Four SUBDEVRON-5 Sailors Receive Awards for Life-Saving Efforts

BANGOR, WA, UNITED STATES

07.14.2017

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Amanda Gray 

Commander, Submarine Group Nine   

Four Sailors assigned to Commander, Submarine Development Squadron (COMSUBDEVRON) 5, Detachment Poseidon, received Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals for their life saving efforts during an awards ceremony, June 30.

Electronics Technician 1st Class Roy Burton, Electronics Technician 1st Class John Kidwell, Electronics Technician 3rd Class John Davey, and Sonar Technician 1st Class Justin Brant were on temporary duty orders to Naval Submarine Base in Groton, Connecticut when the accident occurred. When returning to base June 18, they witnessed an SUV swerve off of the road and crash on its side. They decided to stop to assess the situation.

“All of the passenger side doors were pinned to the ground and driver side doors were looking up at the sky since the SUV was on its side,” said Burton, “Davey was the first person to enter the SUV followed by Kidwell. I immediately started coordinating rescue services to the crash site and went car to car looking for a doctor. As soon as the smoke started to clear we could see that the airbag had not deployed and the driver was unconscious hanging from the driver's seat. At this time the driver regained consciousness for a brief moment and Davey was able to get his seatbelt off.”

The Sailors decided to enter the vehicle while the fire was small and limited to the hood of the car. While trying to remove the victim’s seatbelt, the engine had become more engulfed in the flames.

“It was very clear the extent of the driver’s injuries at this point. He had a compound fracture to his left ankle so he would be unable to move himself. Kidwell and Brant carried the driver over the seat and out of the car. As soon as he was out, the flames started engulfing the dashboard. We got him a safe distance from the vehicle and laid him down, then there was an explosion from the SUV and the flames became visible throughout the vehicle. Davey supported the man's injured leg and kept it elevated, Brant helped clean up the blood from his facial injuries so that he wouldn't choke on the blood, Kidwell held his hand and kept talking with him, trying to keep him awake, and I found a doctor and brought supplies to help stabilize his neck. We did not leave his side until the EMT could put him in a stretcher and get him to the ambulance.”

Connecticut State Police confirmed that had the Sailors not intervened, the man would have been killed by the fire.

"We were in the right place at the right time,” said Kidwell. “We responded like proud submariners and did what was right."

As soon as they returned to Bangor, Wash., Capt. Robert Gaucher, commander, Submarine Development Squadron 5, presented the Sailors with awards for their life-saving efforts.

“These sailors saw a problem and did not hesitate to put themselves in harm's way to help out a fellow American,” said Gaucher. “That's exactly the type of Sailor we want on the front line. At the end of each of these Navy Achievement Medal citations we read the words, ‘You have reflected great credit upon yourself and the United States Navy.’ To me, there is nothing more fitting those words than preventing the loss of an American life. Ultimately, that is what we joined the Navy to do, so awarding a Navy Achievement Medal is absolutely appropriate.”

Submarine Development Squadron 5 is charged with multiple submarine warfare mission areas to include submarine rescue operations and the activities of its three Seawolf-class submarines. Submarine Development Squadron 5 is responsible for developing and testing new submarine warfare capabilities, including the use of unmanned undersea vehicles.

• Date Taken: 07.14.2017
• Date Posted: 07.14.2017 11:41
• Story ID: 241157
• Location: BANGOR, WA, US