May 15, 1943

PFC Stanley W Safford

5^th Aux Surgical Group

Dodd Field

Ft Sam Houston

Texas

May 15, 1943

Dear Mother,

I am here at the service desk again writing.  I went into town this afternoon and took in my dirty pair of Khaki pants and shirt to the cleaners.  And on my way back decided to go over to the school and see if they by any chance had any mail there and they did.  The one which you mailed on the thirteenth and I was very glad to receive it because my mail has been few and far between of late since I told everybody that I was planning on leaving so therefore they have not written me any.

Well, after today I am more pleased with my new camp than I was last night. But of course it could be better.  My job as near as I can find out is going to be the assistant to the plans and training officer, a Captain Skinner who seem to be a very nice person.  And then there are a couple other doctors around who seem to be very nice.  The idea of the outfit is to go overseas and to work where they are needed and then return to their home outfit and then go elsewhere.  I am going to try and make an effort to get out before they go anywhere of course. I am going to instruct classes and more or less be his right hand man around so they tell me now.  The outfit when done will have 170 enlisted men, 130 officers and quite a number of nurses.  The men the Captain told me this morning are about to thirds very ignorant and most of them have not finished Junior high School and he also tells me that he can never see them as making anything out of them but letter bearers.

Did you find the booklet on Fort Sam Houston inside the front corner of the Audubon book? You know the bonds that I have paid for, well they tell me the Service School has just laid aside the money and that I am going to get it all back.  So I shall send it home and you can buy bonds for me with it.  And then I will again start my bond allotment and get things straightened out to running order.

The news of the garden makes me want to be home and see it again. Just for curiosity I called Southern Pacific a few minutes ago and asked the furlough rates for a round trip ticket to L.A. from here and they told me it was 35.85 round trip which is not very bad, but when I don’t know?

From the newspapers here in the Library (The Examiner) I gather Governor Warren is really showing them a few things on how to run a State government.  I always thought he was a good man.

After finishing my letter here I shall go home and go to the day room and write a letter to Frances and Joseph if possible and will spend the time tomorrow writing and amuse myself in that way.  And maybe after I get to work I shall like my new home better.  In one way I really think that it is for the better only hope and pray that I may get a chance at OCS.  I think that if at all possible the officers here will help me more than the last ones did.  You know that Captain Rosenbaum, when he was transferred, came to the 1^st Aux. Surgical Group. Only he is now studying in California somewhere for something?

I am quite anxious to see the pictures which you mentioned taking Sunday.  I believe that I will send home some more things soon.  Maybe my Hortus although I would hate to even tho I haven’t used it but very little.  What do you think?  And then there are some more papers etc. And maybe in time my camera if I go to OCS.

I shall close now hoping you are all well and especially my love to you mother,

Your son,

Stanley.

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

May 10, 1943

PFC Stanley W Safford

Co “B” Med Serv Sch

Barracks No3

Ft Sam Houston

Texas

May 10, 1943

My dear Mother

Here I am still here, and they keep telling me that not to go very far for fear of getting a shipping list for me and them not being able to find me.  I have already graduated and no longer belong the school and I am legally under orders from Washington, but in a way still responsible to the school in a way that is hard to explain.

We had Brig. Gen. Beach[1] speak at our graduation and he is certainly an old sleepy eyed fool.  He sat there and yawned and acted as tho he were simply disgusted with the entire affair and the room was very hot and stuffy as the weather has been the last week or so.  That is until last night we had quite a storm which the wind had blown in.  Thunder and lightning included but it has cleared up and is a very nice day today not too hot with a cool breeze blowing.  The rain has sure been needed here for things have been very dry and were beginning to look rather withered.

You may tell Muriel that she may have the baseball and bat she wanted, but to take good care of them.

All that I have asked about my leaving think that it is a very good idea. Even all the attached Co A cadre would like the chance to leave and also a new order has come though that only limited service men may be kept here attached.

The pictures of the cymbidium are quite good.  I suppose in spite of the film.  What is the size of your film?  I think that I have forgotten.  Perhaps I may find some good Eastman somewhere and will send it to you.  We quite often have access to such things which the public do not.  How is Muriel’s supply of gum holding out?  I shall still get you your medical corp. insignia.  I have a small one for Muriel but have not found anything decent for you both.

I received a note from Ray Coates the other day and he now tells me that he, at long last, has gotten into Special Services (production etc of plays etc) which he has been trying to get into every month since he has been n the army.   He is a very good example of a good person being held down. Even then a Major General gave him a boost.  What doesn’t a person have to go through to get somewhere here.

