March 25, 1944

Sgt Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

Dodd Field

Fort Sam Houston

Texas

March 25, 1944

Dearest Mother:

Well we are all back from our Galveston bivouac and yes we are glad it is over with.  We are all quite tired and none of us have any too much energy to do too much.

I received two letters from you while out there and they were most welcome.

First of all I want to thank you for the little surprise gift of the two sided mirror.  It is just what I needed and it will come in quite handy.  Another good feature is that it is metal and therefore less breakable.  I am also quite pleased with the photographs.  They are very good.  I did not have the time before bivouac to take care of a lot of things but will get them done now.  The thanks for the gifts just simple slipped my mind.  I will try and write a better letter hereafter. You have very likely received the box with the red material in it by this time.  I do not know what you might use it for.  If you don’t want it you keep it for me and I will make some cheap curtains or something of that type out of it.

It was decided that I was to fly down and ride back by motor convoy on the bivouac but the colonel decided to send me back by plane also so back I came and arrived here yesterday feeling a wreck and I got up this morning and went to work and put a small dent into the work here.

We left at about eight o’clock last Monday morning and rode in trucks out to Alamo Army Air Base where our planes were just arriving, a total of five, four of which were C-47 and one C-53 a cargo plane which carried our jeep and a few hundred pounds of baggage. 

These planes only had two engines and carried twenty passengers setting on seats along the wall and the baggage was all piled down the center isle.  There were also windows in the plane which made the trip much more interesting.  It took us two (2) hours to fly from here to Galveston, flying an average speed of 120-150 miles per hour and from 1500 to 2000 feet elevation.  We didn’t know even when the plane  took off or when it landed because of the smoothness.

From there the group marched out to the bivouac are where we stayed.  I remained behind to arrange transportation for our baggage etc since all we had was the jeep.  I finally got a large truck for our use and then the Col. And myself went on our way to Fort Crockett[1] which is a sleepy little fort on the seawall which I imagine is quite nice in the summer time.  From there we went on out to the area where we remained in waiting for the other half of the unit which arrived the next day at lunch time.  Our area was down below the seawall away out in a restricted military area with a lagoon between us and the seawall.  At high tide vehicles had to pass thru a lot of water to get to the highway, a small stream otherwise.

Well we had nothing but a vacation all the time we were there.  I went fishing a couple days but caught nothing and worked on papers the third day. On two evenings we went into Galveston which is only a town of 60,000 normal times.  We had one delicious seafood meal and another very good meal at one of the many fine old Louisiana type homes in one place before, and the size of them floors a person. And everyone has a very lazy attitude about all that goes on. I would like to see more of the town some day.

Well anyway after a(n) otherwise uneventful trip I returned yesterday by plane and the return trip was a little rough and several got sick. There were quite a few air pockets which made it quite choppy.  The entire trip has been a very interesting and long to be remembered experience.

The Gulf is quite muddy and the waves are not as large as ours on the coast.  It was the first time that several of them here had ever seen the ocean.  One of them even brought home one of those large hard shelled crabs and has it in  large jar of alcohol and thinks he really has something.

The pictures all look satisfactory and you need not have any more made.

You ask regarding Johnson. He is training for a pilot from the last I heard altho they have made quite a few changes in the Air Corp just recently and have or are cutting down on our pilots training.

I have not written Nelson and you may send his address because I just can’t at the moment remember where it is.  Very likely in my address book which is down in my tent just now,  Did you ever send him those razor blades?

Major Kuhns took some pictures which should be very good and I am going to get copies of them when and if they come.  You will get some of them when I do.

They are enlarging the Prisoner of War camp for another five hundred which should be in any day now.  They have started something new here with them.  They take them out for rides 2 or 3 times a week so that they can get some fresh air.

Well I am tired now and will write more later when I can think of more interesting things to say.

Take care of yourself and thanks for everything.

All my love,

Stanley

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[1] http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qbf12

November 14, 1943

Sgt Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

Dodd Field

Ft Sam Houston

Texas

November 14, 1943

My dearest Mother:

Last evening I took your advice and went into town and saw “Salute to the Marines” and I really enjoyed it and every one else that I know of seeing it said that they have really liked it.

I wonder the reason for the letter returning from Lloyd.  It seems funny that someone over there does not know where he has gone.

Yes the fire at McKinley must have been quite a display.  Miss Mosher told me of the change in name when I was home.  Might just as well since it is all black anyway.

Monstera Deliciosa -  by Milhafre

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rolyh/2867608439/lightbox/

The clipping about the vine at Huntington Library was very interesting.  They do not bloom until very old and they very seldom and after blooming they have a very delicious large fruit that is when they get the name Monstera Deliciosa. They are a tropical vine of the Philodendron family.  The place (mortuary) on Manchester was just a new one also wasn’t it?  I think it was the one that they built while I was still home any bodies lost or anything of that type.

If Richard  Miner was an engineer he would be more than a Buck Sergeant.

The last few days here have been quite warm and today or rather yesterday it clouded up and then this morning it started to rain a little and then stopped.  But it is still trying very hard.  We have needed rain for quite a while and I hope it rains some more.

The German prisoners were signing again this morning.  They certainly have good voices and can sing in good unison together.

