COFFEE BREAK
Saturday, June 29, 2019
East Oregonian
C5
OUT OF THE VAULT
Pendleton man honored for burning car rescue
By RENEE STRUTHERS
East Oregonian
A Pendleton man received an
award for heroism in June 1967 after
he saved a man from a burning car the
previous November.
Kirk Leuhrs of Pendleton was
working for Boeing Co. in Seattle in
November of 1966 and was driving
to work when he came upon a traffic
accident that left one car in flames. No
one had attempted to rescue the driver
of the burning car, which had been
burning for two minutes by the time
Leuhrs pulled over.
Leuhrs tore open the door of the
small sedan and found the driver,
John Pitcher, also a Boeing employee,
wedged between the two front seats,
with his head in the back seat and his
legs in the front. His clothes were on
fire.
EO File Photo
Kirk Leuhrs of Pendleton, center, is
awarded the Hartford Heroism Award
by Bud Mabry of Pendleton, left, and
Robert G. Hanks, Spokane, of the Hart-
ford Insurance Group in June 1967.
The flames from the burning car
singed Leuhrs’ face and beard, and
he shouted for help to extricate the
man from the car. After removing
Pitcher from the vehicle, Leuhrs laid
him on the ground and patted out the
flames on his clothes. While check-
ing Pitcher for broken ribs and other
injuries, and preparing to give mouth-
to-mouth resuscitation, Pitcher began
breathing on his own and the color
returned to his face.
Leuhrs covered Pitcher with a
blanket against shock and then con-
tinued on his way to work.
The rescue wasn’t covered by the
media, and Pitcher recovered from
the accident. But a mention of the
event was written up in Boeing’s shop
newsletter. Leuhrs was given a letter
of commendation by the company.
After Leuhrs moved to Pendleton
he was hired by the Hartford Insur-
ance Group. The company awarded
him the Hartford Heroism Award and
an engraved plaque for his efforts to
save his fellow employee.
DAYS GONE BY
100 Years Ago
From the East Oregonian
June 29-30, 1919
Pendleton is asked by Echo to share in a proposed celebra-
tion to be held at the site of the Teel irrigation tunnel sometime
during the summer when actual work begins. Umatilla, Herm-
iston, Stanfield, Pilot Rock and Pendleton are all expected to
share with Echo the commemoration of the starting of work
on the two mile hole through the mountains which will divert
the water of Camas creek to the lands of western Umatilla
county. Hundreds of autos are looked for at the tunnel site and
a big program is planned when the first drill is set to the rock.
50 Years Ago
From the East Oregonian
June 29-30, 1969
Hermiston milkman L.B. Nixon, 70, today lost his battle to
continue selling raw milk for human consumption. Umatilla
County Circuit Judge Henry Kaye enjoined Nixon from continu-
ing that part of his business. The State Dept. of Agriculture had
asked for the injunction. It said that when Nixon sold his interest
in 150 dairy cattle in May he no longer fit the producer-distribu-
tor definition, the only one by which sale of raw milk for human
consumption is allowed. Nixon said that the intent of the law was
not being violated, since there had been no change in the milk
production or distribution except the transfer to his former part-
ner, Stanley Bassford, of Nixon’s interest in the dairy cows.
25 Years Ago
From the East Oregonian
June 29-30, 1994
Milton-Freewater Police Chief Don Witt was suspended
from duty Wednesday as the city looks into misconduct alle-
gations. City Manager Jim Swayne would not give details of
the investigation, saying in a press release, “Because this is
a confidential personnel matter about which I have reached
no conclusion, I can make no further comment at this time.”
Sgt. Bob Dombrosky was named acting chief. Witt, 47,
will continue to receive full pay and benefits. Witt became
police chief in 1991. He graduated from McLoughlin Union
High School in 1964 and obtained a criminal justice degree
from Washington State University.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
On June 29, 1988, the
U.S. Supreme Court, in
Morrison v. Olson, upheld
the independent counsel
law in a 7-1 decision (the
sole dissenter was Justice
Antonin Scalia).
In 1767, Britain approved
the Townshend Revenue
Act, which imposed import
duties on glass, paint, oil,
lead, paper and tea shipped
to the American colonies.
(Colonists bitterly protested,
prompting Parliament to
repeal the duties — except
for tea.)
In 1776, the Virginia
state
constitution
was
adopted, and Patrick Henry
was made governor.
In 1927, the first
trans-Pacific airplane flight
was completed as U.S.
Army Air Corps Lt. Lester
J. Maitland and Lt. Albert
F. Hegenberger arrived at
Wheeler Field in Hawaii
aboard the Bird of Para-
dise, an Atlantic-Fokker
C-2, after flying 2,400 miles
from Oakland, California,
in 25 hours, 50 minutes.
In 1967, actress Jayne
Mansfield, 34, was killed
along with her boyfriend,
Sam Brody, and their
driver, Ronnie Harrison,
when their car slammed
into the rear of a trac-
tor-trailer on a highway in
Slidell, Louisiana. Jerusa-
lem was reunified as Israel
removed barricades sep-
arating the Old City from
the Israeli sector.
Thought for Today:
“Begin somewhere; you
cannot build a reputation on
what you intend to do.” —
James Russell Lowell, Amer-
ican essayist (1819-1891).
Universal Crossword
Edited by David Steinberg June 29, 2019
ACROSS
1 “Yes, ___”
5 Many involve wiring
money
10 One changing a diaper
13 Iams alternative
14 2020 candidate Kamala
16 Anticipatory night
17 Accessory for Frosty
19 Sleep stage letters
20 Rages quietly
21 Horned heavyweight,
informally
23 Accessory for Woody
27 Hypotheticals
29 Soda fountain fixture
30 Must have
31 Speedy sharks
34 Leaves out
36 Resist authority, and
a hint to 17-, 23-, 51-
and 60-Across
42 Stunning weapon
43 Split to get together?
44
47
50
51
55
56
59
60
64
65
66
67
68
69
Thailand setting
Bridge support
Pick, with “for”
Accessory for Shrek’s
friend Gingy
“Therefore ...”
Amorphous seat
However, briefly
Accessory for a 40th
Anniversary Ken Doll
Solo of “Solo”
You might get an “E”
for it
James of “The Godfather”
Had
Mike and Alex
Doonesbury, e.g.
TV prize
DOWN
1 Computers that run
Mojave
2 Soothing substance
3 Lodge social activity
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
15
18
22
24
25
26
27
28
32
33
35
Pride ___ (June)
Stable workers
Goes by taxi
Dadaist Jean
Scan for a break,
maybe: Abbr.
Taste of champagne
Mock
Get payback for
Showed, as new
software
Belgrade native
Guevara in a beret
Gretel’s brother
Pedicure part, perhaps
Angst about not having
fun, in modern lingo
Narrow opening
Web chats
Like a slim chance,
ironically
Groups of eight
Reggae relative
French for “tea”
“SEE ATTACHMENT” By Ross Trudeau
sudoku answers
37 :, in an analogy
38 Maryland athlete,
briefly
39 Ray of light at night
40 Instagram, e.g.
41 Table tennis barrier
44 Author Christie
45 Headwear for the
burn-wary
46 “That’s enough for me”
48 Bribe to commit perjury
49 Surgical insertions
52 Garment that comes
with a belt
53 What you may get
without a 45-Down
54 Chilling
57 Composer
Khachaturian
58 Millennials, informally
61 Frequently, in poetry
62 Supposed Roswell
sighting
63 ___ funny for words