William Kerr

William Kerr, 37, second mate, saved John Magee, 27, quartermaster, from drowning, Skagway, Alaska, November 26, 1909. Magee fell into Lynn Canal while boarding a vessel at night. Kerr, who was very heavily dressed, and others ran to the deck. Although the temperature was four degrees below zero and a strong north wind was blowing, Kerr slid down a line at the side without removing any of his clothes and jumped into the water 25 feet below the deck. He held to the end of the line as he swam 15 feet to Magee. He swam back to the side of the vessel with Magee and held to the line while men on board prepared to help him. In endeavoring to lower a ladder, they dropped it, and it struck Kerr a glancing blow on the head. His hand was getting numb from cold, and he called to the men to hurry. A second line was thrown to him, and he tied it around Magee, and Magee was hoisted. The line was then lowered to Kerr, and he was hoisted and given attention. Magee recovered. Three men without covering on their hands who assisted in hoisting Magee and Kerr had frostbitten fingers.