1 April 1945 - Germany

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

Germany

1 April 1945

Dearest Mother:

Have here your V-Mail (4) of March 13 and your letter No2. So far am missing your No3.  Will start out anew on my new series.

I finally got the box mailed off to you a couple days ago.  It included my civilian shoes and short sox and my anatomy book.  Also included were my Bavarian porcelain and the excess pictures I have been gathering along the way.

We have really been on the move recently.  I spent a couple days with Col. Mac Intyre’s hospital a few days ago and have been on the move ever since from one place to the other.  At present am in a cow pasture again.  I spent a little time in a former German slave labor camp and had the chance to observe and see quite a few things while there but there was too much filth there for  very long stay,  There were quite a few Russian, Polish, Italian and French people there.  The Russians interested me very much and very surprisingly they impressed me.  They were all quite happy and in the evenings would dance and sing their beautiful music and songs.  They always impressed me anyway.

At the Evacuation Hospital they had a very beautiful garden just full of interesting and beautiful things.  I took some pictures I hope turn out well.  They had espalier fruit trees in long harbors and beds full of bulbs which included daffodils, hyacinths and grape hyacinths.  A lot of fruit trees were in bloom and other trees coming into leaf.  Also was a nice collection of statuary of a religious nature.

I am looking forward to receiving some more mail today as I have received very little with all my moving around.

Enclosed you will find a money order for fifty dollars ($50) which you can deposit use or invest in more stock or something with whatever appears best to you.

Also you will find some more souvenir money for my collection. Some Russian and Polish which is something new and different.

I had a roll of film in my camera the other day which may have been some of the French film for it didn’t have numbers on the right side and just when I wanted to use it I was unable to, much to my disgust and I missed some good pictures.

I heard from Albert Chandler regarding Onas severe spell.  Very sorry for her.

 

Well about all for now as my time is short and I am rather tired.

All my Love,

Your son,

Stanley

1 Italian stamp

1-50 Zlotych Polish note

4 Russian rubles

1-3, 1-1,1-5,1-1 yepbehin (?) (10 rubles)

Note from the transcriber:

CODE : ACROSS

March 4, 1945 - Germany

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

5

Germany

March 4, 1945

Dearest Mother:

Received today V-Mail of February 12 and received three days ago your Air Mail of Feb 15 which enclosed your clippings of Gov. Dewey’s speech, which I have not read as yet for lack of time.

Your mention of the many Spring flowers in bloom makes me homesick, but I enjoy hearing of them,  Out here in the deserted garden the other day I found a small clump of Spring snowdrops among some primroses of the English type which have survived the Winter somehow, so you know me, I picked a few crystal glass on our dressing table and in front of the minor they make a pleasing picture and add a bit of color which I miss so much over here

Have just finished reading two very good stories, one entitled “The Larrish Hundred”[1] by A R Beverly Giddings and the other entitled “Four Years in Paradise”[2] by Osa Johnson.  I have enjoyed reading, for it has been some time since I had read any.  I will read the articles next and let you know what my opinion on them is.

You are perhaps right about the photo.   I did look bad and was tired.  That was shortly after our return to Headquarters.  Enclosed you will find a picture of our street at Dodd Field.  Our office was the second tent on the left.  The other side of Bulletin board.

Received also a V-Mail from Nelson in Hawaiian Islands.  Also a note from Miss Brode.

Very glad to hear of you getting rain after so long a dry spell.

I was never able to get a package off to Muriel, but will try again some day.

I hope Dad is able to get rid of his trouble without an operation.  Quite a life if a person doesn’t weaken.

I will try and have a few more pictures taken soon.  Would you or do you like pictures of the destruction etc.  Usually my camera is not handy when the chances are for a good picture as I hate to carry the box around.  If you get the chance I want you to pick up a case for me and send it on.

Soon I am going to have a box ready of my civilian shoes, short dress sox, Anatomy book, etc.  I am getting tired of carrying these things around and am going to send them home as I have worn them only once in Paris.  They are too nice to throw away.

