US Presidency
1942

I should like to tell you one or two stories about the men we have in our armed forces: There is, for ( instance ) example, Dr. Corydon M. Wassell. He was a missionary, well known for his good works in China. He is a simple, modest, retiring man, nearly sixty years old, but he entered the service of his country and was commissioned a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy. Dr. Wassell was assigned to duty in Java caring for wounded officers and men of the cruisers HOUSTON and MARBLEHEAD which had been in heavy action in the Java seas. When the Japanese advanced across the island, it was decided to evacuate as many as possible of the wounded to Australia. But about twelve of the men were so badly wounded that they couldn't ( not ) be moved. Dr. Wassell remained with them, ( these men ) knowing that he would be captured by the enemy. But he decided to make a last desperate attempt to get the men out of Java.