[Tom Pain]

My Dad was in WW2. The guys in WW2 preferred The Salvation Army over the Red Cross. There was some controversy back then, and the Red Cross's actions got people ticked off. I believe that the Red Cross international ties had something to do with it. Maybe some seniors, or historians, could add the story. I think that it had to do with charging for food.

My Dad always recommended The Salvation Army over The Red Cross for any contributions.

[George Smiley]

My Dad was in WW2. The guys in WW2 preferred The Salvation Army over the Red Cross. There was some controversy back then, and the Red Cross's actions got people ticked off.

I believe that the Red Cross international ties had something to do with it. Maybe some seniors, or historians, could add the story. I think that it had to do with charging for food.

I'm retelling this from off the top of my head, but what I recall reading was that in England, the UK Red Cross charged for doughnuts and coffee, and that the American Red Cross decided to follow the lead of the RC in the host country.

The story is out on the web and can be found via websearch.

[Samwise]

My dad says that when he returned to the states from WWII, he was greeted by the Red Cross, who fed him, gave him coffee, and generally treated him well. They did what you'd expect them to do for returning heroes who'd just beaten the Nazis. A few weeks later he received an outrageous bill from them for services rendered. He couldn't believe it. I was not allowed to donate to the Red Cross at school when I was a kid. They had big drives to raise money. They gave the kids a little pin. I was so embarassed because I didn't have a pin. Sometimes my mom would sneak a few cents to me, so I could give and not be embarassed. However, I thought the modern Red Cross was different. Wrong again.

[texgal]

My uncle was in the Navy during WWII - pacific theatre and said that he would NEVER, EVER give one dime to the Red Cross. Seems that they would come around after the men had been involved in combat and offer coffee and donuts. The Red Cross people would ask their names and other information and later the men would find out that their pay checks had been docked for the coffee and donuts. He hated the Red Cross.