Richard H. Heinzen saved Shigeru Hasegawa from drowning, Everett, Washington, June 27, 1967. Hasegawa, 18, merchant seaman, fell from a ship moored alongside a pier and was seriously injured when he landed on a log raft 4.5 feet wide which acted as a fender between the pier’s pilings and the side of the ship. Nearly unconscious, he fell from the raft into water 20 feet deep under the pier. Heinzen, 34, longshoreman, witnessed the accident and feared Hasegawa would drown unless removed from the water without delay. Although there was limited clearance between the pier, the ship, and the raft, Heinzen jumped from the ship’s railing, which was four feet above the pier and 14 feet above the water. He angled his body in order to pass between two pilings, which were six feet apart, and under the edge of the pier, while also propelling himself far enough from the ship to miss the log raft. His jump carried him to just under the pier, and he entered the water two feet beyond the raft. Heinzen supported Hasegawa alongside the raft while others obtained ropes and ladders and descended to them. After being removed from the water, Hasegawa was hospitalized. He recovered. 49792-5356
49792 – 5356
49792-5356