Photo By Cpl. Karina Lopezmata | Six 2d Marine Division Marines were credited today with saving the life of a traffic...... read more read more
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This week we are republishing a story that appeared on our pages on this date in history from the 1963 edition. We hope it will give you an appreciation for our Corps’ years. Today’s article features five Marines who use the skills they learned to save the life of a car accident victim.
Six 2d Marine Division Marines were credited today with saving the life of a traffic accident victim last Sunday following a two-car head-on collision near Wilmington, Delaware.
Wife of one of the victims, Mrs. James Brown of Hurlock, Maryland, wrote the Division crediting the Marines with saving the life of her husband.
The Marines were Pfc Gary Toth of Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 10th Marines, Pfc Carl Coletti, Pfc Edward L. Paralusz, Terence McCann and Private Ralph P. Mann, Jr., all of Battery “E”, 2d Battalion, 10th Marines and Private Roger Harrison of 2d Medium Support Company, Service Battalion.
Returning to Camp Lejeune in Private Mann’s car on Highway 301 near Wilmington, Del., the Marines saw a car spin on icy pavement while attempting to pass another car and go out of control crashing headon into an oncoming vehicle.
They immediately stopped and gave first aid to the victims, two of whom were suffering from serious head injuries. Lacking bandages or compresses, the Marines folded clean underwear into makeshift bandages and applied them to the injured areas. They also wrapped the two more seriously injured victims in coats and blankets.
Attempting to make the victims more comfortable, the Marines placed one of the more seriously injured in the back seat of Mann’s car. The other was placed in the wreckage of one of the two demolished automobiles.
While Paralusz, Coletti and McCann were busy administering first aid, Mann and Toth directed traffic, avoiding dangerous jams which could have resulted from the blocked highway.
Harrison ran about a mile up the highway to a farm house where he called for help.
During an hour-long wait for an ambulance, the Marines took turns applying pressure to the victims’ injuries, and directing traffic. Icy road conditions and poor weather delayed the arrival of the ambulance while the Marines continued their work.
An ambulance arrived about 8:30 p.m. and took the victims to a nearby hospital.
Mrs. Brown got the names of the Marines from a police officer’s report. She addressed her letter, citing the Marines with saving the life of her husband, to the Division Chaplain’s office.
In the letter she reported that her husband has had two blood transfusions and is still considered serious, but is improving and “…still remembers the Marines…”
| Date Taken: | 03.04.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 03.04.2019 13:24 |
| Story ID: | 312760 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 89 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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