Amos Thornburgh attempted to save Laura L. Boyd from drowning, Camp Walton, Florida, June 24, 1931. While Thornburgh, 35, credit adjuster, his fiancee, and Mrs. Boyd, 32, were holding one another’s hands and jumping waves in the Gulf of Mexico, they were struck by a large wave, became separated, and were carried by an undertow into water six feet deep 110 feet from shore. Thornburgh swam a stroke or two to his fiancee and supported her briefly until a girl swam to her and assisted her to shallow water. Thornburgh then swam 10 feet farther from shore to Mrs. Boyd, lowered himself to the bottom in water seven or eight feet deep, and tried to push her toward wadable water. Rising for air, he repeated this effort six or seven times, but he made no progress and began to drift farther from shore. Another girl swam to Mrs. Boyd and towed her to wadable water. Finally Thornburgh drifted to a point 150 feet from shore, became unconscious, and was then rescued by a chain of men who held to a line. Thornburgh was revived. 32597-2650
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