I just found out yesterday that there (are) some greenhouses here on the post and that there is a special branch which this comes under.  But as usual no one seems to know any too much about it but they never do.

The picture of Ann which you sent in your last letter was very good.  Only she shows signs of growing up.

And it is quite a laugh about Richard M sending for money.  Big shot.  And again the PX is run by the government and they usually always serve better food.  I wonder why, although I have only eaten here about twice.

There is sure a big graft here somewhere.  You can get ice cream in town at all the places and they have none here most of the time.

A couple of the boys who came in last night were in my same Co. at Camp Barkeley and at the same time and they are corporals and Sgts.  They seem to get somewhere else everywhere but here.

Sgt Elkins finally got his final transfer through a roundabout way from Senator Raiburn[2] of Texas.  His wife’s father knows them in some way.  And when the Co. commander heard of that he could hardly wait until he had called Sgt Elkins in and told him that it was a better idea for the army to run alone without the aid of civilians and that they would all get long much better in all ways concerned.  He was quite disturbed over it although I don’t blame Sgt Elkins for wanting to leave.

For some reason I just don’t seem to have much nerve very likely because I haven’t done much but wait and have not tried to start a letter for fear of having to drop it for the reason of the usual last minute rush.  And I had intended on writing and letting you know of my leaving by special letter and then would have mailed you one upon my arrival at of course I don’t know where. What a mess.

Enclosed you will find some negatives of which you can have about six copies made of the one of myself on the porch when you are around some drug store or other.  And maybe some or a couple copies made of the other couple good ones.  The purpose is to send a couple to the Matsons and Miss Mosher.

They would probably like a couple.  The same with Frances and Esther. Then you will find another envelope with nothing else but negatives of some of the pictures that I have taken here.  Unless you want any you can put them away for me.

I, even after doing nothing today, feel quite dragged out,  I suppose the waiting is the reason.  It gets on a persons’ nerves after a while of it.

The sun is now going down and evening is coming on.

One of the Sgts. asked me how I was enjoying my vacation.? Ha ha.

How are the rest of the cymbidiums doing and also how are the two doing and also how are the two doing that are in the ground.  And has the Easter lily come up again this year. And how is the large begonia doing after so much rain.  Joseph tells me his garden is just going wild with so much water.

Well I had better really bring this to a close before it becomes boring and tiresome.

Your son,

Stanley

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[1] George Corwin Jr., Brigadier-General (1888 – 1948) - http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/gcbeach.htm

1941- 1942: Commanding Officer Station Hospital Fort Sam Houston

1942- 1946: Commandant Brooke Medical Center Fort Sam Houston

1948: Commandant Walter Reed Army Medical Center

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Rayburn

Comments from the typist

Since I started this blog, several years have passed and I have only scratched the surface of these letters.  I am not sure why I slowed down on typing them.  Maybe because I felt disloyal to my mother-in-law, Stanley's sister, for exposing her brother's life to anyone who would read these letters.  Maybe... Muriel has since passed away and I feel like none of this will hurt her any more.

It is interesting to me to replace these letters in their historical context.  I am discovering things I probably would never have thought of had I not started this project.

Stanley was not a happy person, I don't think.
Why did they keep him at Fort Sam Houston?  Was he that good a trainer that they could not do without him or did they hold him back because they could sense he was different?  We have not gotten to the part where he vents his frustration about not being transferred, but we have seen his bigotry and his racist tendencies.  I wish I could remove those parts as it really offends me to read, let alone 'repeat', the offensive words.

However it is interesting to read how important plant life was to him.  It seems to be a topic of conversation that the whole family enjoyed back then.  Later in life, he attended to the gardens of Hollywood stars such as Vincent Price, Gayle Patrick-Jackson, Lucille Ball, Carry Grant, Sidney Poitier...  He was never as famous as he would like to have been and maybe it is because in those days the stars were more accessible and also that his Aunt Nina, and her husband Bill Baker were part of the "in-crowd" but he definitely developed his taste for fine things.
According to my mother-in-law, Cliffton Webb was a regular at their house.  His homosexuality was surely suspected even back then but it was only ever guessed at among the family until after his death at which time we found evidence confirming the suspicion: suggestive letters from one of his friends.

