Two Marines with 3rd Marine Regiment were presented with Navy and Marine Corps Medals during an award ceremony on Friday, January 6.
The medal is the highest decoration for non-combat heroism awarded to Marines and sailors. Gunnery Sgt. Lawrence Bostic and Capt. Robert A. Christian were both presented the medals for their actions on May 21, 2009 when they saved a drowning Marine at Pyramid Rock Beach at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
Bostic is a wire chief with Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Marine Regiment.
Christian is a ground intelligence officer with Headquarters and Service Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.
When asked about saving a Marine’s life nearly three years ago, Christian simply replied he was at the right place at the right time.
"I was just spending a day at the beach with my family when I heard somebody screaming for help," Christian said. "At first I thought it was people playing around, but then I looked and saw a man struggling as if he was caught in a rip current. After that I didn’t even think about it, I just ran into the water to get him out. "
Christian was the first one in the water to help the drowning man.
He calmed the man and they started to swim back to shore.
However, while crossing back through the surf, Christian began to struggle himself. He fought the tide with the weight of the victim on his shoulders. Bostic, also spending the day at the beach with his family, made his way through the water after seeing both men struggling. He offered his body board to keep the victim afloat. Then Bostic and Christian assisted the man to shore and performed first aid until lifeguards arrived.
"I didn’t want to see anything bad happen to anybody that day," Bostic said. "I saw Capt. Christian in the water and immediately ran over there to assist him. We were just doing what we knew was right. That’s it."
When asked about being recognized, both men said they were just looking out for their own.
"It was an honor to be awarded," Christian said. "But as Marines, it’s embedded in us to watch each other’s back and look out for each other. That’s what they teach us since day one, and that’s what happened during this incident."
Bostic said he was just glad that everything turned out okay and nobody was injured.
See the original article at: KHON2 Developing Stories
