September 30 (1943)

Sgt Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

Dodd Field

Ft Sam Houston

Texas

Thursday Sept 30

My dear Mother,

I received your very welcome letter and the pictures today and was very glad to receive them.  I had been wondering about them.  Yes, the pictures of Joe very likely would quiet weird of him.  He has some very nice ones of himself all made up with stage material and the Chinese furniture.  But that was years ago and he of course has changed since then.  His mother told him to take all that junk off, but he still insisted so we took them.  What do you think of the Chinese furniture and screen which he painted?

Tonight we are going out on a night problem of Map Reading and it should be quite interesting.  We have not had one since I have been here.

Well, Major Grubin is back now with all his fancy and elaborate ideas of how an office should be run.  His idea of the more paper the better certainly outdoes anything that I have seen.

Major Skinner is going to be gone to Chicago for about fifteen days for the American Board and also for ten day leave.  He is going to try and make a special list’s rating in EEMT work.  He has been studying quite hard for it and I sure hope that he makes it.

They are going to have some more operations on the dogs here during the next few weeks and they should prove quite interesting.  I may even get a chance to assist with one or two of them. So far the officers have done all that type of thing but they perhaps will change and have a technician assist as scrub nurse or third on the operating team.

Well here we are in again after the field map reading and what a mess, we could not find any of the stakes and all I or shall I say, we, got out of the deal was wet feet and tired of walking around in the dark.  So finally we got tired and came in and we haven’t heard anything of it since then.

Here it is the next day and we have not heard anything yet of the map reading yet.

After we went to bed last night it rained quite hard but this afternoon or rather this morning it was quite clear and we went on the usual hike and I rather enjoyed it for it was just warm enough and nothing extreme as it was before in some cases either too hot or too cold.

If this letter seems confused it is because they are having interviews in here this afternoon and I have to be in here for the purpose of calling them in and the rest of the things that go to having these interviews.  The rest of the boys this afternoon are all off because they went out last night but here the office crews still is.  Always that way.

Major Skinner left today for Chicago and will be gone for about fifteen days.

I am going to miss him.  His friend Major Kuhns will also be gone for about 12 days since his wife had a baby recently.  He is quite overjoyed and has handed out about three boxes of cigars and is still going strong.  He is the one which I spoke of as being such a gentleman and quite diplomatic.  He is a dental officer and from what I hear he is one of the best dental officers we have.

Mrs. Tedesco said that Captain and Mrs. Foster of the Medical Service School was over to the house the other evening and they both raved over them.  I did not know it but her husband collects bookends and she has books for them all.

I am going to see Gladys one of these evenings and give her the little Redwood vase.

Well the afternoon drags on and the boys come in and out and the same old questions are asked again and again.

Sgt Ryan and Cpl. Moore asked me to go to town with them this afternoon but here I am sitting here.

Well I guess that I had better be closing now but I will write again soon and keep up on my writing to you folks at home.

As ever lots of love,

Your son,

Stanley

Brooke General Hospital - Service School Medical Department - Commencement May 7, 1943

June 2, 1943

Cpl Stanley W Safford

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

Dodd Field

Ft Sam Houston

Texas

June 2, 1943

My dear Mother:

Well this evening I am writing on the Adjutants desk here in the main office.  I am at present taking the CQ’s place while he is away getting a haircut.  The CQ means Charge of Quarters and they are in charge at all times when the officers etc are away, in other words after the business day is over with.  For some reason the new Colonel is here in the office tonight but he has not said a word so I guess he is getting along alright.  I talk with them all day and in a way am rather glad when the time comes when the day is done and the officers have all gone home or elsewhere.  They parade in and out of my office all day and I meet them all, Majors on down.  And they all either call me Safford or Cpl Safford.  And there are a couple of captains that I am quite fond of.

I can hear the talking and music from the outdoor theater way down here this evening because the air is quite clear.

Yesterday and today have been quite warm and sultry.  We marched up to the theater both yesterday and today to see some pictures.  And believe me it was quite a jaunt for some of them, but both the pictures were very good.  One of them was a picture on Service of Supply and the other one today was Battle of Britain showing the actual picture of the German bombing of England.

