Robert Herman Ellis rescued Julie K. Kongshoy and two other girls and helped to rescue a fourth girl from burning, Martinez, California, October 25, 1970. Julie, 12, and four other girls, 11 to 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. Ellis, 53, landscape contractor, ran to the open rear of the camper and climbed over the tailgate. His wife followed him, but Ellis told her to leave. Flames were entering the front of the camper as Ellis took Julie to the tailgate and handed her to his wife. Heat increased as Ellis removed another girl. He then moved toward the remaining girls, who were lying at the front end of the camper with their clothing afire. Another man who had entered the camper carried one of the girls to the tailgate and passed her to a person outside. Ellis picked up another girl and handed her to the other man, who took her to someone outside. Carrying the last girl to the tailgate, Ellis passed her to the other man, who had gotten out of the camper. Ellis, who had sustained minor burns on his hands, emerged from the camper, which soon afterward was engulfed in flames. Julie and the other girls recovered from their injuries and burns.
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