Harry J. Hendry, 28, patrolman, saved Catherine E. Congdon, 16, from drowning, Humarock, Massachusetts, August 20, 1958. When she was submerged briefly by a breaker 60 feet from shore, Miss Congdon tried to swim toward the beach but could make no headway against a very strong undercurrent and was carried 50 feet farther from shore. She called for help. Hendry, who was vacationing at the beach, went to the aid of Miss Congdon, taking with him a plastic raft which was deflated except for a two-foot-square pillow section at one end. Pushing the raft ahead of him through the turbulent surf, Hendry swam 100 feet to where Miss Congdon again had been submerged in water eight feet deep between breakers five feet high. Hendry made a surface dive, grasped Miss Congdon about the legs, and thrust her ahead of him to the surface. He then towed her to the raft, which she grasped. Towing Miss Congdon shoreward Hendry was able to advance only with the breakers and at times was carried away from shore by the undercurrent. Occasionally he lost his hold on Miss Congdon and at times released her to swim as much as 10 feet to retrieve the raft when it was swept from her grasp. Each time he regained his hold on Miss Congdon. Moving laboriously against the undercurrent, Hendry towed her 95 feet toward shore. Her father waded 15 feet into the surf and, with Hendry following, took Miss Congdon to the beach.
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