Yesterday I mailed you $95 which I want you to take $75 of and buy me a $100 War Bond with you made out as the co-owner on it for me.  The reason for wiring the money was to get if off my hands as that is too much to be carrying around here.  I was the highest paid enlisted man in the Group this time and the clerks didn’t have sense enough to keep it quiet as they should have done.  The post office closes at 5 o’clock and we don’t get through until five.  It will cause you trouble of going and getting it but it will be much better.  With the balance you can save it for me and you can take what I owe you out of it.

Most of my day is spent in a maze of figures dashes between them etc and then I have a class or two also.  And today it caused quite a commotion when I went before the class with my stripes.  You know I never wore my PFC stripes on my shirt because they weren’t worth it.  These if I do say so myself are quite nice looking anyway, a change.  The class is now quite a group, and the new additions which they have made, have been no better than the previous ones as far as mentality goes.  And in instruction a person can not use more than a two syllable word for fear of them not understanding it.  The other day the Major and myself were interviewing and I asked him (the boy) what he majored in, in High School and he answered that he had only gone to the 3^rd grade and was I shocked after that. 

They at the Service School were quite surprised to hear of my promotion.  The little figures at the bottom with the twos meant to whom 2 copies were to be sent. 2 commanding general 8^th Service command, 2 Com Office FSH, 2 Co Gen Brooke Gen. etc

Enclosed you will find some pictures which you may be interested in.  Later I will send you the negative and you can have some copies made for me.  They are none too good either as none of mine have as none of mine have been.  But there are some rather nice views of the river in the background.

Well I believe that I will be closing now for the night and more tomorrow.  Good night.

How time does fly and again it is raining.  It has rained every weekend since my arrival here. And above all else this morning we were scheduled to have an inspection by three generals.  Nelson, post commander; Yoohoo General Leahr and General McNair[1] but I guess they have put if off because of the rain.  I have seen Generals here and there around the post but I have never had one inspect me before.

You asked once before if they gave a diploma at MSC. No they don’t – just a mimeograph sheet.  I do not know about birth certificate or OCS. But I suppose that they will tell me in time if I make it.  You mentioning fresh pineapple makes me think of our evening up town last week-end.  They had bananas and pineapples in abundance. That is down in the Mexican quarters.  Anyway I am very fond of them.  One evening I bought a fresh coconut when I went to Mrs. Tedesco’s and it was sure good.  Her informed parties are certainly enjoyable.  I want you to meet her someday.  I have seen pictures of her husband and he does not look very woppish.

It may be a good idea to build an arbor from the garage to the house to cover the back porch to protest it from the heat of the sun.

I received the pictures all right and they look as tho they had a better job developing than I can get here or had you noticed.

I think you are quite right about the relatives taking advantage of you and they should have been put in their place some time ago.

The pictures of myself at the Convent are not much good but he only had one of those cheap pocket cameras and you know them.

As for myself wondering why I don’t get a letter from you, I do not worry too much because I know that you are all busy.  But I am more ashamed of myself for not writing.

Your question of how far I am from the Service School.  We are about four, or perhaps a little over, miles away.  You know, this fort is the largest of its kind in (the) US.  Camp Barkeley is 40 square miles but this is of a different type.

I never heard of any law prohibiting the wearing of the caduceus, as long as you don’t wear two of them and on a uniform.  The type which I sent is quite difficult to wear on most thing, is it not.

Your questions as my group.  Yes, the group is new and there is one such group as ours for each Army.  We are the Fifth Army’s group from what I gather and we shall work in the 4^th Echelon when in the Combat zone and we rush from one heavy casualty area to another.

No, they don’t have jacarandas down here.  It gets too cold here for them.  The Oleanders here even freeze but they are quite pretty now.  The Gardenias have just about finished blooming but they lasted.  The Zinnias are all in bloom now but I suppose they do not bloom later on when the weather gets warmer when I suppose the heat kills everything else.

Well just received your box of walnuts cupcakes and the roll of film.  The cupcakes are delicious and I want to thank you for them.

