Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-12-27
DC. Veteran Describes Rescue
Of2Ex-GIs, Girl in Auto Fire
Bus Driver Smothers
BIoze and Swiftly
Gets Aid for Injured
By NEWBOLD MOVES, Jr.


BY NEWBoLD MOVES, Jr.
This has to do with three former
servicemen-a soldier, sailor and
Marine-still going strong in civilian
clothes. 1t was told this morning by
the Marine, William F. Durham, IS,
of 939 G place NV.
He had gone back to his Job as a
Greyhound bus driver. At 3 am
yesterday, while he was travelling a
lonely stretch of road near Prunty,
w. Va, taking an empty bus to pick
up Washington bound passengers at
Grafton, he saw fire ahead of him
on the roadside. Drawing nearer,
the bus headlights picked out the
silhouette of car crumpled against
a tree, the engine blazing. Then he
saw an arm waving out the cars
window.
He slammed on the brakes and
grabbed fire extinguisher. There
seemed to be something wrong with
the way the arm was waving out
the window There vast had
been broken and the bone was stick
ing out.
The arm belonged to the soldier
He also had compound fracture
OF the leg and his hip was broken.
Fire streaming from under the
dashboard already had singed the
hair of the unconscious girl beside
him. Two other passengers were
on the back seat.
Puts Out Fires.
Hey, Mac" said the soldier to
the Marine. Suppose you get us
out of here"
Il didn't stop for tea, Mac. the
Marine said.
He put out the fire on the dash
board, then turned to the engine
When the flames had subsidized, he
started for nearby house to sum-
mon aid.
"Hey, Mac" said the soldier.
don't forget about getting us out"
Shut up" the Marine said IT
know better than to move wounded
man."
He could get no response at the
house, so he started back to the
wrecked car. Suddenly the fire
broke out again. He covered the
distance in matter of few Sec
onds and put out the fire again. He
saw man and his wife walking on
the road. Get doctor, an ambu-
lance and call the State police" he
roared. His tone commanded author
ity-the couple disappeared to tele-
phone to Grafton. where the nearest
medical help was available.
Mac" said the soldier. what
about this girl and the people in the
back? If you're too lazy to help me,
at least do something for them"
Sailors Wife Dead.
The Marine forced open the door
to the back seat, where the sailor
and his wife lay on the floor, uncon-
scious. AS he started to disentangle
them, the sailor groaned and recov-
cred consciousness.
Take it easy" said the Marine.
He helped the sailor. whose body
was badly cut. out of the car and
into the warm bus.
"Hows my wife?" the sailor asked.
The Marine went back to the
sailors wife. looked at the small
hole in the side of her head, felt for
the pulse in her juglar vein, and
shook his head. He went back to
the bus.
/ "How's my wife," the sailor asked
again.
How do you feel? Can you stand
shock?s
Yea. OK. I can take it."
This is rugged"
I'm rugged, too. I was in the
Navy"
She's dead the Marine said.
The sailors head slumped forward.
The Marine took out cigarette and
lighted it. After a while, the sailor
looked up, and his eyes were full of
tears which spilled over and ran
down his face.
Ambulance Arrives.
But all he said to the Marine was,
Il think my jaw must be broken.
How are the others?"
They seem all right" the Marine
said.
When the ambulance came, they
took the girl out OF the front seat.
She had a broken leg, and when
they got her to the hospital they
thought she might have internal in
juries as well. It took a long time
to get the soldier, out, his legs were
so entangled under the dashboard.
The Marine kept telling him, Crit
them, Mac"
The soldier gritted them, and
hardly sound passed his lips. But
he said to the. Marine, Stick around,
Mac. You and me talk the same
damn language"
The Marine had served eight years
in the corps before going back in
during this war. Between times he
drove six years for Greyhound In
Washington. The sailor was Paul
Graham of Grafton The soldier
was Jack Rife, jr., also of Grafton,
and the girl in front was Miss Gloria
Bell Squires.
Mr.. Rifle is the son of the Grey
hound ticket agent at Grafton, and
Graham's dead wife Betty used to
work at .the Greyhound Terminal
there.