Charles E. Barksdale rescued Susan Cashman and helped to rescue Kirsten L. Stewart from burning, Martinez, California, October 25, 1970. Susan, 11, Kirsten, 12, and three other girls, 12 and 13, were in the camper unit of a pickup truck when the vehicle was involved in an accident. Fire broke out at the truck’s front end and spread to the camper. By the time Barksdale, 34, welder, had run to the open rear end of the camper and climbed over the tailgate, another man had entered and removed two of the girls. The other three were lying at the front end of the camper, where flames had broken through. Their clothing was afire, Barksdale picked up Susan, carried her to the tailgate, and handed her to a person outside. The other man picked up Kirsten and gave her to Barksdale, who took her to the rear of the camper and passed her to someone outside. Barksdale then got out and was handed the last girl, who had been carried to the tailgate by the otter man. Soon after Barksdale and the other man had left the camper, it was engulfed in flames. Susan, Kirsten, and the other girls recovered from their injuries and burns.
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