My mother-in-law had not been close to her brother for many years and from what we read in the correspondence he was never too complimentary of her.  He had a close relationship with his mother and took care of both of his parents until they died, and they could not have been easy as his father Wayne Safford suffered a stroke in 1981 that paralyzed him almost completely until his death 2 years later.  His mother Grace Whelchel Safford had long been battling Parkinson's disease.  His military medical training enabled him to keep both of his parents at home through their health troubles.  Stanley remained cantankerous and racist to the end, watching his parents' house swallowed up into a high crime district, still fearless enough to spew out vulgarities at his neighbors.
On one of the trips following Stanley's death, my husband and his brothers decided to sleep in the cars right outside the house...  Not the smartest idea but nothing happened to them.

The houses were eventually sold and sadly enough the lemon trees that had been the pride of my husband's grandparents were cut down by the new owners.  Stanley had long abandoned the care of the landscape around the house and although one of the two houses was sold at fair market value, the second was practically given away as the tenant began vandalizing it and long distance maintenance just wasn't feasible for a long term.

There was never a tribute given to him.  He had a military funeral and was buried at Riverside National Cemetery but no family was present.  We tried to inform the family who was still in California but when you reach his age and have never married or never had children, most of those who knew you are gone or unable to go pay their respect.  It is my hope that this blog will honor his memory and stand as a sign of gratitude for the time he spent in the US Army during World War II.


RIP, Uncle Stanley!

May 2, 1943

PFC Stanley W Safford

Co “B” Med Serv Sch

Barracks No3

Ft Sam Houston

Texas

May 2, 1943

My dear Mother:

Here I am about 9:30 Sunday evening after listening to Roosevelt give his little spiel.  That man can sure do more playing around with a vital issue.  Instead of dealing with them as he should, with a little force behind it.  It sure shows how much back from(?) he has to be told by someone else how to run things and it gives me a laugh and a pain in the neck.  And the mess which we every day see around us here.  Even some of the boys who here a month ago were for him are beginning to get a little tired of him in this affair. I wonder if he would win with such a great sweep of victory if he runs again.  We hear more anti this and that every day and the anti Jew idea is sure gaining more ground every day. There are a very few of them that I have seen in the army anyway and when they apply for officers training they are snapped up like gold and rushed off to school and the gold bars. And the Jews that are the captains up here in the section (Surgical Section) teaching just make me sick.  Two of them are hardly understandable that is their English.  And their idea of the enlisted man is sure a poor one because I have talked with them enough.  One of them asked me why I and the rest of us didn’t play golf and a few things of that type.  He thought we had just lots of spare time in which we could do such things.  Believe me I sure put him right on that point. Sgt Elkins was sure amused over it.

He and I sure can get together and have a good time complaining about this and that he is about 26 years old and he comes from Wichita Falls Texas which is north of here.  His wife teaches school there.  And he has no children.  Did I tell you in my last letter that he is leaving here within the next 6 weeks.  He applied for a transfer some time ago and has gotten it at last.

I am very glad to hear of Esther getting married.  The letter she wrote me was dated April 16^th but she did not mention it then you may keep you mentioning the fence reminds me of the first that I always hated to take pictures there because of the awful looking fence.  Are the cannas amounting to anything along the back of the house? Maybe the tree will set seed and you can plant some more of them along the fences.

Yes you can still cut the plants back out in front.  If you don’t, they (will) more than likely get too big and break down.

The article on the Chilniks was an interesting one evidently drew a back page, didn’t it and the one with the Japanese writing is a very good form of propaganda. And the other Japanese items also.

Yes, I saw in the paper the Library get here from LA (The Examiner) about your blackout.

Yes, you are right about LA bad district.  The emergency room get all kinds of stab, gunshots etc wounds that all come from the Mexican district which is a big one and a bad, and the list of prohibited restaurants etc is a long one.

What was the man’s name that was there one time when we went out? Or do you remember?  I shall have to write Frances at once.  Wonder if I should and how to mention it to her.  I think the same as you do that she would not take a bum of any kind.  And as you say I suppose Frances does hate to see Esther do something for someone else for a change.

I am wondering just how Nelson and Muriel are going to come to.

Yes, the pale yellow iris which you speak of is one that Joseph spoke of and he gave me one when he had an extra plant of so if you can, will you keep tract of it for me.

In this letter I am going to enclose some of my negatives which you can have some made of for me if you will.  And the ones which I sent you are for yourself to keep and if you want extras I will pay for them myself.  The ones which you can put away for me are the scenic ones etc.  Any of me that you want.

