South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-11-26
Deeds of Volor


highest badge for distinguished
service. is given only in rare cases.
In fact. but two have been granted
the past year. At a recent meeting
OF the National Court Of Honor.
which is the body of judges max
ing the awards. a committee was
appointed TO consider an informed
late medal which would be next in
distinction to the gold medal. Il is
now the custom TO issue letters Of
commentator to Scouts who have
performed acts of noteworthy
bravery but VINO are not in line
for the gold medal. The informed
late medal would enable the Court
OF Honor 10 make a greater num-
Der OF awards, thus reaching boys
who are entitled to something MOI e
than honora BILE mention. Thirty
four rescues involving courage. self
sacrifice and preparedness were con-
sidered at the recent meeting of
the National Court Of Honor. The
two gold medals were awarded and
fourteen letters of commentator.
90
To Ralph Beatty, OF Geneva, New
York. one OF the gold medals was
awarded for the following rescue:
On June 10. 1922, Richard Gaspy.
accompanied by Scout Hennard
Baker and First Class Scout Ralph
Beatty. both OF Troop 6, went swim
ming in Seneca lake. After chang
ing their clothes in the boat house,
they proceeded by boat 10 a diving
float at a bathing beach near by.
Gaspy could swim but q little.
Beatty had passed all but one Of
his tests for a life-saving merit
badge. After swimming around a
while. all three started for shore,
a distance OF about $50 feet. When
one-third of the way, Gaspy was
seized with a cramp and cried. Il
can't make it." Beatty grabbed
hold of him and Gaspy threw his
arms around Beatty's neck, pulling
him under the water. Beatty sue
ceeded in getting Gaspy to let go
and held him up. calling for help
1875 pounds and Beatty less thap 100.
so the latter found it impossible TO
tow the stricken youth. In their
struggles. both went under several
times. but Beatty pluckily held on.
A former navy man by the name
Of Dietrich. seeing the trouble, dived
in and swain to the rescue. He.
with the aid of another man who
had been attracted by the cries for
help. succeeded in getting Gaspy
into the boat and completed the res
cue. Both men stated emphatically
that Beatty deserved every credit
and honor for his pluck in holding
Gaspy up. as without his help
Gaspy could never have survived
until they arrived.
90
The other gold medal was award
ed TO Manuel Camarillo OF troop II,
FL Paso, Texas. who. unassisted in
any way. rescued a fve-year-old boy
from drowning in an irrigation
ditch. A witness states that she
was in her home near the scene
when she heard a cry, There goes
a child" She rushed outdoors and
saw Camarillo jump off his horse,
climb a fence. and then dive into
the concrete-lined canal, which is
about ten feet in depth. The child
had already gone under three times,
and the swift current was carrying
him down stream rapidly.
90
Among the rescues for which let
ters of commentator were issued
are the following: Scout Howard
Barnes. troop l. Of Calvin. Okla.
through his first-aid knowledge.
saved himself from bleeding to
death The boy with two compan-
ions was on a hike when he notice.;
a gun lying on the ground. He
stopped 20 pick it up, the gun went
off. shooting into the large artery in
the boys arms the load taking about
four inches of the wrist bone. The
wounded lad told one Of his COM
panions to cut a stick and pull Oft
his suspender Of his overalls. Barnes
with his free hand and his teeth
made a tourniquet. and dispatched
the third member Of the party to
find the nearest house. After a
walk OF about a mile they reached
house and a doctor.
%
While in bathing a woman q
years Of age got into water about u
feet deep and began TO sink. She
had gone under twice. when Scout
Flake Clauswitz. age u. OF troor
II. san Antonio Texas. dived from
a tree a distance Of about % feet.
seized the woman. and after a hard
struggle succeeded in releasing her
grip on him and brought her to
shore.
One Of the most gratifying res
cues receiving commentator was
that of a Pasadena Calf, Scout
who because OF his scout training
was able 10 save his mother from
burning 20 death. Richard Booth
and his mother were both preparing
for bed. Mrs Booth who was
standing with her back 10 a ras
heater. suddenly became aware that
her flimsy gown had caught fire.
Hearing his mother call. Richard
ran 10 the room AMI. envelopinC her
with his arms allowed his embrace
20 slide down from her shoulders
10 her feet. The boy thlis extin-
guished the flames. hut both he and
his mother were badly burned. The
scout then sent for a doctor and
while waiting applied first-aid meas
ures learned from his Scout Hand
book.
90
Scout Lewis Wood o. East st.
Louis. Ill. and a companion had
rovved about so wards from shore
70 a point Of land that was not COW
cred with water. The boys. heliev-
irE Il was an island. got orr OF the