John Raven Mathewes helped to rescue John J. O’Connell from burning, Loleta, California, February 9, 1974. When the small airplane in which he was riding crashed on a beach, O’Connell, 28, was injured but tried to get out as gasoline from the fuel tanks in the wings poured into the cockpit. Mathewes, 28, furniture maker, ran to the plane, which was on its side against a large driftwood stump. From a position on the stump, Mathewes aided O’Connell, who was climbing out through a small window. Another man arrived and assisted Mathewes in pulling O’Connell upward through the window. Just before O’Connell’s legs were pulled out of the plane, the leaking fuel ignited. O’Connell’s gasoline-soaked clothing caught fire. With sand and water, Mathewes and the other man extinguished the flames on O’Connell, who required hospitalization for hip burns but recovered. 54204-6181
54204 – 6181
54204-6181