Media Availability: Coast Guard member serving less than 1 year rescues 97-year-old man after fall from pier during Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival

GRAND HAVEN, MICHIGAN, UNITED STATES

07.30.2025

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Yaw 

U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes District

Media Availability

Coast Guard member serving less than 1 year rescues 97-year-old man after fall from pier during Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival

WHAT: Media availability discussing rescue of 97-year-old man who fell from a pier during the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival

WHO: Rear Adm. Jonathan Hickey, Coast Guard Great Lakes District commander, Lt. Lisa Pietruszka, Coast Guard Festival incident commander, Seaman Joseph Turk, Coast Guard Cutter Katmai Bay crewmember

WHEN: 10 a.m., Thursday, July 31

WHERE: Escanaba Park, 673 S. Harbor Drive, Grand Haven, in front of U.S. Coast Guard Cutters Mackinaw and Katmai Bay.


Media is asked to RSVP to Petty Officer 1st Class Jim Connor at 440-590-2947 no later than 8:30 a.m., Thursday, via call or text.


GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — A Coast Guard Cutter Katmai Bay crewmember rescued a 97-year-old man from the Grand River after the man fell from a pier, Thursday, during ship tours at the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival.

The man, Fredrick Unger, was safely transferred to a stokes litter and hoisted from the water. Unger suffered a neck injury and near drowning and was taken to North Ottawa Community Hospital in stable condition.

Seaman Joseph Turk, who has been in the Coast Guard eight months, saw the man fall off the pier and promptly jumped into the water to assist. Turk swam to Unger and held him above the water level by treading water for approximately 20 minutes.



-USCG-

• Date Taken: 07.30.2025
• Date Posted: 07.30.2025 20:16
• Story ID: 544327
• Location: GRAND HAVEN, MICHIGAN, US