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Ralph Perlins, US Marine


chuck locke
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chuck locke

In 1968 I was a sophmore in High school, and got a summer job at Sawyers Lumber in the lawnmower repair shop. I was a gofor for Ralph Perkins who ran it. Ralph very rarely talked about his service in WWII, but on one occasion he did. The Red Cross was doing a drive and the management wanted all to donate but ralph refused. When I asked why he told me the following:

 

While on Guadalcanal he and his unit were in the jungle for a month. Their clothes and shoes were actually rotting off their backs and feet. Every man in his platoon had trenchfoot and they had all been out of cigarettes and decent food for three weeks.

 

When they were finally relieved and got back to the beach, they saw the Red Cross set up nearby. They all went running over looking for cofee, food butts, what have you. The man in charge asked to see their money and when they said they'd been in the jungle for a month and they had nothing with them he refused to give them anything.

 

Their Lieutenant showed up as they complained and asked what the problem was. When he was told he drew his .45 stuck it on the mans forehead and calmly told him his men were going to help themselves, and he wasn't to interfere The men took what they wanted and then together with the LT walked away.

 

That's the only story he told me of the war and that he'd never gave to the Red Cross again.

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I have heard a very similar story (with the same result) from two different Vietnam veterans. I absolutely believe them both, and the vehement attitude they held towards the Red Cross for trying to profit from our vets, fresh from the most hellish circumstance imaginable. They both refuse to have anything to do with the RC, and really, who could blame them? It's like kicking a man in the butt after getting up from a kick in the nuts. This is the first time I had heard of this occurrence in WWII, and it makes me even more disgusted. Thank you for sharing this,

Gary

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I've heard about the same thing about my Grandfather in WW1. If we ever discussed the Red Cross with the family, they all said that he was anti-red cross. From what I understand that when they came out of the trenches in WW1 they were in the same situation, no cash on hand. The Red Cross was charging for doughnuts and coffee, etc. and if you did not have cash you didn't get anything. I guess it was something that he spoke of often when he spoke about the war.

 

Jon B.

Newaygo MI.

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