Evening star., 1942-01-11
Veteran Of japanese
Attacks Surprised
By One in Hawaii
Red Cross Official Was
Coming Home to Rest
After Year in China

After Yeur in China
The japanese air raids he had
undergone in China seemed far
away to Walter Vesselius as he sat
on . hospital terrace looking out
over Pearl Harbor that tranquil
Sunday morning, December 7.
The director of Chinese relief for
the American Red Cross suffered an
attack Of malaria on the Burma
road and was under treatment at
an Army hospital in Honolulu while
en- route to his home at 1926 North
Arlington road, Arlington, to recup-
crate.
II had Just finished chatting with
the head nurse" Mr.. Wesselius said.
"she complained that things were
TOO quiet she wanted to see
some action.
We agreed we were safer in I'M
pregnable Hawaii than on the main
land Of the United States"
Planes Filled Air.
Mr.. Wesselius, who has Just re-
burned to his home here. was seated
on the terrace with two Army majors
when the sky over Pearl Harbor and
Hickam Field suddenly was filled
with planes, diving and circling. In
. moment terrifiic explosions &C.
Cured.
Gosh. that's a wonderful man
euver for Sunday morning. OK
claimed one major.
"Maneuver nothing, that's the real
thing!" the other declared.
Mr.. Wesselus, who had seen
scores of bombings in Chungking,
Running and other interior cities
OF China in the last year, was in
clined to agree with the latter
estimate OF the situation.
The three on the terrace could
not be certain. however, even after
radio reports began to come in.
Last Doubt Dispelled.
The last doubt was dispelled when
wounded began to arrive at the
hospital. Mr.. Wesselius took a sta
ton at the door of the operating
room, wheeling surgical cases in
and out. The work of treating the
injured went on at high speed
throughout the day and far into the
night
Raids by Japanese bombers were
nothing new to Mr.. Wesselius, who,
like the Chinese. learned to take
them as a matter of course. The
Red Cross supervisor was in Chung
king last June when a protracted
night raid kept several thousand
Chinese in an underground shelter
until the oxygen was near exhaus-
tion and a tragic panic resulted
which caused many deaths
Other raids, however, were less
serious. The Chinese have an in
fallible warning system" Mr.. Wes-
selius said. "A ring of spoilers
gives Chungking a notice of about
an hour and a half. Then single
balls are raised on stafis at con-
spicuous points about the nationalist
capital. Two balls raised on the
staff means the raiders are half
. hour away. and the balls are
dropped out of sight as 4 10-minute
warning.
Has Enough Shelters.
"Chungking has enough shelters
dug out of solid rock to protect the
whole population. The Chinese 90
about their business until the bomb
ers draw near and return to their
homes, shops and of1ices as soon as
they depart.
The Chinese have demonstrated
that they can take punishment and
carry on the war effort The Red
Cross will continue to help them,
for they are a. worthy people.
1--WE seen reports Of theft and
graft on the Burma Road. Yet I
encountered none. OF $4,000 pack
ages of valuable medical supplies
and food shipped over the road, all
but ~ reached their proper destina-
tion. and this despite bombings and
long hauls under adverse conditions.
What trucking company in America
can boast a better record?"
Mr.. Wesselius left Hawaii on one
Of several ships escorted by cruiser
and destroyers. The ships carried
many wounded.
Typical of the fine work of the
Red Cross" he said, was the re-
sponse of IA nurses asked to accom-
pany the wounded to San Fran
cisco.
Many had only two hours warm
Ing that they were needed. They
had no time to 60 home for their
belongings They just made a bee
line for the ships and began at
once to care for the wounded"