Milford chronicle., 1955-06-24
Gov. BOggs Presents
Youth HerOism Award

Governor ]. Caleb Boggs today
presented Delawares' first Youth
Heroism Award" in the form of
trophy to William Francis Cart
wright, 17-year-old Alexis I. du-
Pont High School Junior. who will
also be recommended for an award
from the Attorney General Of the
United States.
Cartwright. a five-fOOt, eleven
inch-tall yOungster. was recon-
mended for the award by the Del
aware Commission on Children and
Youth, which annually keeps an eye
peeled for unusual activity of teen
ayers who render service to others
that shows heroism or unusual
merit
In this case, the life of Clarence
4. Duncan. III, Colonial Heights.
could have been at stake, the award
recommendation reveals Cartwright
ard Duncan had gone on an early
morning target shooting expedition
on December 2S. Returning home.
the boys were on opposite sides OF
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
track and the SilverbrOok Gene
itery fence. when suddenly there
was a sharp crack from the rife.
Duncan. who was carrying the
weapon, was severely wounded in
the throat. with the bullet lodging
in his right shoulder Cartwright
scaled the fence and came to his
companion assistance. Pulling
Duncan's tee-shirt over the wound
n tynnr a1a1n hn nrcfz&nd tho
youth over the fence and thought
he had him secured until he could
summoned help.
Cartwright ran TO the cemetery
.caretaker,s house, reported what
happened, borrowed a car and re-
turned TO Duncan. In the meantime
the wounded boy, dazed as a re-
suit of the injury, had slipped down
the embankment. Cartwright car
ried the youth. weighing 140 pounds,
up the embankment and managed
TO get him into the automobile,
which he had driven inside the
cemetery. The boy was taken TO the
home of lis parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
Clarence A. Duncan. III, where his
father rushed the youth to a hos
pital, suffering from loss of blood.
1t was discovered later that loss of
a rifle safety catch caused the ac-
cident.
without Billy's presence of
mind" said Mr. and Mrs. Duncan
in a letter urging the award, there
was a possibility that orr son would
have bled to deatl1." The youth was
also commended for his action by
DR. Joseph A. Arminio, Medical
Arts Building. Wilmington, who
said that the act was "herOism be-
yond the usual call of duty"
Cartwright lives with his parents
at 126 South DUPONT Street. Coloni-
al Heights. He attended ST. Mary's
school before entering Alexis I. du-
POnt High School. He has five sis
ters end three brothers and is
membaI of St. Thomas R c. Church.
His hobby is ''fooling around with
cars
Governor BOggs praised the youth
for his quick thinking and his devo-
ton TO his companion, saying that
1t would be a great pleasure to
nominate him for a Young Ameri-
can Medal issued annually upon
recommendation of the Attorney
General of the United States for
outstanding bravery or service.
The Attorney Generals office con-
siders entries from all the states.
and awards are based on the degree
of bravery or service rendered. and
only two medals in each category
are issued each year.
Cartwright was accompanied 10
the Governors Office in Dover by
Mrs. ". Robert Bovard, II. award
chairman for the Commission on
Children and Youth.