Joseph J. Dadurka attempted to save Stanley J. Bogdan from drowning, McDonalds Corners, Ontario, May 9. 1964. When waves five to six feet high capsized their boat in Dalhousie Lake in water 15 feet deep, 1,800 feet from the nearest shore, Bogdan, 70, and another man, each with a life cushion, clung to the overturned craft. Dadurka, 48, correction officer, and John M. Mrus, each also wearing a life cushion, were in a 14-foot motorboat a quarter of a mile away and nearer shore but answered the men’s cries for help. While Mrus bailed water shipped from the waves, Dadurka piloted the boat to the overturned craft. Mrus aided Bogdan, who could not swim and was nearly exhausted, into the motorboat. The other man then swam with the waves to the opposite shore. As Dadurka proceeded toward the nearer shore, the overloaded motorboat shipped water and capsized. The three men clung to the boat as the waves carried it to within a quarter of a mile of the opposite shore, where the anchor caught and held in water 15 feet deep. Mrus was at one side of the craft, while Dadurka aided Bogdan in holding to the other side. A wave washed them from the boat briefly, and Bogdan lost his life cushion. He then held to Dadurka’s cushion and to the boat. About an hour later Bogdan became inert and slid into the water. Dadurka grasped him and held him at the surface with one hand. Mrus with great difficulty untied two of the three knots holding the anchor rope but could do no more because his hands were so affected by exposure. All again were washed from the boat briefly. Dadurka’s hands by then were so affected that he needed both to hold onto the boat, but he supported Bogdan by wrapping his legs about him. Much later Dadurka lost his leg grip on Bogdan, who sank. After Mrus and Dadurka had been in the water about two hours, their shouts attracted Burns E. Greer, Paul G. Brady, and two other men, who were on shore. Brady, wearing swimming trunks, waded and swam to 750 feet from shore but returned because he felt he would be too tired to help the men when he reached them. Greer and the others attempted to launch a motorboat and a raft with an outboard motor attached, but both were swamped by the waves. Brady said he would try again to swim to Dadurka and Mrus. Greer said he would go with him and undressed to his trousers. Each put on a small life belt, waded 400 feet, and began swimming in the direction of the overturned boat, guided by shouts from Dadurka and Mrus. In about an hour they reached the capsized craft greatly fatigued. Brady untied the anchor line. The released boat swung around with the waves. Brady reached across the bottom and grasped each of the two men by the wrist. Greer held to the stern as the waves raised and lowered the boat continually. With the aid of the wind and waves, Brady and Greer moved the boat with Dadurka and Mrus holding to it toward shore by kicking. When they reached wadable water, they righted the boat and placed Dadurka in it. Mrus held to it while Brady and Greer moved the boat farther toward land. Others waded to them, placed Mrus in the boat, and pushed it to shore. All four men were near exhaustion but recovered. 47492-4864
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