I have not as yet gotten the shirt, but will get it today if it stops raining but if it is more you need not worry.

I am beginning to have quite a time of trying to remember the various officers names but I will I suppose will never remember all 132 of them when they all get here.  But know them all now so far.  And the more that come the better they seem to get.

We now have a new Colonel.  The old one bid us goodbye yesterday and has now gone to New York.  He will soon be a Brigadier General (Beach).  He shook hands with me when in the tent bidding the officers goodbye.

Well my list of things to write about (is) running quite low.  So I had better bring this letter to a close.  Goodbye for now and thanks for everything,

Your son,

Stanley

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[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesley_J._McNair

May 13, 1943

PFC Stanley W Safford

Co “B” Med Serv Sch

Barracks No3

Ft Sam Houston

Texas

May 13, 1943

11:00 o’clock am

Dear Mother

Well here I am still here writing for my call to go but it has not come as ye and after 1 o’clock today I shall be the only one left.  But who am I to care? I have not done a thing all week and am not going to hunt anything down to do. After me telling you this you are going to ask me why I have not written you more often then.. Of course you know me and my trait of putting everything off until later and that later just never seems to come around and the days go by so fast and I am kept fairly ell occupied with keeping clothes clean, shoes shined and last night I went into town for dinner and afterwards went to the River Theater and listened to the band.  On one side of the river is the stage and on the other side is the bank with outdoor grass covered seats just like the Hollywood Bowl is formation and the fireflies were surely beautiful over the water.  The boy that went with me had never seen that before and he quite enjoyed it.  We had a very good meal: shrimp cocktail, fried chicken, new potatoes, rice and gravy, a very good salad (fruit), iced tea, hot rolls and gooseberry cobbler as a dessert. And it was fairly cool in town last night along the river. In fact surprisingly so, it being so warm everywhere else.

Well, here I am at my new destination and none too well pleased with it either.  It consists of two long rows of tents, board walks and still here at Fort Sam Houston. There is a fairly large group of tents here all surrounded by barracks etc on the other side.  From what I can gather this group may be here about, the shortest, 6 months and maybe even as long as a year or more before going elsewhere.  This group has only been here about three weeks.  Lew Ayres was in the last group that was here.  The tents here have wooden floors which does make them a little more comfortable, but they are still tents and in no way compares with what I left.  And what I gather the boys that are here so far have done nothing at all since their arrival here.  And the one meal that I have had so far here has been nothing to brag about but was fair.  I have already asked the First Sgt. About applying for OCS and he, different from the last one, seems to be more willing to be of service than some of the others have been.  He told me that he would get me the necessary material in the future and get someone here interested in it.  Most of the other boys here have only been in the army about 12 or 14 weeks and then they send me here.  But perhaps I shall wait until after the first of the week when the new program starts and then perhaps judge more easily I am beginning to think that the Med. Service Sch. Was just and is a great big mess and just something more to add confusion to an already big mess.  I received a nice note from Aunt Maibelle yesterday and was in hope of hearing from you but since you, not knowing of my coming or going, you very likely have not written.

The news on the African front looks very encouraging and the sooner they are done all over the much more satisfactory it will be for me and perhaps for the rest of us here and everywhere else in this mess.

It is certainly very hot and sultry outside today and the heat just comes through these tents like there was nothing there at all.

Well there is not much more that I can write for now but will write you more later and I hope that you will not be getting letters from me here for long.

My new address is

PFC Stanley W Safford

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

Ft Sam Houston

Texas

April 5, 43

PFC Stanley Safford

Co “B” Med Serv Sch

Barracks No 3

Ft Sam Houston

Texas

April 5, 43

My dear Mother

Here I am again going to get started any way on a letter to you and I also will enclose some of the latest pictures of myself.  I suppose you are going to begin to think I have become very vain about myself and going perhaps a little off my ?mit? on getting pictures of myself but I am not as yet satisfied with any of them, and also these were taken on a roll of Gaevert[1] film that I had to take in place of Eastman and to my opinion it is not as good a film as the other so I asked where I take my pictures and she said that it wasn’t as good which would verify my belief.  Let me know what you think of them.  I should have some good ones on the roll that we took at the lake with Mrs. Tedesco and the others. We took quite a few.

