U.S. COAST GUARD RESCUES MAN MISSING IN GULFPORT SHIP CHANNEL
NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a man today who attempted to swim to safety after his boat sank Thursday in the Gulfport, Miss., Ship Channel approximately three miles northwest of Ship Island.
Rescued was Jeff Wallace, 45, of Pass Christian, Miss.
A Falcon rescue jet crew from U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., spotted Wallace in the Cat Island channel. A helicopter rescue crew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans rescued Wallace and transported him to a waiting ambulance at the Gulfport airport.
Wallace and his two sons, Clinton, 15, and James, 14, also of Pass Christian, entered the water of the Gulfport Ship Channel after their 28-foot boat sank.
Assisting in the search were personnel from: U.S. Coast Guard Station Gulfport; U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile; U.S. Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans; U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Pompano, homeported in Gulfport; Mississippi Department of Marine Resources; Harrison County Sheriff's office; and the National Park Service.
The cause of the accident is under investigation by U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Mobile personnel.
NEW ORLEANS - Coast Guard rescue crews from Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., and Air Station New Orleans are scheduled to receive the Coast Guard Foundation's Guardian of the Heartland Award at an annual dinner here Friday.
This year the Coast Guard Foundation selected two rescue air crews who located and saved a man who spent more than 21 hours in the water after his vessel sank in the Gulfport, Miss., Ship Channel on April 9, 2004.
Aviation Training Center Mobile award recipients are a Falcon rescue jet crew comprised of: Lt. Matt Laughlin; Lt. Dan Lanigan; Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Dupre, an aviation electrical technician; Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathaniel Godsey, an aviation maintenance technician; and Petty Officer 3rd Class David Keppler, an aviation maintenance technician who spotted the man.
Air Station New Orleans award recipients are a helicopter crew comprised of: Cmdr. Scott Kitchen; Lt. Steve McCullough; Petty Officer 2nd Class Amanda Slavinski, an aviation maintenance technician; and Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Rice, an aviation survival technician.
The two crews are being recognized for the rescue of Jeff Wallace and his two sons, James and Clinton. The Wallaces headed out to Cat Island, Miss., in their 28-foot boat on a fishing trip about 12 p.m. April 8, 2004. Just 30 minutes into their trip the Wallaces were hit with waves that capsized their boat. The three men drifted to a channel marker and held on. James and Clinton climbed the beacon and tried to flag down passing boats. Then, after about two hours of being smashed against the barnacle-covered piling and repeatedly submerged by the waves and strong current, Wallace decided to let go and try and swim for help. At 7:46 p.m., James and Clinton managed to get the attention of a passing Gulfport Ship Channel pilot who picked them up. The pilot boat then notified the Coast Guard, which immediately launched a search for the missing father. Crews searched throughout the night, and at about 9:15 a.m., Keppler spotted Jeff in the Cat Island Channel.
The Coast Guard rescue jet crew relayed Wallace's location to the rescue helicopter crew who immediately maneuvered into a position to pick him up. Rice entered the water and assisted the exhausted survivor into the basket. Slavinski then hoisted Wallace into the safety of the aircraft. Wallace was then transported to awaiting EMS.
Each year, the Coast Guard Foundation recognizes an individual active duty Coast Guardsman or a group of Coast Guardsmen from the Eighth Coast Guard District who has performed an outstanding and dynamic act during the calendar year.
I didn't know the people, but thank goodness they got out of TWI or he wouldn't have had the confidence in God that he drew on. He would have, instead, been thinking he must have been really, really out of alignment and harmony for something like this to happen and that he didn't deserve for God to rescue him.
Besides that, he probably wouldn't have been able to afford to be enjoying a nice day on the water. :)-->
The CG air rescue unit had been told to call of the search & rescue and that they would come back the next day for a recovery mission, expecting him to not last through the night if he was indeed still alive. They CG crew refused and continued looking for him. He got choked up telling of how their insistence saved his life and gave proper credit to them and to God for saving his life.
He sounds like a wonderful man with a super family.
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dmiller
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gc
I remember them, went to their fellowship on the coast a couple of times! I'm glad they are doing well.
:)-->
Thanks for sharing the story
gc
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satori001
What was Clarice's maiden name?
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Radar OReilly
Reida.......14th corps.
ror
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waterbuffalo
ohmygosh! THAT was JEFF? I flipped it off right before they said his name, apparently.
Gosh, I hope he's ok after all of that!
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Allan
Bet he was s.i.t. like a house on fiahyr!!
Good time to recite retemories too!