The weather here has been miserably hot and sticky for my comfort.

As for my OSC it shall have to wait about another month now that I am leaving here.  But as you say I am trying to study for it. Altho I may have to take something else other than MAC but according to what I hear, a person can transfer after becoming an officer.  Who can tell?

Monday May 3, 1943

Well today was payday and the barracks has been deserted and is well gone empty of all of the occupants.  Any of those that are left are all gambling and a couple of them are here in my room making a good job of annoying me and if they continue I shall have to ask them to leave in the same way as I have had to do in the past.  But they sure don’t now what it is to leave another person alone.  I broke them quite a while ago of laying on my bed and otherwise.

Today was the first time that I have seen them not have enough money to go around and I was one of them that had to wait until they had gone and gotten some more. They can certainly make a big mess out of a very small item.  The smaller the problem the larger the mess it seems to be.

Mrs. Tedesco tells me that my name was not on the clearance list which they sent ones to be cleared by the library.  Altho they may have gotten it in too late to be put on the list. I wonder.

I am going to send home my Audubon[1] book and I may send my Hortus[2].  It just depends on how much room I have.  And then you may send it on later for me again or maybe after if and when.  Maybe I become an officer and can carry a couple chests and all.  I shall have to write the Matsons a letter.  You know they have not written me since my sending the vase.  You may ask Mrs. Barrow where she is using the little vase or if she has seen anything else of it, just for my curiosity I certainly feel sorry for him having that business on his hand all alone because I know what it was like.

I truly believe that I shall close for now and get this on its way, and let you know that I have not forgotten you.

Love,

Stanley

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[1] http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Book-The-Birds-America-John-James-Audubon-1942-/140629880835

[2] http://www.archive.org/details/hortussecond029161mbp  - HORTUS SECOND. A concise dictionary of gardening, general horticulture and cultivated plants in North America. Compiled by L.H. Bailey and Ethel Zoe Bailey

April 26, 1943

PFC Stanley W Safford

Co “B” Med Serv Sch

Barracks No3

Ft Sam Houston

Texas

April 26, 1943

My dear Mother:

Here is another letter from your very poor letter writing son.  And I do hope you will forgive me for not writing you before this.  I started one Sunday but today when going back to it the letter did not seem to suit me.  So I again will get at it and I will finish this time and get it on its way.  You asked once why I mailed them air mail.  Well when I get around to writing one it is usually been quite awhile since I last wrote. So I mail it that way to save time and have it reach you quickly, if that word may be used.

I want to sincerely thank you for your beautiful Easter card and the two dollars. You really should not have sent it although since you have I think that I will buy myself a good shirt at the PX that is after I think it over for awhile.  What do you think?

Will the other day I went to call on the new company commander about my making my application for OCS and he told me he would and cooperate with me on it and that he thought that I should wait until becoming attached before doing so.  He of course does not cooperate with anyone for anything. So I was telling Sgt Elkins about it and he has no use for the man so he is going to talk to the major and maybe put it through in that manner.  The same man pulled a dirty deal on Sgt Elkins and I think the Colonel will side with Sgt Elkins with it and there is expected to be a nice affair once that Sgt Elkins is leaving about the first of June and going to another hospital in N Texas.  The lieutenant stopped him from going once but now the Col has had wind of it from an outside source and is really on the air about it.

And today I heard I am to leave here about May 10^th.  If and when I do. I only hope and pray that it is a nice camp somewhere although is my application for OCS pans out I may remain.  If and when I do I shall let you know.

I did not go to church Sunday because the weather was so very hot and sticky and I overslept.  I always have a terrible time getting to sleep and remaining that way without being awakened.  Yes they have several churches here on the post including one which they hold in the assembly hall.  I am not too fond of it tho and on top that the colonel comes around every Sun. morning and counts off on his fingers those who are going to church and that makes me sick.

The weather here has been hot and sticky and is certainly nothing to brag about and a person feels like doing nothing at any time.  Maybe my next camp will be cooler.

And the work has been piling up on me something fierce. Zeb the guy in practice ward went home to N Carolina on an emergency furlough and has left practically all the work on Sgt Elkins and myself and it seems that I spend more and more of my time there every day and the Sgt said that it was getting tiresome for both of us in a hurry.