I have taken to wearing a gown all day in the practice ward now and I find it much more comfortable than these awful wool shirts and I also look much nicer I think and it certainly saves on the cleaning bills on those wool clothes which will add up in time, believe me.

And while I am on the subject of pictures I want you to take some late ones of yourself and dad and send them to me.

April 6, 1943

I did not make much of a start on my letter last evening but will try vainly to get it finished this evening if possible.  I had quite a day today and it ended up rather badly. We have them quite often and very likely will as long as one of those Georgian louts remains there. Or again quite often as long as I remain there and I often wonder how long they have planned on me being there.  In one way I would like very much sometimes to get out of here as soon as possible and away from all their petty way of doing things at that school and get away from a place where they have so many of these drunk lazy Texans etc. have such a foothold.

The last few days we have had some very ideal Spring weather, nice and warm with coal breezy evenings and the trees and shrubs are just now really beginning to come out.  The Cercis Canadensis (Red Bud) one of my favorites are beginning to come out in an abundance of gorgeous soft pink blooms and the Texas blue bonnets are out now and quite a few other small but beautiful wild flowers are blooming along the small stream that lays to the East of the barracks.  I look out the windows of the classroom every day now and see the rays of the morning sun shining down upon the lush new green foliage on the mesquite trees and what few others we have around here.  But even they are quite nice and the magnolias shall be quite nice a little later.  They really have quite a display of ranunculus here and I can now see why we used to sell so many of them by mail order to here in Texas, they sure do nice.  While out riding a week ago Sunday I saw at one of the larger high schools here an exceptionally long and a very wide hedge of azaleas and they were in full bloom just covered with soft pink blossoms.

Perhaps as you say it will be the best for Muriel and Nelson to be apart for a while and perhaps they shall see the light.  Have you heard any repercussions of my letter as yet or has she said.

And as for your mentioning him being trained for one thing and then they transfer him again., well it is an old story to me for I have heard lots of that before.  I get sick and disgusted with the whole mess sometime and to see the way things are run.  They are so used to running things the pre-war way of having to do things the long way to find work for the surplus men that they just can’t get away from it now.

A person has to wade neck high in red tape to get just the smallest of things.

And you mentioning Jews.  I am sick of them.  They seem to be about the only ones that get in and out of OCS very easily and they are a pain in the neck in the classes that we have, of course they always know it all. And does Miss Thompson have it in for them.

Maybe you will get the chance of making my suit once into something for yourself if I can not get into it.

You mentioning shoes reminds me to ask you to send me my pair of slippers for I need something if that type also.  I am hunting for something to wear while with the classes. My dress shows are heavy. GIs are not suitable.

My wrist watch is now in very good condition and I was sure lost the couple days.  It is certainly funny that the hens do not lay more than they do.

The librarian’s party was sure a lot of fun and we certainly had a good time. Her husband is a 1^st Lt in the Chemical Warfare division at Ft Worth and her husband is a retired Col. of the Med. Corp.  She lives on the post because she in her position here is able to.  The house is over on the other side of the post among the officers.  She is going to have another one next Monday as a farewell party for one if the boys who is a very talented pianist.  I was invited to a party last Saturday at one of her friend’s houses but did not go.  Too much crowd in and out etc. I shall have to write a nice note to her tho.

You closing your last letter saying you wondering what I would be doing from now on. I do think that if I put up with enough and pull proper strings that I could stay here if I wanted to bad enough.

But there is so much jealousy around here.  In fact the other day one individual told me to be careful to not step on someone else’s toes.  And my answer was unless some one did once in a while they never would get anything done.  I personally don’t care. They will become your enemies if you get anywhere any way.  I am nice to those whom will do me some good and the rest may all jump in the lake and like it.  That is the only way to get anywhere in this army.  I am beginning to firmly believe. Because they sure won’t think of you.

How is R R coming along with the draft board of late. And how did he come out on his car. Or have you hear or seen much of them of late.  The answer I received from them was a letter that Myrtle had written.  I guess she does all the writing that is done in their house.

