July 26, 1945 - France

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

Marseille Area, France - 20

July 26, 1945

Dearest Mother:

Having gone to Marseille yesterday I was not here when your No32 letter of July 12 came so found it upon my return home.  Was of course very glad to hear from you again for it was the first letter.  I have received in a week. Our mail was stopped here for a while.  I know not the reason unless they thought we would be gone by now.

Just finished had a letter started some time ago to Joseph.  My writing has fallen down a great deal here recently, especially with none coming in and nothing of importance to write of.

I liked the two pictures a great deal and I can now have a much better idea of the Lily.  The family group is an interesting one and there are none too many left in this branch of the family are there. You are not smiling any too much tho.

The clippings were amusing and especially the one regarding the piece of vegetables.  Thanks for the stamps.

It is hard for me to realize that Nina will be so old.  How does the time fly by so rapidly?  She is or was still quite attractive the last time I saw her tho.

Quite amused to hear of Jays latest deal on you.  He should certainly be taken down a notch or two.  Who does he think he  is?

I can see him getting away with that again.  He would certainly go without my company for a while if he pulled that on me.

Glad to hear of the jackets and parachute material arriving home.  It is a German cargo chute which was taken from the factory.  Some of the color fades out but remains still quite nice.  Ryan had some handkerchiefs made of it which were quite nice.  The lady washed them  when finished.  Some of the fellows here made scarves of them but of course are not allowed to wear them since they are not GI.

You had not mentioned previously Harry and Fred Kirchner.  What will be their next escapade?

Down in Marseille the other day I noticed in one of the windows a large dish of snails which they must have been preparing for their meal.  A person can get them in a restaurant once in a while.  They have a large foreign population in the city and it all goes to make the city a great international one.  Quite a few Chinese are around.

Ryan has just returned from the Riviera and he has enjoyed it very much.  I did not care to go on the type of a trip they went on as I felt I would not be able to really rest while there.  All that went seem to have had a drunken orgy from their arrival to their departure.  you know is off limits to US troops.  They say the former casinos are no longer what they used to be and no one there at all for pleasure.

Well all for now, and I hope you are all in the best of health.

Always,

All my Love,

Stanley

          Back: Wayne Safford, Edmond "Ned" Safford, Grace Safford, George Safford;
Front: Ella Safford (Edmond "Ned" Safford's wife), Leland Safford, Marie Safford

PS: The picture certainly does not show Marie has suffered any from raising a family.  Florence is certainly showing her age, very likely to her dislike, and Chet certainly looks bad, of course who can blame him.  Marie looks as tho she had not given up any too much for anyone.  She very likely has as much money or more, plus security which she did not have before her marriage to Leland.  She knew what she was getting into when she married a Safford, if not she was certainly a fool!  Or perhaps she was or is or she would not be where she is today.

 "Me" is Muriel Safford, Stanley's sister

April 10, 1944

Sgt Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

Dodd Field

Fort Sam Houston

Texas

April 10, 1944

Dear Mother:

I had better get this letter written off to you or you will begin to wonder if I am ever going to write you.  We are engaged now in the classification of our enlisted men and that is a huge job.  We are also starting a few more carts etc for a forthcoming inspection this weekend.  It seems that we are no sooner done with one when another one comes along.  I get rather tired of the entire mess since a few of us get all the work and the balance of the company lay around with nothing else to do.

The weather here has taken a very sudden change. Where we previously had a lot of cold damp weather we have the beginning of the extreme heat.  Saturday afternoon when I was visiting Sgt Ryan at the hospital a very sudden lightning and thunderstorm started and it started a fire on the other side of the Post.  And it just poured for a while and after it let up it cleared off and it has been nice ever since, in fact too nice.

Sgt Ryan will be in the hospital from 6-8 weeks.  He has t(h)ree fractures of the face and they have his mouth wired shut for traction.  He tells me he is going to take a vacation while he has the chance.

Received the very delicious box of candy and the attractive Easter card.  The candy is all very good and to my opinion you have not lost your touch for candy making.  The card was very nice. Received cards from Miss Mosher, Aunt Dell, the Chipmans and others.

Also received a nice letter from Joe.  I got the pictures off to them about a week ago.  So very glad to have all of that done. Received a nice letter from Mrs. Matson and the picture back from Jay.

He was telling me about the other friends of Nina’s being there.  He seemed to think that “Duke” had been given the seat of honor at the table but said that it did not bother him.  Don’t repeat this or he may hear of it. So I autographed the picture and returned it yesterday.