A week ago I as the non com in charge of the practice ward took class out with the major and captain to Camp Bullis about 20 miles from here to look at one of those sanitation areas.  We had a very beautiful ride both out and in.  The Blue bonnets all in bloom and just loads of other pretty flowers.  And also there were large patches of poison oak and ivy in abundance.  In fact that was the first time I had really a chance to see much of the country around here and quite enjoyed it.

Those cookies are certainly good and the slippers sure come in handy after a day of being on my feet all the time.  And the mending job is excellent and will serve the purpose quite well.

One day soon I will send home a box of letters which you can put away for me.  And soon I shall have your caduceus and will send them at the same time with Muriel’s.  Also I will send some very beautiful prints there which include not only the bud but the flowers and trees in the background.

Before my departure I will try and see Ray Coates again.  I shall in a way dread to leave. Because I have made so many friends here but the army is that way.  A person can certainly meet in the army.

Your mentioning Marie Robinson and her no good husband is a very good example of what happens when these high school girls decide to get married while they are too young.  It almost serves her right. And her folks should have put their foot down when the affair started.  Now she will in the end more than likely in the end have a couple kids to care for and support.  These child romances make me laugh.  They just don’t know their own mind.  The usual reason is that they can’t wait to grow up and then they get married and have no more childhood so to speak then they miss it. Then it is a different story.

Had I mentioned before receiving a letter from Aunt Esther the other day.  I always enjoy receiving letters from her.

Would there be any way in which you would get me a ration book. You know they are giving them to soldiers.

One of my WAAC friends who works in the Sales commissary was telling me about how the officers came in and just bought shoes without even trying them on, about a pair ever(y) other week or so.  It is indeed very interesting to hear some of the stories that a person can hear from some of these places. And as a colonel once said the men always knew more about the officer than he did himself. Some of these WAACs are certainly an interesting bunch.  There are quite a few well educated ones also.  School teachers etc.

The fireflies here are certainly an unending curiosity to me, they are surely beautiful little things especially about nine o’clock at night because it does not get dark here until about eight thirty.

Have you heard anything from Marshall recently?  I haven’t.

Can you think of anyone who would write me a very good letter of recommendation, (…?) Mr. Ricks, Mrs. Matson, Miss Brode and Miss Mosher.  That is for OCS of course it would not hurt to have extra ones.

Downstairs in the Service Club here this evening they are having what they call a Sing Song in which they are having anyone who wishes to join them and sing.  There is one WAAC who has sang four solos and she is very good.  She sings the Jeanette McDonald type of things and in my way is much better than her. You would be very much surprised to find the larger member of talented people you can find here and there in the army.

Our classes this week are very good which very much surprised us because usually the last two weeks start to let down quite a bit and they always end up in almost a riot but they are all still aware that I will not stand for any of it so therefore they are quite easy with me.  I have been complimented upon the way that I handle the men.  And only once in a while will it become necessary for me to give them a lecture and if necessary give detail work.  I in a way enjoy working with men and I enjoy drilling them because a person has to be on their toes to handle a large group all in cadence and keep them all in step.  It is late of fun.  Of course what it looks like to someone else I can’t tell but am told that it is rather good.  You would probably enjoy it. It is entirely different from anything that the average from anything that the average person ever expected from me.  And a year ago I would never have thought that I would be doing such myself.  Did you?

I am going to get you a little booklet on the history of Fort Sam Houston which I think you would enjoy reading.

Did I tell you that Whitney the boy that I formerly knew here left last Sunday from Camp Bowie where he is to go home to Washington on a 14 day furlough.

I had better be closing now and going home to bed shall not hurt me any I suppose.

Love from your son

Stanley

Inserted note: 

Esther asked me in her letter if I would write a cousin. Type letter to Frances. I guess you know why.

Aunt Nina spoke of Nelson as being no genius but someone for M to start on. And Joseph spoke of him as being no one to set the world on fire.  Of course a person has to be something extra for him to remark on him.  I would enjoy seeing just what he s like

Stanley

April 15, 1943

PFC Stanley W Safford

Co “B” Med Serv Sch

Barracks No3

Ft Sam Houston

Texas

April 15, 1943

My dear Mother:

Here I am again at least starting a letter to you but will more than likely not get it very well started before I shall have to go home to bed.  I have really been quite busy the last few days and doubt if I am going to get much of a relief until the first of next week.  Sgt Elkins is finally getting his well earned three day pass this weekend and is going up to see his wife.  He certainly earns everything he gets around here.