While I am thinking of it, will you send me some more of this type of stationary and envelopes. I am running rather short of this type. Also some of the envelopes of the paper that Miss Mosher gave me and also could you send me the Technicolor film picture that I took at Exposition Park and not that I want you to send them but did I ever take any of the front of the nursery?  But you may send them that were taken at Huntington Estate if you can find them.  I would like to show them to a couple of people here.

I am enclosing a picture of a model which was made of the school which you may be interested in, with notations added.  It will give you an idea of what our Service School is like.

Anyway a fairly good idea.

Have not as yet heard from the Matsons but they are very likely both busy as so many are, including yourself.  So therefore don’t have time and I well understand.  I will close now, hoping this finds you well, happy and free from worry.  Good night.

Your son.

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[1] Correct spelling in GEVAERT.  25' Gevaert Positive safety film, double 8mm - Place Made:  Antwerp, Antwerpen, Flanders, Belgium - Date Made:  1932-1942

There are several beautiful Gevaert memorabilia items found on Ebay where I found a picture of the roll of film above -  http://www.ebay.com/sch/3326%2015230/i.html?_nkw=Gevaert

April 1, 1943

PFC Stanley W Safford
Co "B" Med Serv Sch.
Barracks No 3
Ft Sam houston
Texas

April 1, 1943

My dear Mother:

Here I am again in the Service Club library again starting a letter to you which I should have started a couple days ago, but we again have been so very busy in the Ward that when I finally get all done and get home and cleaned up.  I do not have so very much time for writing and getting proper amount of sleep although I am not far behind on my letters.  I wrote one to Muriel last night and will enclose this letter the last one I received from her. All our of a clear blue sky she mentioned Nelson saying that he would get her an engagement ring his next pay day which is today I believe.  I wonder how she happened to tell me about it without mentioning it to you also or maybe she has since she last wrote me.  She more than likely will not show you my letter to her. But let me know the results if any.  Anyway I will keep it up.

We had an open house last Monday celebrating the Second Anniversary of the Medical Service School.

We had competitive field drill and a baseball game between the officers and the attached men of Co “A”.  The Co “A” men won by a large margin.  We also had open house in the ward and I did not get out of there until about eight because of the mess that had to be cleaned up and for some reason I was all alone.  Everyone else except the Sgt suddenly were taken down with a headache etc.  The same old story whenever there is work of any kind around.  In the cleaning up I missed a very good chicken dinner so I hear but the other two seemed to get there all right and eat. Then one of them wonders why one of the boys that came here with him is now a Sgt and he still a Pfc.

You mentioning the spinal meningitis going around, well we have had some of it here also, but none of late. For awhile they sent everybody with even a temp to the hospital which of course is a very good idea.  Altho we were not quarantined but we were in danger of it for a while.

That was quite a comic article in your last letter about the dog.

The second bunch of bulbs you speak of our very likely Twink, they are one of my favorite.

Is the pigeon still coming back.  And are you feeding it.  You know here the army has one of the largest pigeon lofts that I have ever seen.  They are all in movable trailers with outdoor cages which may be set up.  They certainly have a pretty bunch of birds.

I was told by the nurse today that I would be here another month but I shall wait and see, you know a person can never tell about the army.

Today we had a dress parade for a Colonel who is head of the General hospital in Atlanta Georgia and before that he and Captain Rosenbaum stood in on my class for a minute or two asking questions.  We sure have enough visiting ranks around here.  They are in and out all the time.

I think your decision about a suit is a wise one for as you say they may be hard to get later.

You mentioning letters from them in the East. Aunt Dell said in her last letter that Cousin Gertrude was a society lady therefore she did not see her very often which may be quite true.  I shall have to very soon write her again and also Aunt Mai Belle. Perhaps send them an Easter card also.

There is sure an interesting article in this week’s Time about how Hoover (ex president) is telling what and how the agriculture of the country has been treated. Quite good in my opinion.

We are going to have the class we are having this week to fill out the term for this group and I will be more than glad to get rid of them.  Some of them are excellent while there are two jews there that will turn anyone’s hair grey.  I had better close now and hoping this finds you well, dear mother. Give my regards to dad and rust.

