Posted on 12/27/2004 3:16:15 PM PST by ExSoldier
Son, I hold the Navy Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross (three awards), the Silver Star and I've been credited with seventeen air to air kills in the Pacific Theatre while flying with both the Black Sheep and Blackburns Irregulars. I'm here to tell you that to this day: I HATE THE RED CROSS!!!
Why, dad?
Because they charged us for everything we ever got from them. Didn't matter if it was a bar of soap, a razor or a candy bar, if the Red Cross provided it in a combat zone, the men who did the dyin' paid cash money! I won't take squat from them to this day. I sure won't give 'em anything, either!
I just wanted to post this for the historical value and to point up the dangers of revisionist history. This was a very ugly thing to have happen to our service members. Thank God he told me, it's something he could have taken to his grave.
I can remember my grandmother telling me this (she was referring to WWI and WWII). She always said she'd give anything to the Salvation Army but not a nickel to the Red Cross.
I have heard this same complaint before.
BTW, I've heard the same thing about the Red Cross from other veterans (except that the Red Cross were never really near the front lines in Europe) and exactly the OPPOSITE about the SALVATION ARMY. Remember that when you see the red kettle.
Salvation Army, on the front lines, providing comfort gratis.
My father told me the same thing (Navy, 1940-1946, Pacific Theater)- he always gave to Salvation Army. He said he wouldn't give to the Red Cross because they would charge the military men for anything they brought to them. He described having to hungrily walk by a Red Cross station that had doughnuts, because he had no money to buy the items. But the Salvation army gave them everything for free.
Yes, I'd love to hear the scoop on this one... why on earth would the Red Cross charge men for food and drinks when the items were donated to them in the first place?
Yes, I've heard this too. When my mom was a child during WWII, she said they would save pennies, nickels and dimes for the Red Cross, to help with small things like coffee and candy for the soldiers. They later found out that the Red Cross even charged the soldiers for coffee.
Her sentiments echo those of your father.
The Red Cross did no better by GI's in the Vietnam War. The only real gifts I ever got was from the Salvation Army and Cardinal Spellman's Servicemen's Club.
My uncle was a Korean War Veteran, he told me the same thing.
Same thing in Viet Nam. Salvation Army #1, Red Cross #10.
My father got chewed up in Northern France (1944) and spent approitmately 18 months in military hospitals. He too stated the Red Cross charged for everything.
Okay, here's one version of this story from the Red Cross:
http://www.greaterkzooredcross.org/News/Myths & Legends.htm
"Myths & Legends About the Red Cross
I.Famous Red Cross doughnut sales during World War II
A.World War II ended almost 50 years ago but Dear Abby or Dear Ann Landers continue to mention in their columns complaints from people who remember or have heard about the awful things the Red Cross did during the war.
1.The most nefarious: the selling of doughnuts, coffee, and other refreshments to soldiers in the so called ?rear areas? (behind the front lines).
2.This was upsetting to soldiers because the Red Cross has traditionally dispensed such items for free.
B.The truth is that Red Cross officials and volunteers were just as upset about the sales as were the soldiers. The Red Cross was ordered to sell the refreshments rather than give them away as planned by Secretary of War Henry Stimson in 1942. Noting that American soldiers in Europe had more money than their Allied counterparts, Stimson feared that morale among the Allied troops was suffering. American soldier received refreshments free; Allied soldiers had to pay for them. To make living conditions more even, in the hopes of improving morale, Stimson ordered the Red Cross to charge for refreshments in the ?rear area.? Mobile units that served at the front lines were exempted from the order and did not charge.
C. Although the incident occurred 50 years ago, many soldiers and their families continue to believe that the Red Cross used the war as a moneymaking opportunity. Nothing could be further from the truth.
II.Myths about World War II
A.The Red Cross sold cigarettes, blankets, and other "comfort" items during WWII. The truth: if cigarettes or other such items that were designated as ?free? were sold, it was illegal and in violation of Red Cross policy. It is believed that a few unscrupulous people did sell those items provided by the Red Cross, but it was for personal gain, not to help the Red Cross. In addition, Red Cross could not control items given to a serviceman then sold by the service member to others.
