Darrell C. Woolard rescued S. Estelle Pitts and Brenda L. Jackson from burning, Manquin, Virginia, September 10, 1963. When a four-door sedan in which they were passengers veered from the highway and struck a tree, Mrs. Pitts, 49, was severely injured, and Brenda, 2, and her younger brother were thrown out of the automobile. Brenda’s mother also was injured but climbed out through the window opening as flames broke out on the motor after the sedan had stopped. The mother found her son but could not see Brenda. Woolard, 32, accounting machine operator, ran to the sedan and attempted in vain to open the doors on the left side. Flames then burned over the right front section and spread along the right side, while others burned on the grass under the fuel tank. Woolard crawled into the left front window opening and with his feet off the ground took hold of Mrs. Pitts. He heard Brenda scream but saw that she was not inside the sedan. With difficulty Woolard pulled Mrs. Pitts to the left side of the front seat and part way through the window opening. Two other men then aided in removing her fully. Woolard ran to the rear of the automobile but did not see Brenda. He then looked under the sedan and saw her near the-flames toward the front end. While three men raised the back end, Woolard crawled under the sedan. His shoe was burned by the flames under the fuel tank as he crawled nine feet to near Brenda, whose clothing had been burned away. Passing within two feet of flames under the tank, Woolard took hold of Brenda and drew her after him as he crawled from under the automobile, which soon afterward was completely afire. Brenda had suffered extensive burns. She and Mrs. Pitts recovered.
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