Well about all for now and I will write again in a few days.

I have forgotten this number again.

All my Love,

Your son,

Stanley

Please excuse the writing as I have been writing on my knees

Dodd Field, Fort Sam Houston, 1944

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[1] Larrish Hundred by A R Beverley-Giddings http://pics.librarything.com/picsizes/d1/99/d19989a20b858275932694553414141414c3441.jpg

[2] http://www.nickharvilllibraries.com/2010/06/four-years-in-paradise.html

November 27, 1944 - Germany

10 November 1944

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York  New York

10 November 1944

Dearest Mother:

Have before me her on the table you three letters of the 11, 14 and 17 of October which I received upon my arrival at headquarters where I am at present, and am quite pleased to be here for a short time since the weather was none too good where we were in the field.

I saw the first snowfall of the season the other day and indeed it made a beautiful change in the country.  Everything was all white and the falling flakes were quite large, about the size of a quarter.

Was quite surprised to hear in your V-mail of the 11^th that my mail has not been going thru. I am going to send this regular mail and see if there is any change in the delivery of this.

The reason for us being in Headquarters is that our hospital has finished in our last location and until assigned another we will be here in the warm building for a change.  We had quite a time of it the other evening with our tents.  About four in the morning a strong gale came up and I mean a strong one, of several miles an hour.  It blew our tent down and did we have a mess.  It was raining so the water came in and soaked several of the others beds etc.  The tent blew down on me so therefore saved me and things from the water. Anyway we got up and fixed it and returned to bed for the balance of our sleep.

Enjoyed very much your enclosures of jokes and stories in your letter of the 14 Oct.  I really enjoyed them and always look forward to them.

Very sorry to hear of Dad not being able to go hunting.  Hope he had better luck on second trip.

Regarding the films.  I can get them developed here but for better service I will send the negatives home to you for prints.  I have some here now which I will soon send to you.  Rolls of undeveloped films would not go thru at all.  I am allowed to take pictures almost any time when I have my camera, which I quite often leave at home, and then is of course when I want it the most.  Pictures of war damage will not pass the censor at all and they are not fond of you taking them and will prevent it if possible.  I have therefore taken none, and besides they do not interest me to any great extent.

Received a letter from Dorothy Kinsfather telling me of her college etc. She is taking Spanish and Chinese, can you imagine such a combination?  Also a letter from Mrs. Matson. I understand Dorothy is very interested in marriage, so I can not quite connect her pursuing languages and wanting to get married at the same time.  Quite a person.  Mrs. Matsons’ letter was quite interesting as always and she tells me they have sent a couple packages.  I wish you would discourage so much attention my way from so many people.  I feel obligated to them.

I am quite pleased to hear of the popcorn etc being on the way.  I surely appreciate it.  You can charge my request things to me.  You can forget the powdered milk since the chocolate can be made with water.  The tea I am quite sure will be satisfactory.  I am able to get all the necessary sugar.

Jay Elmont[1] in his letter received yesterday tells of being out to dinner so I guess he now owes you a dinner again.  That is getting to be a vicious circle, isn’t it?

In regards to your questions about our teams. We have had quite a set back recently. Col MacIntyre is having to return to Headquarters and we are going to get another surgeon.  We are all quite disappointed at the Colonel having to go.  Otherwise our team was a big success.  We done a lot of surgery and the Colonel has done some beautiful work.

We were not at Calais since that was practically British.  Some of our teams are at all the prominent places along the front.

Thanks a lot for the second copy of the poem.  I have the other copy here and will take your advice and carry this one in my wallet.

Anita Ringley mentioned Yvonne’s noninterest in “North Eastham House”.  Do not blame her.  Have you ever heard of Grandfather Matthews will as yet?

Well all for now, and I will start writing more often and different ways.  The envelope is German.

All my Love,

Stanley

NOTE from the transcriber:

ARMY NINEH = probably Army Ninth…  That is where he was in actuality so that fits.

