John A. McCann, 22, car repairman, saved Edward D. Gerrity, 13, schoolboy, from drowning, Carbondale, Pennsylvania, July 2, 1922. Edward fell into the Lackawanna River, which was flooded from heavy rains, drifted in deep water in a current of at least 6 m.p.h., and was carried under a bridge, striking his head on its arch. McCann, who was dressed, jumped into the water from the bank 50 feet below the bridge and 300 feet from another bridge further downstream, where the water was but six inches beneath the top of its arch. He swam to Edward, who was then 20 feet from the bank, grasped Edward, and attempted to swim toward the bank, but he was carried 75 feet in the current. Two men then extended a plank from the bank toward McCann, who managed to swim to it, and he and Edward were drawn to the bank. 22546-1933
22546 – 1933
22546-1933