Yesterday afternoon I had the class all to myself from about 2:45 until four o’clock.  The Sgt and Zit(?) were out drilling in Co”A” and the other instructor was once in the other section teaching math and I am able to pride myself on them to let me have the class all alone.  Today I taught three two hour classes of plastic casts, yesterday it was gowning and gloving and tomorrow it will be the care of the eye.  I have had the ear in some of my previous weeks.

Plus all my other doings.  I am trying to finally get my application in for OCS and I may end up in the Engineers or something or somewhere, for the MAC OCS is practically impossible to get into now and on the application they request four preferences. So Heaven only knows what will happen.  Of course the company commander may still refuse and we have a new one and he is really going to turn the entire Co “B” inside out with his new ideas, and he really has not a friend in the entire company and he well knows it.  He is only a first lieutenant too!  He up until about three weeks ago was a second lieutenant.

April 18, 1943

This morning I arose and got dressed and went for a nice long walk with one of the boys down to the creek which I believe I have spoken of before.  And it was truly beautiful this morning with the sun freshly coming up and everything nice and fresh. There are as yet quite a few wild flowers in bloom and a few which were not in bloom when I went down last time.  We had quite a downpour a couple nights ago and believe me when I woke up and heard it raining I raised up in bed and looked out and the rain was coming down in sheets and a very strong wind was blowing so everybody was closing windows.  And I suppose the extra rain helped to make the stream so beautiful this morning.

Yesterday after so long I finally got moved into one of the rooms there are only four beds in the room, but there are only three of us in the room, and I am very much pleased there is not the noise and disturbance although the stairway is right outside the room.  And also the lights may be kept on until eleven where the lights in the balance of the barracks have to turn out their light at nine o’clock.  That therefore allows for me to complete a letter or something if the occasion need be.

Our class this last week was certainly a very good and cooperative one.  And we hope the one next week is as nice.

The time certainly does fly by and it gets to the place where I wonder if I have said something before in my letters which I sometimes think has happened since my last letter.

The party at Mrs. Tedesco was certainly a success.  Victor the pianist was there and with him he brought two of his friends. One was a Italian boy named Francis who had one of the most beautiful voices that I have heard in a long time.  He sang four songs: one in English, two in Italian, one of which was one of my favorites and then one remaining one in French.  Also with him was another violinist who I believe played much more beautifully than the other boy I spoke of.  He played so beautifully Mrs. Tedesco also thought that he played better than Bruno.  In all there were fourteen of us there, also including a WAAC, one of the boys from the school.  The one who had his picture with the model of the school, also a Warrant Officer who is a son of the originator of Child’s restaurant chain. I myself didn’t have much to say to him and then Gladys the lday who took us for a ride at the last party was there also.

The clipping which you enclosed in your letter about the Busch estate closing was rather a shock because I always wanted to go there.  But of course the taxes would very likely eat a person out of house and home if let go long enough.  You know the oriental gardens there outshined the Huntington’s.

You know I have not heard from the Matsons since you said they told you they were going to write me although I will have to get busy and send them a letter thanking him for getting the rose bushes sent to Miss Mosher for me.  Also I owe Miss Mosher a letter and I shall have to write Marshall a letter otherwise my mail is pretty well kept up.

Had I told you that they have made a change in the management of the Surgical section. Capt Rosenbaum is no longer here. He left with four others and the new ones are nothing to brag about.  Two of them are Jews, which sure get on Miss Thompson’s nerves and Sgt Elkins calls them the little rays of sunshine.

Yes, Madame Chiang Kai Shek was here in San Antonio visiting the air fields and they had 60 planes go up in her honor and fly over the city.  They came back over here on their way back to Randolph Field.

You asking about the rabbits sore feet.  You may grease them or you may put a burlap sack in the cage for the rabbit to sit on. 

You asking about my putting on weight. I have put one about eight pounds. But the suit if like my shoes may not fit me when I get back. My feet have spread out it seems to me so that they no longer look good in my dress shoes.  You know we are now wearing our khakis and they are much more comfortable although when they get wrinkled they are really a mess.  The cleaning bills on them shall be tremendous as they are on the woolens.

Do you have anything in mind that you would like for Easter.  It seems that everything I see up town seems to be not too much out of the ordinary and a lot of the Mexican things that I see here are no different than you have there in California. Something which I usually think of a person would be something that shows that it is definitely from San Antonio and what would it be. To give something which I would like myself. But I suppose I am very hard to please.  What do you think? You very likely know that something has to be next to sensational to make me become over awed at it.  And they are really out to get the soldiers money here in San Antonio, some of the prices they charge here are atrocious and hard to believe but they get it.