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[1] Found a passport picture f Jay Elmont on Ancestry.com and the 1930 US census lists his occupation as “Artist - Music and Radio Field”; and the directories have him listed as an act director, living at 421 W 8^th Street, Los Angeles in 1917- as a decorator,  h2139 Branden in 1918 – Manager Gillette Safety Razor Co, r815 O’Farrell in 1920 and 1921 h2139 Branden

The California Death Index shows he died on 12 Dec 1946, in Los Angeles.(he was b 1 Jan 1883 in Ohio).Passport lists a David Elmont as his father (b NY)

September 8, 1944

Sgt. Stanley W Safford 39539976

5^th Auxiliary Surgical Group

APO 339

c/o Post Master

New York

New York

September 8, 1944

Dear Mother:

Sitting here today trying to get a little sunshine after a few days of rain.  I decided to write you a few lines.

Received your letter of the 23 August yesterday and your two V-Mails and Letter of 12,14 and 15 of Aug the day before.  They were part of the first mail I have received for 2 weeks.  In moving we have been unable to get mail etc as we had in England.  Also received letters from the Wildes in Frisco and one from Muriel at the same time.

I hope you will be getting the silver soon as I am quite anxious about it.

It may not have had enough postage on it, but that was all the room for stamps and I felt you would be willing to pay whatever was due upon receipt of it.  That package was carried by me all the way from our last station in England to the place of mailing and it really had the chance of acquiring some more history.

Was quite sorry to hear of Grandpa Matthews' decease, but you may feel the same as I do regarding it.  He has suffered a long time and gone thru a lot in the last few years.

Wrote a letter to Nelson last evening and will catch up on a lot more in the next few days if we have nothing more to do than we have had in the last couple weeks.  We are still awaiting the day when we will go to work.  It takes time for a unit of our type to begin to function.

In regards to your question on V-Mail or Air Mail. I think it is much better for me to use Air since it takes such a long time for us to finally get the mail on its way and besides there is not much else to spend money on anyway.

The armies ahead of us have cleaned everything up in the way of small antiques or anything else of that type, although I keep my eyes open.

Visited a Count’s home or chateau in Valognes while up that way the other day and it is in very poor state of repair.  He has been dead about five years and his nephew is the present owner.  A German general lived there during the occupation and now the American finance office is there.  The rare and priceless antiques are still there and are beginning to show wear by the dozen or so soldiers using the house for quarters.  GI shoes and dirty clothes on the spread in the Master Bedroom and the portraits still on the wall. When they get tired of a piece of furniture they merrily shove it out into the hall and it may land on an oil canvas or another rare silk, little do they care.  And they have pasted Pin-Up pictures on the Damask wall coverings and the people say the Count has two more homes in France larger and better yet.

I visited it have (CUT OUT) while in England and found it quite a charming place and loads of history connected with it.  We lived in a huge Manor house or hall not too far from there and it was worth seeing also.  Built about 1805 by an Earl of a famous family and made a lot of history. There were no furnishings there but the Hall alone was enough.  The natives of course told tales of ghosts etc.  the same as all of the old places there, but I never had the occasion to see one.  There was a very beautiful library there that would put Huntington’s to shame.  It originally cost 150,000£ ($600,000) American money.  The gardens there must have been beautiful beyond compare in their day.  The house had as many windows as the year has days.  Well enough for the manor at this time and on to other things.

I visited Cherbourg the other day and was quite surprised to find it so well built up. They have all American railroad equipment and have really put a change into the place.  A good number of the people are returning to their homes and have begun to rebuild their homes.  My description could go on forever and we do not have the room here for them so is there are any questions you wish answered, let me know and I will answer them if I can.  Censorship has been lifted so I understand, so may be able to tell more.

Trips for us do not mean much as distances are much shorter here than in the States. And rides are quite easy to get on GI vehicles which there are a lot of.  I am happy to see Paris and when and if I do you will be told all.

Well enough for now and I am hoping that you are all well and will remain so.

All my love,

Stanley