds here are the real thing for comfort.

You will find our location not far off the Autobahn south of Hannover in case you have a map there.

The last place had hedges (artificial) constructed through which the run water slowly, and when the breezes blew thru them the air became cooled.  They had a great number of them all about 30 feet high in various places around the hospitals.

The town here is quite torn up since it was a German Army headquarters and hospitals or not they had to get the headquarters.

You mention Iris being in bloom in your letter No15.  Here in the resort place which I am (at) they have been originated here and are really beautiful.  You should also see the Rhododendrons which they have here.  Nurseries are quite abundant here.  Pansies are certainly beautiful in the large beds outside.

You perhaps can tell from the outward appearances of things that I am very happy at present, despite the enclosed clippings which I have always known would more than likely happen, as I have told you previously that I did not expect to get out for some time to come, so the news does not affect me too much.  The MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) number of 861 is mine and the 225 is Sgt Ryan since he is a male nurse.  The doctors are all worried now since they are declaring us essential.  Ha Ha!

Has Mrs. Miner heard anything of Richard yet?

Received a very nice letter from Howard Kiel the other day.  Also others received have been from Thelma, Aunt Dell, Jay, Miss Mosher and Joe.

In your letters 16 and 17 you at the time were expecting something to happen.  I often before then had heard of things happening but that type of thing always take time. Conditions here with the Displaced Personnel such as the Russians is becoming impossible in more ways than one.  But enough of this for now as the time will come when I can tell you more.

Glad to hear of you getting the chickens.  You should save the best rooster of the bunch and have your own source of chicks hereafter.

Muriel’s birthday has slipped upon me without me knowing it so it you think of something she wants within reason, will you get it for her as a present from me?

You need not worry about replacing the money too soon.  If you need it for other things, do not fail to use it for such, as I am in no need of it here and perhaps will not be for some time.  No need of caching bonds for cash as long as you have my money handy.  You have invested in them so get the full value from them.

I had a notion some time ago to ask you for Mrs. Ohashi’s address, only I thought it would seem rather strange to him if not an insult.  You get it for me and I may be able to use it some day in the administration of Japanese hospitals etc.  Would be rather interesting.

Well about all for now and thanks for the airmail stamps enclosed in two letters and I hope this reaches you in good health and that Dad is well recovered from the accident.

All my Love,

Stanley

 

10 January 1945 - Holland

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

Holland

10 January 1945

Dearest Mother:

After a few days of running around all over the country and seeing all of the shows within a radius of several miles I will sit down and write you a few lines.

Sgt Ryan returned from the provinces, as we call them, with a mental breakdown and very much in need of a rest so we decided to see a lot of the sights.

First of all I want to tell you of a very nice picture we saw in our travels entitled “Rhapsody in Blue”[1], the life of George Gershwin.  They held the world premiere here and it was attended by full houses at all showings and the audience really enjoyed the picture.  A general attended the night I went. We have seen quite a few other shows and find that most of them are about the same old type.

A couple days ago I received a full handful of mail, the first in some time and will now have to answer all of them.  Received also a box from the Matsons and Miss Mosher, each including film.  Miss Mosher also sent a book and stationary and a very nice Christmas card.  The Matsons box also included some “Yardley’s English Lavender” soap.

Received a card and note from Cousin Gertrude telling me of her going to Florida again.  One from Joe, Aunt Dell, Muriel and Whitney.

Yes I remember when Ruth Wilde[2] was at our house on their return from Arizona.  Have they sold their sand business?

I found your Christmas card a very beautiful and entirely different one and I really think it very nice.

Yes it will be quite funny to see you in glasses but if you need them that is all there is to it.  Joe has mentioned this doctor several times.

Your day at the races certainly sounded quite interesting.  We shall have to go upon our return home.

Your telling of the delivery boy playing the piano sounds quite interesting.  A person would really be surprised at the number of boys who can play something of that type.  I am going to take something up on my return.

I really appreciate your Birthday message in your letter of December 5 and hope I can live up to it.

I am looking forward to seeing the points of the pictures and you perhaps will like some of them also.  You have prints made of the ones you wish at my expense.

The weather here has been quite cold with snow and ice.  They are skiing nearby and ice skates are being used quite a bit.

You may have some pictures (Studio) of me coming up soon if they turn out well.

Louise Ingles mentioned Bernard entering regular grade school.  News to me.

About all for now and I will write again soon.  Enclosed find a clipping and some more stamps.

