Edward L. Gehring saved Carolyn B. Knight from drowning, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, August 11, 1941. While wading in the Atlantic Ocean, Carolyn, 14, her sister, and two other girls lost their footing and drifted in a current into unwadable water. Carolyn’s sister supported her briefly and then became separated from her. Gehring, 27, school principal, waded and then swam 30 feet to one of the other girls, who was 60 feet from shore in water six feet deep, and towed her 20 feet toward shore to another man. He waded and then swam 33 feet to Carolyn, who was 75 feet from shore in water seven feet deep, and took hold of her. With hard exertion he tried to tow her toward shore but made no progress, and his head dipped under the surface at times. A can-buoy was finally pushed to Gehring, who was gasping; and he took hold of it and pulled Carolyn to it. Carolyn’s sister swam to the buoy. The other girl meanwhile had been rescued. Men formed a chain of hands and pulled Gehring and the girls to wadable water, and they were aided to shore. Carolyn, who was dazed, was revived. Gehring, who had been in the water for 10 minutes, was greatly fatigued and somewhat nauseated. 39213-3257
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