The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1945-12-17
TOO
LATE
TO
CLASSIFY


ilege to make the personal ac-
quaintance of DR.. c. NJ. WaSSell,
USNR, whose remarkable expert
enceS were brought to the world
in the motion picture, The Story
of DR.. Wassell'' in which Gary
Cooper was starred.
Called upon TO introduce the
distinguished guest who spoke at
the annual banquet at Silver
Springs, I was in a quandry, won
dering whether l should refer to
him as Captain" or Doctor
WasseH Taking the bull by the
horn, l leaned over and asked the
kindly, charming gentleman him
self.
With a smile on his face and a
twinkle in his eye, he brushed
away the brass and the gold braid
with the simple remark: 4 am an
officer of the United States Navy
and still on duty, but was a Doc
tor FIRST"
Frof then on he was Doctor
WasSelI' to me and to the press
group that were fortunate enough
to enjoy his delightful company
during the convention and the bet
ter acquainted we became the
more we learned to love and ad-
mire this gallant and modest Ma
tiOnal hero, whose concern for the
injured men in his charge was 50
great that he was willing to defy
Navl Court Martial and death it
self to stay with them.
1t is not necessary for me to at
tempt here the famous story of
this mans exploits, they will live
in the Nations recorded history
for all time. His gripping story.
told first in a Nationwide Broad
cast by the President of the Uni
ted States, reached additional mil
lions throughout the world in
book form and through the motion
picture, which was made by Cecil
B. DeMille at the personal request
of the Chief Executive.
1t is fitting indeed that DR.. Was
sell is making his public appear
ances under the auspices Of fine
National War Fund, for the serv-
ice to his fellow men that is the
thine of his personal life story is
simply amplified many thousands
of times by the service to mankind
throughout the world by the agen-
cies supported by the FUND
Leaning against a table because
of a crippled leg, the aged Doctor
held his audience practically
spellbound but not with oratOry.
Although listed on the program as
a speaker, Wassen didn't
speak. He simply talked to us
much as he might have done had
he been seated in our home. His
quiet voice seemed to have an
amazing effect on his listeners.
YOU could have heard a pin drop.
His simple manner of expression
and sincerity were impressive
Referring to the ~ injured men
under his care, most Of them sur
vivors from the USS Marblehead.
as nv ''Buddies'', the Doctor
modestly gave those men the Gre
dit for the success of the seem
ingly hopeless situation, result
tant rescue. He told how many OF
the injured men oWsd their lives
to the East Indian netive girl who
gave her blood time end again IT
direct transfuSions, of the indOm-
liable courage of the men themsel-
YES who elected to 90 on when the
odds were overwhelming against
them. Vividly re described the
tragic scene on board the ever
crowded Dutch ship when it was
straffed again and again by JAP
planes that came in at mast levels.
He paid tribute to the gallant Brl-
fish commander. who held his
fleeing column long enough tC
permit transporting the wounded
American sailors to the port
where they were able to depart
for Australia. Explaining that
some parts of the motion picture
were fictional. he said that for the
most part it contained no exagge-
ration and was fundamentally cor
rect as TO detail. He personally
supervised the filming of the pic
ture and was careful to see that
this was so. Although he might
have realized magnificent sun
in the form of royalties from both
| the book and the picture, Doctor
WaSsell chose to assign the entire
earnings from both to the organi-
Zation for Navy Relief.
As a guest Of Ray and Davidson
of Silver Springs. DR.. Wassell wa:
taken on one of the glass bottom
boats for his first view of the IN
derwater fairy land and it is
doubtful if any Springs visitor was
ever more enthusiastic over the
experience than he. In fact, the
good Doctor has sand in hi:
shoes" and told US that when he
retiIes from active duty in the
Navy, he plans to make Florida
his home.