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TheHighWay
Apparently the event happened last year:
Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard
Press Release
Date: April 9, 2004
Contact: PA3 Nick Cangemi
(504) 589-6287
(504) 319-2229
*UPDATE*
U.S. COAST GUARD RESCUES MAN MISSING IN GULFPORT SHIP CHANNEL
NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a man today who attempted to swim to safety after his boat sank Thursday in the Gulfport, Miss., Ship Channel approximately three miles northwest of Ship Island.
Rescued was Jeff Wallace, 45, of Pass Christian, Miss.
A Falcon rescue jet crew from U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., spotted Wallace in the Cat Island channel. A helicopter rescue crew from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans rescued Wallace and transported him to a waiting ambulance at the Gulfport airport.
Wallace and his two sons, Clinton, 15, and James, 14, also of Pass Christian, entered the water of the Gulfport Ship Channel after their 28-foot boat sank.
Assisting in the search were personnel from: U.S. Coast Guard Station Gulfport; U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile; U.S. Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans; U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Pompano, homeported in Gulfport; Mississippi Department of Marine Resources; Harrison County Sheriff's office; and the National Park Service.
The cause of the accident is under investigation by U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Mobile personnel.
###
http://www.d8publicaffairs.com/external/in...w&pressid=36073
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TheHighWay
I found more:
DATE: March 10, 2005 11:36:54 CST
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard
Press Release Date: March 10, 2005
Contact: PA3 Stacey Pardini
(504) 589-6287
COAST GUARD FOUNDATION HONORS RESCUERS
NEW ORLEANS - Coast Guard rescue crews from Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., and Air Station New Orleans are scheduled to receive the Coast Guard Foundation's Guardian of the Heartland Award at an annual dinner here Friday.
This year the Coast Guard Foundation selected two rescue air crews who located and saved a man who spent more than 21 hours in the water after his vessel sank in the Gulfport, Miss., Ship Channel on April 9, 2004.
Aviation Training Center Mobile award recipients are a Falcon rescue jet crew comprised of: Lt. Matt Laughlin; Lt. Dan Lanigan; Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Dupre, an aviation electrical technician; Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathaniel Godsey, an aviation maintenance technician; and Petty Officer 3rd Class David Keppler, an aviation maintenance technician who spotted the man.
Air Station New Orleans award recipients are a helicopter crew comprised of: Cmdr. Scott Kitchen; Lt. Steve McCullough; Petty Officer 2nd Class Amanda Slavinski, an aviation maintenance technician; and Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Rice, an aviation survival technician.
The two crews are being recognized for the rescue of Jeff Wallace and his two sons, James and Clinton. The Wallaces headed out to Cat Island, Miss., in their 28-foot boat on a fishing trip about 12 p.m. April 8, 2004. Just 30 minutes into their trip the Wallaces were hit with waves that capsized their boat. The three men drifted to a channel marker and held on. James and Clinton climbed the beacon and tried to flag down passing boats. Then, after about two hours of being smashed against the barnacle-covered piling and repeatedly submerged by the waves and strong current, Wallace decided to let go and try and swim for help. At 7:46 p.m., James and Clinton managed to get the attention of a passing Gulfport Ship Channel pilot who picked them up. The pilot boat then notified the Coast Guard, which immediately launched a search for the missing father. Crews searched throughout the night, and at about 9:15 a.m., Keppler spotted Jeff in the Cat Island Channel.
The Coast Guard rescue jet crew relayed Wallace's location to the rescue helicopter crew who immediately maneuvered into a position to pick him up. Rice entered the water and assisted the exhausted survivor into the basket. Slavinski then hoisted Wallace into the safety of the aircraft. Wallace was then transported to awaiting EMS.
Each year, the Coast Guard Foundation recognizes an individual active duty Coast Guardsman or a group of Coast Guardsmen from the Eighth Coast Guard District who has performed an outstanding and dynamic act during the calendar year.
###
http://www.d8publicaffairs.com/external/in...ocumentID=64296
Perhaps this recent award is what caught Dateline's attention?
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Belle
It WAS an incredibly uplifting story.
I didn't know the people, but thank goodness they got out of TWI or he wouldn't have had the confidence in God that he drew on. He would have, instead, been thinking he must have been really, really out of alignment and harmony for something like this to happen and that he didn't deserve for God to rescue him.
Besides that, he probably wouldn't have been able to afford to be enjoying a nice day on the water.
:)-->
The CG air rescue unit had been told to call of the search & rescue and that they would come back the next day for a recovery mission, expecting him to not last through the night if he was indeed still alive. They CG crew refused and continued looking for him. He got choked up telling of how their insistence saved his life and gave proper credit to them and to God for saving his life.
He sounds like a wonderful man with a super family.
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