The Coolidge examiner., 1946-05-03
Mrs. VaIIandinghanI
Commended For
Red Cross Act
Florence w o m a n Is Given
Praise From National
Headquarters For Samari-
tan Activities

Mrs. Fern Vallandingham. Flor
ence Red Cross worker has re.
Ceived the highest commendatior
from the national office OF the Red
Cross for the initiative and re-
sourcefulness she displayed i'm aid.
ing the wife OF an army sergeant
injured badly in an automobile &C.
cident near Eloy. March II.
Mrs. Lottie c. Devine. chairman
of Pinal county chapter OF the Red
Cross received the commentator
from Fred Weisenhaimer. assist
ant regional director OF the Pa
cific area OF the Red Cross in San
Francisco.
Attached were copies OF two let
ters received by the Red Cross
from the husband OF the injured
woman and a fellow patient of
hers In Beaumont General Hospital.
RI Paso. Texas.
The letter from her husband ex-
plains why Mrs Vallandingham re-
ceived the commentator. II fol-
lows.
while en- route from Camp Swift,
Texas. TO Fort Lewis. Washington,
Il had arrived in the vicinity OF
Eloy. Arizona. when a tire blew
out causing the car to turn over
severely injuring my wife. She was
taken TO the Prisoner OF War Hos
pital near Florence. but they did
not have the equipment TO do the
work that was necessary.
Mrs. Vallandingham OF the
American Red Cross was called.
She came and took our two babies
TO care for When she learned the
serious condition my wife was I'm,
she called the Beaumont General
Hospital and through the Red Cross
there made arrangements for my
wife at that hospital. She also
made arrangements with the Phoe-
nix army base for a plane To carry
myself and wife TO Biggs Field near
the hospital
Through the Red Cross my
mother was notified at Sunnyyale.
California. and the babies taken
10 her at that place They then
notified my wife's mother through
the Red Cross at McComb. MIssis-
cfunf 90 har condition
This on a Sunday afternoon.
too.
(Signedl
ist Sgt Irwin r. Hulsey.
I'd Rcn. Tp..
Cd Div. U. s. Army.
The letter from the patient is
the hospital read:
Across the hall from me Is a
woman who was brought here in
eXtremis. suffering from a broken
back. a fractured pelvis and an un-
born child. She Is the wife OF a
soldier and was injured in an ac-
cident in Arizona. That her des-
perate case was successfully dealt
with on the spot. and that she has
gotten where she mas a fighting
chance for herself and child is
owed to the initiative and resource
fulness of the Red Cross represen-
tative in Florence. Arizona. whose
name is Mrs. Fern Vallandingham.
/ enclose a statement from Ser
geant Hulsey. the husband. In
which he sets forth the details. |
might add that the Red Cross here
at this hospital has handled the
case very well.
do not know whether Mrs. Val
landingham, at Florence is a volun-
teer. a home service representa-
tive or an executive secretary but
IL any case il you should see fit
TO commend her | cannot help
thinking that ii would be we'll de-
served. commendation OF the sort
of performance which we are all
ahAAous 10 SEE tstdDilsHtu as
general standard. II would also be.
in my opinion AN encouragement
to all Red Cross workers in that
area
(signed) JEANNETTE LEE
The latter letter was written TO
Mrs. Mason Colt. director OF Ameri-
can Red Cross, national head
quarters. Washington, ID. C.