All my Love,

Stanley

CODE: LIMBERG (=Limburg)

 

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[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhapsody_in_Blue_%28film%29

[2] Ruth Wilde was Stanley’s cousin. Their common ancestor was Isabella Griswold who married 3 times.  Ruth is also Clarences sister.  They were born to George Henry Wilde, grandson of Charles H Wilde who was the 2nd husband of Isabella, while Stanley was issued from her first marriage to James Hartwell through their daughter Cora. Isabella later married William Henry Matthews who survived her and with whom she had 2 sons: Ralph and Elmer Matthews.

21 July 1944

Sgt S W Safford 39539976

5^th Aux. Surg. Group

APO 5541

To Postmaster

New York

NY

21 July 1944

Dear Mother:

After a long silence I will again write you a few lines to let you know that I am still in one piece and have enjoyed myself to a great extent here lately.

Our train trip was very nice and I really had a chance to relax and see the scenery which I have always wanted to see and some day hope to see more of our country.

Excuse this pencil and the awful writing, but I am lying here on the bed preparatory to going to bed and am writing on an envelope which is filled with office papers, and I hope to soon have a more suitable place for writing.

The weather was ideal all the way here except for a little rain or showers a couple of times and the vegetation was all of it extremely beautiful.

In the future do not mention the name of our unit anywhere in the letter which you write, since we are having to destroy all of the envelopes which we receive.

Will you gather a few bars of soap together for me so that if I ask for a half a dozen bars you may send them on to me, and I may ask for other things also, all according to what the future brings.

Say, I forgot to ask you if you had heard anything further from the lawyers regarding the family tree question?

I was you to call Joe for me and tell him that I have not forgotten him and will write him soon after I get a breathing spell.

Received a letter a couple days ago from Taylor Orms(?) mailed on return of his wife, from her mother’s, I guess they are still not getting along any too well from his letter.

Well goodbye for now and I will write soon again.

As ever,

Your son,

Stanley

April 17, 1944

Sgt Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

Dodd Field

Fort Sam Houston

Texas

April 17, 1944

Dear Mother:

Again the week end has gone by and I did not write you.  In fact I am quite a few days behind in writing.

I laid in bed yesterday until late and barely got up in time for lunch.  Received your nice long letter of the 12, yesterday along with a three page typewritten one from Joe.  His letter of course was very interesting.  I have been worn out here lately more of the sudden heat which we have had the three or four day.  We are getting the heat from now on I suppose.  The heat has not been so very hard or anything, only we have had a lot of cross checking etc to do.

You mentioned going to church or rather liking to go Easter.  I did go Friday but laid in bed Sunday as usual.  I enjoyed the sermon very much but liked to have fallen asleep while or before the evening was over.

Did I mention to you previously that I had bought a new fountain pen, a Parker lifetime.  I think that it is a very nice one and have put it away for a while.  I am still looking for a Parker “51” for Dad. They of course are a little more expensive than mine.

We sent off 25 of our enlisted men today on a two months Bond selling tour, they may be gone even for a longer period of time.  And from what I hear the balance will go to Detached Service about the First of May.

Enclosed you will find a clipping which I saved from our storm of a couple of weeks ago.  You may be interested in it.  A couple of the boys got letters from New York with some of the pictures which had appeared in the papers there.  They all gave a nice flowery story of all the damage.

A lot of the boys arrived back from furlough over the week end. And two of them got married while home.  One of them I know fairly well.

I was up to see Sgt Ryan yesterday and I think he is really enjoying the hospital.  He is feeling much better and they have still got his jaws wired which makes it very hard to talk clearly.  He is making all kinds of yarn rugs etc.

I will get all of my Income tax material home to you provided I can get a hold of a blank short form to put this year’s figures on.  By rights you should pay on the amount of interest which you could received as part of the interest on my bank account.  Had you thought of it as yet?

How is Aunt Nina enjoying her freedom now that she is no longer working?

Yes, I want to go to Knotts Berry Farm[1] again for I sure enjoyed it there the once we were out.

The hoodlums are just now coming in from the baseball game.  They have baseball games(s) on the brain now and don’t seem to think of anything else.  They all can spend more money running all the way across town than any outfit I know of.

Well enough for now as I have no more news.

Good Night,

Love,

Stanley

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[1] In 1928, Cordelia Knott's tea room and berry market, named Knott's Berry Place, opened on their family farm.  In 1932, Walter Knott created a new berry, a cross between the red raspberry, blackberry and loganberry. He named it the boysenberry, in honor of his friend Rudolph Boysen..  Two years later, Mrs. Knott began serving her famous chicken dinners.  Since then, more than 200 million guests have visited the park.  The park was acquired by Cedar Fair, L.P. in 1997.  Knott's Soak City, USA, a 13-acre water park adjacent to the amusement park, opened in June of 2000. http://www.coastergallery.com/GA/knotts.html

Dodd Field, Ft Sam Houston

soldiers holding baseball sized hail

ized hail