I received a card I guess from Muriel also.  The envelope had not even been sealed and she had not even signed her name. Where was her head when she mailed that?

I hope you have received the money orders by now.  I am out on a campaign to save money.

Does Aunt Maibelle have any chickens of any kind now?  She, as you say, will not have patience to keep from working.  She has to keep busy.

I should hear from Marshall soon as he should have received the picture by now.  I suppose George does get very lonesome all by himself down there.  It certainly surprised me to hear of Marshall’s marriage.  I just never thought of him as getting married so soon.  But he of course is old enough.  I am no longer so very young myself.  I guess I judge others by myself and there are a lot of people getting married younger than myself.  Do not let this worry you and make you think I am contemplating marriage now.  Ha! Ha! About half the company here is married and more of them engaged every day.  And the families are quite numerous.

Have Marie and Leland gotten moved into their house as yet?

While mentioning Leland reminds me to ask if the tennis racket of his is still there at the house?  I may want to use one if I can get a hold of one.

Part of our unit is in Fort Worth on a Bond selling mission and I would have liked to have gone but no suck luck for me.  I remain here.  I would like to see Fort Worth.

I imagine that the company will be all gone by the time you get this letter and you will be rather tired.

Not to change the subject but I really like the tie which you sent and it will be a nice one for summer wear.  We are going to start wearing khaki tomorrow, although the wool has not been quite as hot as it was prior to going into khaki last year.  The tie is almost an officer’s color but will go well with my own shirt.

Major Skinner flew to Chicago in the middle of the week and he will be back in two weeks.  He is flying both ways and has a good priority.  He was able to save so much time with the slow and poor trains.

Major Kuhns is back on Detached Service now and most of the others are also gone.  So I guess that we will sit here for a while this summer and enjoy Dodd Field.  Most of us (officers & em) would much rather be here than in India or elsewhere of that type.

Well enough for tonight and thanks again for all the nice things and I will write again soon.

All my love,

Stanley

October 28, 1943

Sgt Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

Dodd Field

Ft Sam Houston

Texas

October 28, 1943

My dear Mother:

A whole week has gone since last I wrote you and I decided that since it was Saturday and the work is all done, anyway, as far as I am concerned for the week-end.  I spent the entire afternoon running around and working while everyone else got the afternoon off as usual on Saturday.

I received the box of cookies and candy today and I want to thank you for them.  From what I gather Muriel had something to do with it also. Thank her for me. And I shall have to write her very soon.

This morning we got up to a very cloudy and dismal looking atmosphere, but this afternoon it turned out quite nice and warm, and it was quite nice up on the post when I was riding around and everything was all the nice and new and bright colors of autumn, which of course is something new around here for a change.  The country around here is so very beautiful this time of year.  The other day we went out on a short one day excursion into the surrounding countryside where there are some very beautiful oaks and above all some very large and old Wild Pecan trees which are just beginning to shed the largest fruit of the year and we spent the largest part of our time out there hunting and knocking out of the trees, after which time we would sit down and crack and eat them and were they delicious and they certainly have a fresh and good flavor.  Those which have fallen on the ground are never any good for the squirrels or field mice and worms always get them first.

How have the Pea seed which I got for Dad doing or has he as yet planted any of them. They should be very good for this time of year.  Let me know how they are coming along.  Also how are the Cymbidiums coming along.  Did the new leaves ever come up where the one was broken out when I was home.

I suppose Richard Miner is really painting the town red while he is home. He very likely will spend very little time at home and they very likely see very little of him.

I was so glad upon receiving your Air Mail today to hear of how well Aunt Nina is getting along.  It would be awful for Uncle Bill to go real bad now along with the rest of the trouble that they have now.  I would really like to see them settle down and get a home of their own and take things easier.

Tomorrow I am planning on going to the post Chapel to hear some more organ music and a soloist of some kind which should be very good.

Have you as yet seen the pictures which were taken while out at Miss Mosher’s.  She said that she was going to send you some copies and I was just wondering.  They really turned out very good.

The other evening I did take time out to go to Mrs. Tedesco’s house and help them make some masks and mine turned out quite well.  Gladys is staying there with her now until she moves into her own home again.  You asked regarding Lt Tedesco’s grade.  He is a 1^st Lt and awaiting to become a Captain.  He is in the Chemical Warfare Service and is Chemical Officer for Tarran(?)t Field, at Fort Worth, Texas.

Yes, I received a very nice letter from Nelson and he writes quite nice letters.

