Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976
5th Auxiliary Surgical Group
APO 339
c/o Post Master
New York New York
Wiedenbruck, Germany - 14
June 4, 1945
Dearest Mother :
After another short trip from Bielefeld to here at headquarters which
took place on the 31, I will write a few lines this evening. I wrote an unnumbered letter the day of my
departure, since I had already packed my things.
I seem to be missing one of your
letters, a number 18. I have your
letters 19, 20, 21 and 22 which I received today.
The other day I mailed home the water
color I previously mentioned. I mailed
it between two sheets of plywood with the balance of the portrait
pictures. One of them on the sand
colored paper is for you. Some of them
are awful. The boys on Sgt Ryan X-Ray team made them for me
. Also mailed home was a box containing
all my winter clothes with sleeping bag liners (sheeting) etc. Also enclosed were some pictures you can put
away for me. There is a roll or two of
developed film which if you want any of you can have made for yourself. There is also another roll which is marked
and you can have one print made of each for me.
In regards to me being heavier. I my be some, especially after my recent life
of luxury.
The porcelain I am glad to hear of
reaching home.
The shoes were bought shortly before
leaving San Antonio, and have only
been worn over here in Paris. I like them very much.
The porcelain came from a once beautiful
collection.
Yes the Lantana was certainly a mess
and I often had a mind to remove it but never did. I would like very much to have seen the Nile
lily in bloom, even tho I have seen them before. They are quite an attraction. Did the flies bother them any?
Have here the card in an envelope telling
me of the subscription to Readers Digest & Time (Pony Edition) as coming
from Dad and yourself. You really should
not do these things for me. You have
already done so very much.
Last Sunday they had here for the
first time in eight years the “Corpus
Christi” celebration and ceremony in the churches. A Catholic thing, and as always very
elaborate and colorful. With the bishop
under a canopy carried by church dignitaries.
The altar boys in their costumes, the sisters and all the little girls
dressed in pure white with garlands in their hair. The people of the church fell into the
procession behind. Some of the robes and
banners were certainly nice. There was a
path of flowers down the street and garlands overhead. The houses along the way had each one
constructed an individual altar on their doorsteps. Something very new to me and worthwhile
seeing.
You are certainly right about the
mixed up relations a lot of people are going to have with the return home of
the soldiers. Most of them had no
business ever getting married to begin with.
Don Finley is
quite lucky to be able to go on to school for the Navy. But it may be
indicative of a discharge any or none too soon.
You sending me the picture was
alright, but I intended you one for yourself.
I can always send this one to someone.
The picture was taken of myself with my fur jacket while I was still at Neuhaldensleben up near Magdeburg in
March or April.
From time to time I will write of
things in the past which I think will be of interest to you.
Yes, our group may move on rather
soon as you mentioned in letter 20. But
as to the shortage of some, I often wonder.
We could get along very well without all of our nurses tho. They have been nothing but excess baggage and
trouble ever since our departure from the US.
For the good some of them are the rest offsets it.
Aunt Dell
tells me in the last letter that Gertrude
is back from Florida, but has been none too well.
The Amaryllis would perhaps be better
if repotted in a larger pot but no great hurry.
They quite often bloom a little better if pot bound.
Yes the news of the Prentice separation. As you say “Big Shots”. Was no great surprise to me.
I wish Jay would say something to me about not writing him. I always make it a point to answer his letters
quite soon. I could very well drop him
and spend all my time on other letters.
He has his nerve.
Very glad to hear of Mrs. Miner hearing of Richard. She told me in her last letter that she
worried so much about it at times that she could not be still. All of them were marched around away from the
Russians.
The Avocado tree perhaps is quite
useless and should be replaced by something else of more value. I always wanted a Jacaranda in the parkway in
front. Why don’t you get a good fruit
tree or shade tree for the place behind garage.
Of course it is too late for bare root trees now.
Perhaps sooner than expected I may
have the chance of seeing Nelson
again. Distances are not so great for
us.
Thanks for the Air Mail stamps
enclosed in some of your last letters.
Received the correct number according to each letter.
Find enclosed a couple stamps for my
collection.
Hope this find you all well and hope
you remain so. My next letter will
follow soon as I have the time.
All my Love,
Stanley
Also enclosed one fifty dollar ($50) money order