I should receive a very good sized pay check this month because of the mix up on the bonds then after this month I will again sign up for them.  Although if those that I have already paid for do not arrive upon the scene soon I am going to be up in the headquarters building finding out about them for there is no reason why when a person has paid for a thing  that he should not at least have received them anyway by this time.  I am almost to the conclusion that the more a person makes himself heard of and seen around a place the more apt he is to be thought of when they hand out any gifts. Whether it is good or bad I have seen so many cases of that type that even if they are in trouble most of the time the more they seem to get. So I am going to see about it in a small way of course.

We had a very good meal here today which consisted of ham, string beans, carrots cut quarterly and baked somehow, a very good apple pie type of thing and ice cream.  And then as something to drink they had ice tea, which was very good.  I do not know why but the tea they have here is usually very good but the lemonade is good about one time out of six.  I do wish that they would have the large meal in the evening instead of at lunch.  It makes me plus the class both sleepy in the first hour or two after lunch.

We now have a new system in which we have to sign out when we leave camp and sign in when we come back.  Some more red tape and another one of the new CO’s ideas and a big nuisance.

In the pictures you sent it looked like the grass needed cutting and that awful fence as a background and is it just the picture or is the tree (Albizia) losing its leaves?  It was quite pretty and it would be very nice if you had a few more of them around the yard.  Did the Ligustrum (Privet) which I moved around from the front to the back fence ever come out and amount to anything?  My original idea was to make a screen across the back fence.

Did you ever find out what was eating the garden plants?  In case you do not find out it may be cutworms. In that case mix some crude naphthalene flakes into the soil.  It very likely wouldn’t hurt anyway because of it being new dug soil.  And did you ever realize anything from the Brussels sprouts or did the insects etc realize more from them.  Did the little jonquils bloom this year, out by the old cypress stem in the front yard by the water faucet and are the Impatiens still there?  I also hope the fuchsias will grow way up above the porch and provides a type of informal hedge around the front porch.  Although I guess my dreams for that dump are entirely too much to be expected from it.  As you have said before.

I am going to enclose a couple pictures which you may like, also some which you can put away for me.  The camera has a very peculiar focus and when someone else takes them they invariably come out rather funny.  Then there is another fair one which I am going to have prints made of and send out.  I gave the original one away so you will get one very soon when I have the copies made.  The prints in order to have them made double size I believe cost a little more but I can always have the better ones made double.  I do believe that I will send them home from now on and have you get them for me at perhaps a little less.  I shall also have to get my Easter cards addressed tomorrow and get them on their way.

I shall also have to devote some time to study for OCS so that I may have the good luck to get by the explaining board by answering a few questions on current events.  It will more than likely be so that they will ask me the ones which I do not know.  I am at present quite a ways behind on current events.  I am beginning to wonder just when and where I am going to get this spare time to do all those wonderful little things.  Well I truly think I had better be closing now and getting on my way with some more letters if I can.  I close, wanting to give you all my love and respect.

Your son,

Stanley

April 11, 1943

April 11, 1943

My dear Mother:

Here it is Sunday already and I had planned on having a letter written to you already but if it isn’t one thing it is another all the time and how the time does fly and I wonder where it has all gone.

It hardly seems in one way that I have been in the army over five months. And in another way it seems that it was ages ago when I last saw you, also quite a while ago that I was a Barkeley.  Does it seem very long to you?

Today is a very bright day outside and very likely the hottest day we have had this season.  In fact it is much too warm to do much of anything. And we are not yet allowed to wear our suntan’s although tomorrow is the day from what I hear.

This morning I went to church and after church decided to spend a little money and go out to eat.  I went out and waited and waited for a bus and stood there nearly for a half hour.  Then decided to take a bus back to the Fort SH and then walk from here which was not quite as close but better than waiting. And of course I was full dressed blouse and all and when I finally got there I was all worn out. I ate at a French restaurant called La Louisiane and they surely had very good food.  Shrimp cocktail. A very large delicious piece of fish, water cress salad with a very good dressing and some very good iced tea which I sweetened with powdered sugar and a very small amount of lemon.  And  the atmosphere was a charming one, huge fireplace which of course was not burning today. Large French mirrors and some small but beautiful crystal chandeliers in fact seven of them in all.  There was a small family reunion at the table next to me.  They were from California and evidently the two boys, one a 2^nd Lt and the other a cadet are stationed here in San Antonio.