Your son,

Stanley

3 January 1943

Fort Sam Houston, Texas
January 3, 1942 (1943)

My Dear Mother
Well here I am just where I thought I would be and what a paradise this is. I was certainly glad to be able to leave Camp Barkeley. There were eleven of us from Co A 62 to go and I last saw the camp there about seven thrity AM. We gathered at Battalion headquarters and from there we went to Regimental headquarters where we joined others from there. We got on army trucks and went up to the 53 Battalion where there were more. We were then put aboard Greyhound buses - four of them – 36 to a bus and headed almost directly South for San Antonio which by the way is 260 miles from Abilene. We very soon left the country around Abilene and came into a richer looking part of Texas where we found larger trees, some evergreen and some deciduous what types they were I could not get close enough to tell. We crossed good sized streams saw large herds of cattle and sheep and a few pigs. Saw some nice apple orchards and I believe peach or something like that type. In all we came into a more beautiful country.
As we came into San Antonio we came through the richer residential section and what beautiful homes, with a lot of evergreen shrubs and quite a bit of dormant material and some beautiful poinsettias which in some places had been nipped by frost but did not seem to detract from their beauty very much. And the grounds here are very beautiful with just loads of interesting material which I am quite sure will interest me.
We alighted here and were sent to various barracks which are simply wonderful compared to Barkeley Heights. They are thermostatically controlled heated wonderful electric lights in abundance and everything in the building that a person would possibly have need for except writing tables which are just across the way in the Recreation room.
And we also find we are treated as students and not as soldiers and we do not have kitchen duty or the various other duties which we had to contend with back there. I am on the second floor in the corner and I can look out one window and see the swimming pool and beyond the class rooms and the answers below are lined with trees and other shrubs such as privet crape myrtle and believe it or not Bermuda grass lawns.
We arrive at 5:45 and the lights are out at nine. We go to classes from 8:00 until 4:00 with an hour our for lunch which is quite ideal, then on three days a week we have marching and barracks clean up from 4-5 otherwise we have the rest of the time to ourselves which we can go to town or study or do as we please and we can go to town which is about a half hour ride away on a very efficient bus system as we please without having to go through the red tape of a pass etc.
The kitchen is run by a very efficient crew of negroes and whites and the food is very good, served on nice trays.
We see very few officers here and when we do they are colonel, captains or majors and they do not bother us and in town the saluting is not compulsory to the extent it was in Abilene.
Now to tell you more of what kind of school I am going to here. It is called Medical Service School, which is broken up into a Medical, Surgical, Pharmacy, Laboratory and maybe one other, in other words a person coming here if he passes will get a technician rating such as technical Sgts or tech Cpl. I belong to the Surgical technicians school. Whether I will like or not I do not know. But time will tell. The schooling consists of 4 weeks in class, 1 week in practice ward and 3 remaining weeks in actual duty in the Brooke Gen. Hospital which I am sending you a picture of and then in my case of an unattached person and the rest of the same type they pick out the 10 best and keep them 3 months more in actual work in the hospital which usually earns them a rating of Staff Sgt.
There are all types going here. The attached ones are the ones that are already attached to such as Air Corps, Tank Destroyer divisions and a great many others, which upon their completion f their two months training they return t their stations. Some of them are Sgts, Corporals. Private First class etc and there is no distinction between us. We all eat at together etc while at Camp Barkeley the cadre eat alone slept alone etc.
But we have none of that here. The one class and I can also look out the window here and see the W A A C S who have not been here long and are stationed about a block away and they are not thought too well of her either. And from now on I am entitled to wear one stripe and my title Private First Class. What do you think of that?
I think I will draw this letter to a close and perhaps go into town with one of the boys.
Where is Camp Young there and what is the Nazarene church like?
Will you please send me back the packet of letter which I sent home for I put some of the wrong ones in. It is 11:00 AM so I had better be on my way.
PFC Stanley W Safford 39539976
Co “B” Med Serv Sch
Barracks #3
Ft Sam Houston, Texas