Major Andrew Downey saving the world
Stars & Stripes reports that Major Andrew Downey was awarded the Soldier’s Medal for the time he rescued a family of 3 from drowning off the beaches at Kauai, Hawaii;
“There’s not much time to think,” Downey said of the seconds the catastrophe unfolded. “It’s more of a reaction to the situation. You have to make a quick assessment of what’s going on. A quick decision makes a difference when somebody’s going under.”
“Without regard to his own safety, Downey immediately jumped 20 feet into the ocean, navigated through the whitewater to the woman, hooked his arm around her, and took her safely to shore,” the award citation reads.
He returned to the father, who was holding onto the baby.
“He did a great job holding onto that child,” Downey said. “He did a phenomenal job staying afloat.” But when the father told Downey he “really couldn’t swim,” the soldier took the baby ashore himself. He then returned for the father, who was by then clinging to a jutting rock.
Category: Real Soldiers
Well done, Major. Most excellent.
BZ, Major.
Great water rescue Major.
I’ve been trained in river/floodwater rescue (not surf rescue, though). Even if you’re a good swimmer, it ain’t easy to pull off a swim rescue. Hydraulics can be a vicious bloodthirsty bitch, and you need to keep your own head on straight to figure out what you need to do and where you need to go if you don’t want to drown or get beaten to death on underwater obstructions, or snag on said obstruction and drown that way. MAJ Downey handled the situation exceptionally well, and at great risk to his own life.
Luckily, I’ve never had to put that training to real-world use yet, as I swim like a cinder block–which resulted in a couple of funny stories from said training.
Swim rescue is the most dangerous rescue. The rescuer has as good a chance at drowning as the victim they are trying to rescue.
Now there’s a MAN!
BZ!
BRAVO ZULU Major Downey!
Well done, Major Downey!
Awesome job, Major.
Well done Major. Damned well done Sir!
Check this out, a subject that larsyboi hasn’t professed himself to be an expert at…
Oh, and way to go Major.
The papers will be filled with real heroes and a great loss of life in the near future here in Texas.
It’s for people like these that bring credit to our fellow Americans and the posers shame…