Then there was one girl and evidently the daughter and the father and mother.  They had a champagne cocktail toast and he also ordered a bottle of something that they kept in a bucket at the side of the table.  The waiters were all French and it made them entire scene complete.  I should be very much ashamed of myself I guess for eating out when I could very well eat here and save my money.

The sermon was very nice this morning. The minister spoke of the things that go on at home while the boys are away and he sure hit the nail on the head.  It is the Travis Park Methodist Church and they have a wonderful organ and during one pause they played “Ave Maria” and how truly beautiful and how serene the church was then.  Across the street is Travis Park which is named after one of the Alamo heroes.  And the park is coming out now in all its Spring beauty, beck of violets which really bloom add a very nice fragrance to the air and the pigeons are quite tame and simply are in flocks.

The entire city is beginning to show signs of Spring.  Today I saw ranunculus mixed amongst white and pale blue German iris lining each side of a garden walk.  Ranunculus seem to do so well down here.  No wonder we used to sell so many of them by mail order down here.  You should see the blue bonnets, wild verbena and wild primroses around here in the vacant fields.

The domestic verbena is coming out quite colorfully and beautifully now. I went through the Alamo gardens this morning and the flowers were quite abundant including some very beautiful pansies and the water lotus are now coming to life again.  The other evening I walked down to Salava[1] Creek and truly beautiful it was.  All green and the wild water lilies (yellow) are just beginning to bloom.  The creek is very likely fifty feet wide in some places and was running quite full because of the small type of hurricane they had here the night before.

There are some good sized fish also.  We also came up on some very pretty mallard and white ducks which were out swimming around.  They made the scene quite complete.  It shall provide a nice place to spend some restful evenings and perhaps some decent writing where we don’t have so much noise.  So you may have some better letters in the future from me.

Well we are having a real shake up in the Surgical Dept. Capt Rosenbaum has been transferred and the other captain also.  N fact now we have none of the original officers here now.  And one of the other majors here has take over and has started a general cleanup which will either keep me here unassigned and given no ratings or otherwise and still a student instructor.

Most of the other boys whom I have been with at Camp Barkeley had had leaves already etc.  and here I still am.  I may be making a mistake which only time can tell me.  What do you think and recently we had a small rumpus over one of the small single rooms.  But I guess I can stay where I am for another month. They will have to order me to move before I will say anything more now.  I have said as much as I am going to and if they forget alright.

They have a brain storm idea of running the school in two shifts and they have already double decked the beds downstairs in our barracks which makes about 100 men in my barracks now which also makes my mail clerk job the biggest in the school which of course shall take more of my time than ever. We now have to have mail call outside because the barracks is too small.  What a grand mess this is, and is going to be in the future.

My classes starting tomorrow show signs of being very promising but what the new student instructor is going to be like I cannot tell.

That Georgian that I have spoke(n) of was sent to Fort Lewis Washington with five others.  Maybe if I had been going this time I would have gone there also.  It would be very much more to my liking probably than this hot sticky mess.  They even sent some of them to California this last time.

Muriel in her very placid way did not even acknowledge receiving my letter.  Can you imagine that, of course it is just like her as you very well know.  But it may have had some effect on her and it may be still be stinging which may be the reason she did not wish to mention it because she may want to forget it.  But I shall keep at it in a different way.  Did she show it to you or did you read it otherwise.  I was wondering what her comments were, if any.  I got some very nice Easter cards the other day and shall have to get them addressed soon.  Most of my correspondence is caught up with now and I shall write oftener and a few unnecessary letters now and then.  The days here are nice and long but of course the change in time makes it that way, that is between here and California.

Soon I shall send a box of letters home and also your cadeucius[2]. What do you need for Easter?

I am afraid that I will have to renew my bond allotment because they have messed things up somehow in changing officers or something.

I am enclosing a couple more pictures which you may like to see and the balance shall come next time I write.  I wanted to show them to Mrs. Tedesco since she took them.

By the way how are the in-laws coming by now? There is an awful scowl on my face in one of the pictures.

I close hoping you at home are well and happy.  How is your arm?

Love from your son,

Stanley

---

[1] Probably Salado Creek

[2] caduceus
I found a La Louisiane menu on sale on ETSY.com - http://www.etsy.com/listing/74386646/vintage-menu-la-louisiane-san-antonio

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.

---

[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