Well, yesterday my clerk in here finally went to school and that leaves me here on the P&T office alone but it will not be so bad for we have already sent 65 on Detached Service and there are more to come which of course will not hurt my feelings any.  Less work then. And next week I will be starting to work on a sand table for Major Grubin which will be fine and something difficult than this down here in the office.  I can do that part of the time when I am not busy in here.  This Major I have now is never here any more than to sign things once in a while and that is all he knows how to do anyway, so just as well he isn’t her to bother me in my work.

I just finished destroying some old records that we had here of people that have gone from the organization for one reason or another.  One of them made out a few checks which he did not have the funds to back so they put him (in) the hospital and finally gave him a Section eight Discharge (Mental disability discharge) and he was just as sane as I am.  One of the others had ulcers and a couple others were disliked by the 1st Sergeant and he managed to get rid of them and they were glad of it.

The other evening we had oysters for supper and they were really good so a few of them made pigs of themselves on them and were sick a couple days.  This afternoon I and a friend went into town for a seafood dinner and came home afterwards.

We had lobster which was very good.  I always enjoy going out and taking in a good meal and perhaps an entertainment on Sundays.

Tomorrow the Col. will return and the officers will then turn back and get busy again.  They have been lazy since he has been gone on his furlough the last few weeks.  And just try and get one of them down to business.  It is impossible for them to do it.  It gives me a great laugh all their front and the rest of their front ideas for behind it all they are never original and it is always someone else’s idea.  This one of mine always approves of all my ideas as they were his own.  He just can’t be bothered with thinking about thinking or bothering with anything that he might have to exert himself on.

The other night on bivouac someone tossed a smoke pot in where the officers were sleeping so the next morning they restricted everyone from the 1^st Sergeant down until the culprit or parties were found and finally a couple of them admitted it and they kept them here and let the rest go.  I can remember a while back on the last bivouac when a couple of the drunk officers thought it was funny to do the same to the enlisted men.

Well the night is getting older and I have some more work to do and will write again soon.

As always lots of love to you mother,

Your son

October 24, 1943

Sgt Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

Dodd Field

Ft Sam Houston

Texas

October 24, 1943

My dear Mother:

Here it is again Sunday and I have accomplished not so very much other than washing of my head and the taking of a shower and I did get a letter written to Marshall which I have been wanting to get written for some time.  And I well get this one written and then will go to bed.  I also have read the large part and finish of a book so I have not fared so bad today.

Well the highlight of the week was that they have brought in the prisoners for the prison camp[1] below us here.  And let me tell you that they were not what I had expected to see.  I expected to see a last remnant or something of that type, but they were not.  They marched them from the upper post with an escort of 250 guards with machine guns etc.  They came in, in large blocks with guards all around each group.  They all carried their own barracks bags or foot lockers or what else they had without any help or any signs of overload. And they were walking as proud and straight as they must have done a long time ago in Berlin.  They all looked in the best of health and about 3/4ths of them I would be willing to say are not over eighteen years old.  Well anyway they all wear shorts and about three of them will run around doing work with on guard and while working they will talk German and the other day Sgt Ryan had occasion to have a couple of them talk to him in English so they are at least able to understand English.

While down there the other day I had occasion to be standing there while the Major General’s car pulled up on a tour of inspection and out he stepped and I had occasion to salute him.  Also a chance to talk with his chauffeur, while he was waiting for his return.  He said that he was quite nice to work for, but I have seen him when he was not so very nice and he can really carry on when he has a notion to do so.

Has Richard Miner gotten home yet or is he expecting too?  I am still planning on sending Ann the little pottery Piggy bank.  I think that she will like it.

I am also planning on sending Jon Matson one of them.  It seems that I never get around to do all the things that I plan on doing and getting done.

How is Aunt Nina getting along these days?  She should soon be able to go home from the hospital.  I can well understand how Bill[2] feels with everything a big mess around him and then Nina having this trouble.  Things are the same here and are not improving any.  They were all ready to go when I came back. But they are beginning to settle down now and adapt themselves to a nice long siege here and spending the winter here.  They are also beginning to think of sending some boys away to school for three months which of course may be recalled at any time.  So you see the set up here at the present time and very likely for some time to come, unless of course they, may at any time, change the organization and cut it down and send us as we are at the present time.  And I hope when they do the cutting that they exclude me and Sgt Ryan from it.  They could very well have us sent elsewhere that we would both enjoy and perhaps get a little farther ahead.

Tomorrow we are really going to have some fun out on our little hike.  The plans from the 88^th Division are going to fly over us and drop some small sacks of flour on us and see how we are going to be able to flee and hide without being hit and also to see how well they aim their little sacks of flour.

Well I had better begin thinking of closing now and getting on with my work since it is the next day and after lunch.  I have made this letter all one only writing it on two days.  I wonder if it will make any sense to you when you do read it.  The Service Station attendant (First Sgt) just blew in and out again in his big shot way seeing how many airs he could put on.  Well enough for now and as always take care of yourself.

Lot of love,

Stanley

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[1] http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM31VV_Fort_Sam_Houston_POW_Camp

[2] W.A “Bill” Baker headed the Denver Tramway Corp and the onetime DS truck line, became president and CeO of TIMe-DC Inc, one of the US’s largest coast-to-coast motor carriers