B.The Red Cross sold blood during the war. The truth: The American Red Cross collected more than 13 million pints of blood for use in the was effort at home and abroad, but ?administered? no blood to the wounded anywhere in the world. Neither did it ever charge anyone for blood. Once the blood was turned over to military or civilian hospitals, it was out of Red Cross control.
C.The Red Cross indiscriminately refused to provide travel funds for some service men during the war. The truth: Travel funds for service personnel were routinely provided when the commanding officer of an individual?s unit authorized emergency leave orderes. The Red Cross also authorized pre-embarkation and post-embarkation furloughs, but the cost became so great as troop strength increased, that these ordinary leave loans had to be discontinued in 1944 as they interfered with other more essential military services. A total of $2.5 million loans were made during the war.
Today, as always, military commanders make decisions about emergency leaves. Red Cross provides verified information about the family or home situation prompting the emergency."
My father confirmed the same years ago.
| Bloodmobile chairmen and volunteers hear it. Donor Resources Development consultants hear it. Nearly every day someone in Red Cross hears the story of how American servicemen were asked to pay for coffee and donuts during World War II. The story has even appeared in Ann Landers' columns. The fact is that the policy to charge for refreshments served in American Red Cross clubs in 'rear areas" was ordered by then Secretary of War Henry B. Stimson in 1942. Over the protests of Red Cross officials, Stimson decided American soldiers should pay for their Red Cross meals, just as their Allied counterparts did at English and Australian clubs. However, coffee, donuts and other food served at the front lines remained free. Red Cross did not charge for comfort articles distributed to soldiers or for snacks served by clubmobiles. If these items were sold, it was done illegally or in ignorance. Nevertheless, hard feelings over the situation persist. "The story and the emotions are always there in the background," Linda Wigness, Donor Resources Development Director, said. "Sometimes people even use it as an excuse not to give blood, because they have bad feelings about Red Cross. We see the story being passed on to another generation." The best defense, Linda said, is to reiterate the facts about the situation and to show the positive work of the Red Cross during the war. Between 1941 and 1946 American Red Cross collected and spent about S380 million for military and naval relief to American armed forces. To support this effort, it purchased 1.5 billion cigarettes, 31 million packages of chewing gum, 17 million decks of playing cards, 121 million razor blades and 58 million pounds of donut flour. General MacArthur, Admiral Halsey and General Eisenhower all praised the American Red Cross for its dedication to helping soldiers and its valuable relief work. It was also discovered during polls of servicemen that, although many had heard others express dissatisfaction with Red Cross, those with firsthand experience with Red Cross were very positive about the organization. Bill Schock, editor of the Falls City, (Neb.) Journal, was one of those who knew the Red Cross' work firsthand during the war. Bill was a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft I a camp in extreme northern Germany. Red Cross parcels of crackers, raisins, coffee, salmon and chocolate bars served as food for the body and the soul. The arrival of the Red Cross boxes was a terrific emotional lift for the prisoners of war, serving as a much- needed link with the outside world," Bill said. "They showed us that somebody cared." When delivery of the parcels was interrupted. Bill's German captors told the prisoners American fighter pilots were shooting at the trains carrying the goods. The boxes became pawns in emotional warfare. But the prisoners were not fooled. "I feel that I owe my life to the Red Cross parcels which arrived at Stalag Luft I." Bill said. "I can't say enough good things about what they meant to me."
|
I wonder what the difference is from the international red cross & the American red cross. Perhaps the international was where the problems stemmed
My Dad,(2nd BN, 13th Infantry) also told me this. The Red Cross selling coffee and doughnuts to soldiers on the combat zone. What a cold and heartless thing to do.
My Dad was charged for a donut and coffee during Dub Dub 2 after being rescued after his ship went down.
In Nam, the Red Cross never gave anything away...
But I did hear if you wanted a slice of round eye, it was fifty bucks...)
Do they still do that? If not, when did they stop?
Type in the URL: they have "spaces" in the URL, so it won't translate for some reason. Yes, according to their own site, they DID sell these items.
http://www.greaterkzooredcross.org/News/Myths & Legends.htm
My dad said the same thing. He hated them. What your dad told you is absolutely accurate. Donuts, coffee, toothbrushes - it didn't matter. They had to pay.
That's why we don't ever donate to the Red Cross.
In the book: "Foot Soldier" by Roscoe C. Blunt, Jr.
he relates the same contempt for the Red Cross
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