Chester Times
December 4, 1945

Awed by an unexpected honor conferred upon him, an 18 year old Chester High School student sat among Chester's leading citizens at the speaker's table at the Rotary meeting in the Chester Club at noon today.

The youth, Herbert Redman, of 322 East Ninth Street, was one of six volunteer firemen selected by their comrades to receive Rotary's annual award for outstanding service.

The other recipients were :
Robert Jimison 132 West Fifth Street, Franklin Fire Company.
Milton Larison, 408 Mercer Street, Hanley Hose Company.
John Grayson, 309 Yarnall Street, Felton Fire Company
Sanphord Smalley, 1524 Walnut Street, Good Will Fire Company.
George Edward Watson, 1520 Walnut Street, Moyamensing Hook and Ladder Company.

Redman, who is a member of the Moyamensing Junior Company which operates the "coffee wagon" flushed modestly as the citation of his services was read by J. Caldwell Hinkson, who presented the citations and lapel emblems.

Though the youth is not yet eligible to join the "big company" because of his youth, the citation, which was prepared by his fellow members, recounted a loyal service that would do honor to volunteer members of the cities five "big" companies.

"Answering 85 percent of all fire calls, day and night; also out of town calls, most of which came in the night...was the gist of the citation.

Mr. Jimison was cited for "making the most fires and performing the most service during the year".

"Answering 83 out of 89 alarms from Oct. 1, 1944 to July 15, 1945, when he entered the Army," Milton Larson's citation read.

The same loyal theme ran through John Grayson's citation: "Making the most fires and willingness to perform any service assigned to him at fires."

Fast emergency aid to Ray Wanzel, 13 year old Chester boy whose hand was blown off by a "dud" left on the PMC field after Chester's V-J Day celebration was the basis of the award to Sanphord Smalley, brother of Thomas Smalley, Good Will driver.

It read: "For giving timely assistance to Ray Wanzel... and applying a tourniquet and seeing him safely in the hospital."

Heroism earned George Watson his award. On January 6 at the "hot" Maple Shade Apartments fire, Watson was cited for assistance in bringing three children to safety, aged nine days, four years, and nine years, and in bringing out the mother, who had just been discharged from the hospital.

The meeting was opened by David M. Paul, president, and taken over by E. Lawrence MacIntire, chairman of the club's community service committee and chairman for the day.

Guests, in addition to the recipients of the awards were Mayor Ralph F. Swarts; Michael A. Honan, Director of Public Safety; Elmer Weigand, Fire Chief; James Devlin, second asst. fire chief; the following presidents of fire companies, Thomas Berry, Hanley; Thomas Canavan, Good Will; Timothy McCarey, Franklin; Albert News, Moyamensing; Samuel Pancoast, Felton; and William Moulder, acting president of the Moyamensing Juniors. Ellwood Webster, first asst. fire chief was unable to attend.