Joseph F. Bogan, 18, schoolboy, helped to save Richard P. Williams, 18, schoolboy, from drowning, Saugus, Massachusetts, January 7, 1954. While playing hockey on a pond, Williams, who could not swim, fell into deep water at the outer end of a hole in the ice extending 60 feet from the bank. He was submerged briefly and rose floundering five feet from the edge of the hole. Bogan, who was a very poor swimmer and was heavily attired, skated 150 feet to the hole and extended his hockey stick to Williams. As Bogan drew Williams within reach and took hold of him, a section of ice three feet square broke off beneath Bogan; and he dropped into the water and was submerged briefly, momentarily losing his hold on Williams. He trod water in an effort to support Williams, disregarding the latter’s pleas that he climb from the water and save himself. A man and several boys who were good swimmers formed a chain and crawled near the hole. The man extended a hockey stick to Bogan. Another three-foot section of ice at the edge broke off while those in the chain were attempting to pull Williams and Bogan from the water. After he and Williams had been drawn four feet, Bogan lost his hold on the stick. Williams slipped from Bogan’s grasp and sank. Bogan submerged and reached Williams who was panic-stricken and seized him around the neck with both hands. Forcibly freeing himself, Bogan rose beside Williams and regained his hold. Williams then got hold of the hockey stick. As the others resumed pulling, a third section of ice gave way. Williams and Bogan were drawn an additional four feet to firmer ice, and Williams was aided from the water. A boy at the head of another chain extended a hockey stick to Bogan, and he was drawn to safety after being in the water for 10 minutes. Williams and Bogan were treated for immersion at a hospital and recovered. 43049-3917
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