Also while there she showed me the new additions to her set of silver (Sterling) which she recently got.  She now has a complete set for twelve and it is the “Chantilly” pattern which I think is very pretty.  Have you ever seen any of it?

Were the guavas (feijoa sellowiana) the same kind which I brought home from school a couple of times?  They always make very good jelly.

Well the news which I have has just about run out so will close for now and will write again very soon.

So good night for now.

As always,

Your son

Separate sheet inserted in the envelope:

Here is one of those separate sheets.  Your mentioning the letters of Florence.  As always she knows more than anyone else about someone else’s affairs and why she is told by her father is more than I can see.  He certainly puts up with a lot from his other two children.  And of course as you stated Marie and Leland buying an $8000 home.  Of course as you say they still have to keep up a front.  And I am beginning to think that he is just as bad as she is.

Maybe they can take care of Grandpa for awhile now and take him off your hands for awhile as well as some of their junk which you have had for years.  And when the git moved in you be sure and stop in for Sunday sinner a couple times and make sure you are very tired when dish washing time comes.

Of course she will very likely have to have a maid along with the rest of the things.  When they get through they will have quite an expensive affair out of it.  Well I could go on all night on this topic so will close.

What do you think of the Blue lining? 

July 9, 1943

Cpl Stanley W Safford

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

Dodd Field

Ft Sam Houston

Texas

July 9, 1943

My dear Mother

It pains me quite a bit to have to write you this letter this evening for it will bring you some news which you very likely will not enjoy very much.  The sad news is that my furlough has been postponed until at least August 15 when this thirteen weeks training program is over.  They have found more excuses and stories of indispensability and all the other things in the book.  Also the fact that I am a non com and that I should be here to wind up the program.

Of course there may be a chance that I may be able to get out of going on the bivouac by taking my leave then also there may be another rating for myself to wear home.

But I am quite sure that I would just as soon come home now as then, but again a month is not too far off, so it will not be such a long wait if the time goes as fast as it has since the first of the month.  I have never been busier in my whole life and I never seem to get done and then I am trying to study for my OCS examination.  This new major has certainly got some screwy ideas and is so particular about things and we are making out more forms and more charts than I have ever seen before.

And as one of the lieutenant said this morning: “More work for you”. He does not have much use for the major and a few others don’t either.  They all of them, that is the big shots here, are all crazy.  The more impractical, the better.

What do you want me to do with the money order?  If you do not object I think that I will keep it and use it if I need it when I do come home.  I have thought some of starting an account here of some kind to put the bulk of my money in and then I will not b so tempted to spend it.

My leave when I do get it, will be fifteen days, which should allow me quite a bit of time at home and believe me I am going to spend a good big percentage of it at home and not all of it out gadding around because I can do that here where I don’t get any home life.  I can’t see any sense in going home to gad around.

Will you call or drop Joseph a line about my change in plans and anyone else that may be interested.

I received a very nice long letter from Mrs. Matson today along with yours.

I have had the Army Service Forces insignia put on just about all my clothes now.  It is the one with the Blue Star surrounded by white which is surrounded by red, rather nice looking.  Hope that they are still nice looking when I come home.

You may also call Miss Mosher and tell her of my change in plans.

I was quite surprised to hear of Leland and Marie’s child arriving so soon.  I therefore am no longer the only male heir in this end of the family.  What I am heir to I don’t know tho.

Well I had better begin thinking of going to bed because it is getting late and tomorrow is another day and inspection.

Now, please don’t feel bad or very because a month or five weeks is not so terribly far off and the time will be here before we realize it.

I shall write you a letter tomorrow and try and answer last few letters.  Good night, with lots of love, and help me hope the time flies between now and then.

Your son, sending you his love,

Stanley

Note from Stanley’s Mom, Grace WHELCHEL SAFFORD

"I want to tell you that on Tuesday of this week was the funeral of Philip GEIB, your father’s Aunt Edith’s husband.  They lived in Chicago.  He had been sick for several years but confined to the home only the past year.  His body was brought here[1] for burial."
The family tree where I found this picture is found at http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/21888215/person/1178463617?ssrc=

---

[1] Los Angeles, CA

Note: for more information on the Army Service Forces insignia, visit  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Service_Forces 

May 28, 1943

PFC Stanley W Safford

5^th Aux Surgical Group

Dodd Field[1]

Ft Sam Houston

Texas

May 28, 1943

My dear Mother:

It seems that time flies by faster than I want it to when it comes to the subject of getting my letters written.  I just finished typing the last of next week’s schedule and I am very glad to get that off my mind even if I have had to do it after hours.

