Encarnacion T. Tamez, 34, fisherman, attempted to save Mary M. Bailey, 27, from drowning, Rockport, Texas, May 25, 1958. Mrs. Bailey’s 9-year-old daughter and two 11-year-old girls, none of whom could swim, waded a 150 feet from shore in Aransas Bay and stepped into a large dredged hole in which the water was 12 feet deep. Attracted by their cries for help, an Air Force chaplain waded to the hole and entered the deep water, where two of the girls seized him and began to struggle. Mrs. Bailey went to her daughter’s aid and also plunged into the hole, where she was submerged briefly and called for help. At that time nearly 1000 persons were at the beach. Fully clothed except for his shoes, Tamez waded to the edge of the hole, where he slid into the deep water. He swam 20 feet to Mrs. Bailey, who was the only person in the hole still at the surface. She seized Tamez about the head with both hands and submerged him. Tamez broke her hold and surfaced behind her. Pushing her ahead of him, Tamez swam 20 feet to the edge of the hole, where he pushed Mrs. Bailey briefly into wadable water. Mrs. Bailey then struggled with Tamez as he attempted to push her back out of the hole. After being submerged three times and swallowing much water, Tamez began to lose consciousness. Mrs. Bailey became inert and floated at the surface. A serviceman who was a good swimmer entered the deep water and removed Tamez and Mrs. Bailey, both of whom then were unconscious, from the hole. Another man aided in taking them through wadable water to the beach. Mrs. Bailey was pronounced dead, but Tamez was revived by firemen. Besides Mrs. Bailey, others who drowned included the chaplain, the three girls, and two other children who had waded into the dredged hole during the confusion.
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