[Tailback]

Amen to the rescue swimmers. I grew up near a Coast Guard base on the Oregon coast and personally know 3 people who were saved by rescue swimmers. While the combat forces are training for the possibility of battle, the Coast Guard is saving lives every single day.

[RaceBannon]

While stationed at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii in 79 to 81, I saved about a dozen people from the surf, new arrivals who didnt know a thing about the wave heights until it was too late.

We (MACS-2, MASS-2 DET-A) got to bodysurf it all there, and the lifeguards wouldn't come out to where we were! Once, one did, thought we were struggling, then came out on his board, then saw who it was, and apologized! "Oh, it's you guys, sorry..."

I only got recognized for 'saving' someone once when it was a Marine Officer, and she was just out doing the tourist thing on her boogie board outside of Turtle Rock! She was fine, just out a while, her friends were freaking out, we went out to find her, she was on her way back in, and we met her and escorted her back. The Base O.D. was there, PMO was there, they launched a SAR bird to look for her, we got letters signed by the General, the COL from the MAG, and our C.O., it was kewel!