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Office of Public Affairs | |
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| Photo Release |
Date: July, 20, 2007 |
CITIZENS RECOGNIZED FOR HEROISM, PUBLIC SERVICE | |
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SEATTLE - Coast Guard Rear Admiral Richard Houck, Thirteenth District Commander, presents Curtis L. Dawson with a Silver Lifesaving medal during a ceremony at Air Station Astoria, Ore., Thursday. The medal is the second highest award the Coast Guard can present civilians. Dawson was among four men awarded for rescuing Captain David Schmelzer on the night of December 3, 2005, when the tug Tiger tipped over near Pier 1 in Astoria. (Official Coast Guard photo.)
SEATTLE - Coast Guard Rear Admiral Richard Houck, Thirteenth District Commander, presents Jeremy Youngquist with a Distinguished Public Service Award during a ceremony at Air Station Astoria, Ore., Thursday. Youngquist was among four men awarded for rescuing Captain David Schmelzer on the night of December 3, 2005, when the tug Tiger tipped over near Pier 1 in Astoria. (Official Coast Guard photo.)
SEATTLE - (Pictured from left to right - Jeremy Youngquist, Lt. Khristopher Johns, Curtis L. Dawson, David Schmelzer, Leroy Schlecht, Wayne Simpson and Rear Admiral Richard Houck.) Youngquist, Dawson, Schlecht and Simpson proudly display awards given to them by the Coast Guard during a ceremony Thursday. The men were honored for saving the life of Captain David Schmelzer on the night of December 3, 2005, when the tug Tiger tipped over near Pier 1 in Astoria. (Official Coast Guard photo.) SEATTLE - The Coast Guard awarded five men for herosim during a ceremony at Air Station Astoria, Ore., Thursday. A Silver Lifesaving Medal was presented to Curtis L. Dawson, a Distinguished Public Service Award was presented to Leroy Schlecht and three Meritorious Public Service Awards were given to Alan Graham, Wayne Simpson, and Jeremy Youngquist, members of the Columbia River Bar Pilots from Astoria. While assisting a barge that broke loose from its mooring Dec 3, 2005, the tug Tiger tipped over forcing Captain David Schmelzer into the frigid waters of the Columbia River. Crewman Curtis L. Dawson risked his life by jumping from the barge into the 45-degree water to rescue the Schmelzer. Crewmember, Leroy Schlecht threw over a line to bring the two up, but Dawson was unable to bring Schmelzer and himself out of the water due to injuries they both attained and the onset of hypothermia after being in the water for 15 minutes. After several attempts to bring Schmelzer back to consciousness, Dawson finally had to bring himself onto the barge leaving him on the line with his head still above water. Within minutes the Columbia River Bar Pilot helicopter Seahawk, piloted by Alan Graham and Jeremy Youngquist with Wayne Simpson as the hoist operator, arrived on scene and lowered a rescue strap down to recover Schmelzer. The crew of the Seahawk was able to hoist Captain Schmelzer into the helicopter and transport him to an awaiting ambulance ashore.
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