The Columbus Citizen
Columbus, Ohio, Thursday, March 2, 1944
Page 11

ABOUT TOWN

Wounded Marine Writes Rescuer's Mother Here
By Art Robinson

A letter which packs a terrific emotional wallop, a letter in which a wounded marine gives a Columbus soldier credit for saving his life, has just been received by the mother of the Columbus soldier.

The mother is Mrs. A. G. Cunningham of 170 Chittenden-av, whose son, Cpl. William G. Ely, 21, has been in the Army for three years. He is somewhere in the Pacific fighting area.

Writer of the letter is Marine Sgt. O. E. Owens, now in a naval hospital in Hawaii.

Here's the letter:

"Dear Mrs. Cunningham: No doubt you will be surprised to receive this letter from a perfect stranger, but your son, Bill, helped save my life and I am taking this opportunity to let you know the fine work Bill is doing.

"You see, Mrs. Cunningham, I was severely burned in a plane crash. In fact, everyone but one doctor and your son was sure that I didn't have a chance to live.

"To make a long story short, Bill and that doctor worked over me night and day for over two weeks, until I was out of danger. Your son mixed practically all of the blood plasma I was given (26 pints in seven days), Bill came on duty at 8 in the morning, and although he went off duty at 9 at night, he stayed with me often until 1 and 2 o'clock in the morning. Then probably he would be called out again at 4 or 5 a. m. to mix more plasma for me.

I spent nearly seven weeks in that hospital and came to know Bill very well. In fact, we became pretty good friends. I know that Bill will probably never mention what he did for me, and there are things that I couldn't express to Bill, but maybe I could tell you.
Mrs. Cunningham, there's no need telling you that you have a fine son. You know that. Let me say that he is doing his duty and more than his duty. He is saving lives, not taking them. I can't express my thanks in words. I can just say that he saved my life, every bit as much as did the doctor in charge of my case.

"It wasn't just the things he did while I was in a critical condition. It was the hundreds of small kindnesses he did for me while I was still in bedridden and helpless.

"I may never meet Bill again, so would you keep this letter and let him read it some day? I'm sure that he will understand what I'm trying to express-things one fellow just can't say to another.

"I sincerely hope that I've gotten across what I feel. We marines aren't very good at writing or talking, but I want you to know that it is fellows like Bill and other medics and corpsmen who deserve a lot of credit and medals they seldom receive.

"I hope you can read this writing. My right arm is still bandaged and it is sort of awkward for me to write. I'm walking around and getting well fast, thanks to your son, Bill.

"At present, I'm in the Hawaiian Islands and in a Naval Hospital. I may get sent back to the states, at least I hope so.

"I'd be glad to hear from you. Don't worry (or try not to). Bill is safe and in good health.

"Very sincerely yours, Sgt. Oscar E. Owens."

Mrs. Cunningham, with deep pride in this tribute to her son, also saw in it another tribute-to life saving blood plasma. Without blood plasma, as she pointed out, neither the doctor nor her son could have save the life of the young marine flier.

That is why she wanted the letter published, so more people would realize the need for plasma.

Along with Sgt. Owen, thousands of young men will be coming back to America, back to their mothers, wives, families, because persons here at home were willing to give blood to the Red Cross blood bank.
It took the blood of 26 persons to save the life of Sgt. Owen. It will take a lot more donations to bring back all the young men who will be critically wounded before this war is over.