Robert A. Roach, 29, telephone service foreman, saved Calvin L. Smith, 17, from drowning, Ocean City, Maryland, July 3, 1967. Smith and three other youths, each with a six-foot inflated raft, were paddling in surf in the Atlantic Ocean when .they drifted into a riptide area. Smith and one of the youths lost their rafts and floundered about 20 feet apart in water 10 feet deep between waves four feet high. Roach waded and swam to Smith, who was 450 feet from shore. Smith grasped Roach, and both were submerged. Roach broke free, but when they surfaced Smith again grasped him and pulled him under. Roach broke his hold, surfaced with Smith, and moved out of his reach. While Roach rested and regained his breath, Smith became weaker and then ceased struggling. Roach took hold of Smith and began towing him shoreward. Smith lost consciousness. Twenty-five feet from shore, Roach secured footing. Others waded to him and aided in taking Smith to the beach, where he was revived. The other youth without a raft drowned. Lifeguards arrived and aided the two remaining youths to shore.
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