Evening star., 1953-07-13
Donations
OF Blood Asked
By Red Cross
Center Is Seeking
To Fill Special
Needs in Koreu

us SPSSst
Needs in Koreu
The Red Cross today appealed
for additional blood donors this
week to meet special needs in
Korea. which opened the Wash
ington Regional Blood / Center
yesterday for its first Sunday
operation.
Donors responding to that ap-
peal and others giving blood for
Police Pvt. George w. Cassels,
who was wounded fatally on the
scene of a holdup Saturday night,
jammed the center.
A Red Cross spokesman said
a total of 228 persons donated
blood yesterday. The policeman
received Al pintS of blood in the
unsuccessful effort to save his
life. About 35 persons donated
a pint each for him yesterday.
rs Centers in u. S. Opened.
The Washington center was
one of Is centers in the country
which were opened yesterday at
the request of the Department
of Defense. The Red Cross did
not reveal the reason behind the
special appeal or the amount of
blood collected.
The Associated Press reported
from Tokyo, however. that the
commander of the United States
Army's big blood center stated
an increase in blood shipment
from this country had been,
asked because of increased ac-
tivity on the battle front in
Korea"
Col. Richard P. Mason called
the request for increased blood
shipments routine and said he
knew of no acute blood shortage
in the Far East. He said he knew
nothing about the special week.
end call which kept the Is Red
Cross centers busy on Sunday.
A routine call for increased
blood shipments was made be-
cause of increased activity on
the battle front in Korea, said
Col. Mason. commanding officer
of the 406th Medical General
Laboratories.
Similar Calls in Past.
At Red Cross headquarters, a
spokesman said numerous SINH
lar weekend calls have been re-
ceived in the past, but have been
filled entirely on the West Coast,
from which shipment is easiest.
He cited two factors in the
extension of the quota across the
Nation: A normal summertime
slump in donor activity and a
recent decision not to renew De-
fense Department contracts with
16 privately operated blood col
lection centers, many of them on
the West Coast.
The Defense Department has
requested daily shipments of
blood all during the week instead
of the usual weekly shipment.
Red Cross officials asked that
prospective donors telephone
Executive $4,000, branch 371. to
schedule appointments.
Full Staff Present.
Word Of the special appeal
reached the local Red Cross near
midnight Saturday. The job of
locating the necessary medical
staff, nurses and volunteer work.
ers began Immediately, and a
full staff was present when the
center opened at 8 am.
WI hCl . 1ldu W UCICp1lOklC xIOkIl
the list of regular donors for the
special effort. Other donors
responded to radio and television
appeals.
Cooperating were the Alex
andria, Arlington. Montgomery
County and Prince Georges
County Red Cross chapters.
The first shipment of blood
left by plane at $3.50 pm, and
another later in the evening.
The blood went to Travis Air
Force Base in California for
trans-shipment to Japan and
Korea.
A Red Cross spokesman
termed response to the special
appeal terrific" She said that
parents with their children in
tow were among the responding
donors, some of whom waited
from 11a to 2 hours to make
their contributions.