And by the way I hope that you will soon see a change n my return title or address. So watch closely.

Well today there was a couple new bookkeepers added to the force here.  And one of them is a Jew and he has replaced another one of the bookkeepers here which is a very nice person but he has received another job out of it.  I had better not have much to do with him because he is sure not very well liked much less by myself.  He is one of the refugees from Germany.

My classes have been very good so far, if they can be used as an example they will all be very good.  Today I went up to the hospital in the sedan with the captain.  I had some forms which I wanted to get and the captain had o see someone.  About all I have to do to go somewhere is to call a car which sits out front all the time.  You see we are so far out that they take anybody anywhere any time.  We have three Ford Sedans here and two trucks.

The old colonel is due back this evening.  We sent a car up once but the train is late.  He has been back to Washington pulling the strings.  He is going to be transferred out of here and more than likely be made Brig General.  He has been in about twenty eight years.  He has no use for the outfit and made the remark that he wanted to get out of it.  We now have two majors, two captains, one first lieutenant and three second lieutenants.  None of these MC (medical Corp) (MD) seem to know anything about the management of anything and the lieutenants know not much more.  There is no more management in this place that you would find in a barnyard.

And the Sgt that one of the lieutenants brought here and made 1^st Sgt knows nothing at all, it has turned out.  That is what they get for bringing in an artillery man into the Medics and then expecting him to do wonders.

I and John Langstadt took some pictures in town the other day and I hope they turn out well for I have really not had any good ones of myself taken.

I was very pleased to receive your letter the other day as I always am.

Quite surprised to hear that Leland and Marie are still around.  That shows how much they think about you.  They don’t even bother to drop you a line as tho you cared and yes I suppose he is leading quite a life with that woman of his.  And I wonder just what Florence wants or will have to say?  It would be just about like he to think of staying there for dinner or something.

Quite a joke about Richard Minus shoes etc.  Yet is cost me 2.00 to get mine fixed in town here.

You mention the amaryllis as to whether to plant it out in the yard.  Something should be done with it or it will become root bound in the pot or you may put it into a larger pot with good rich soil in it.  And you are right about it not needing planting so deeply.  I was thinking of the other amaryllis. You notice how shallow it is in the pot.  I had hoped to be able to see the flowers but I saw them at Joe’s once.  And the black Calla is very odd.  They are quite different and something for every collection.  Speaking of the amaryllis again, it would probably be better for it is a larger pot.  There it could be moved much easier, and also could be used as a house plant while in bloom only.  They make very beautiful potted plants and they do require nice light sandy soil.

Well I had better be closing now and going to bed. Good night

Once again I start and this time I will finish for I am very much determined to do so this time.

My days have gone by so fast and it seems that I never seem to get everything done that I intend on doing.

There is a new arrival at the group who is a male RN (registered nurse) and he is a very nice individual so yesterday after the rain I went up town with him and we had dinner, walked around down in the Mexican quarter for a while and I saw some of those very beautiful blue blown glasses and I am convinced that I am going to send some of them home because they are so beautiful if only to look at.  Would you like them?  Also ask Aunt Nina her opinion on how she likes that type of thing because she may get some one of these days.  We went prowling around in a couple of these stores and they certainly have some very beautiful things.  Or if I don’t get them here I am going to get a three day pass and go to Laredo and more than likely get some things there.  You will very likely be very much surprised to get a huge box of things some day.

We are getting a new officer every day or so, majors and captains and so far they are all quite nice men and very easy to get along with and very agreeable.

It rained here Friday and most of Saturday and a good half of yesterday, but it did clear up yesterday afternoon but it rained again last night. But today it cleared up and the sun came out and made things terribly sultry and they seem to hang on all night and get worse the following day.  Then it will cool off and then get worse the following couple days.

Alvin Whitney said that he would come down one of these weekends on a three day pass and we would be able to get together.  I will enjoy seeing him again as I see few of my friends because most of them are gone by the time I get up to the Service School.

Altho I did talk to Sgt Elkins today over the phone regarding some film which I would like to get for my group.

Well I shall have to close now for it is getting late and I will have to go home.  I am sending this air mail because of the delay.

Your Corporal

Stanley

You may change the title on next letter.  I wanted to surprise you.

---

[1] http://www.airfields-freeman.com/TX/Airfields_TX_SanAntonioNE.htm