CLEVELAND — In the truest nod to the U.S. Coast Guard's well-known motto, "Semper Paratus," which means "Always Ready," two Coast Guardsmen have proven they honor those words, even on land.
Seaman Thomas Borden and Petty Officer 3rd Class Kaleb Hersey received the Coast Guard Medal today in a ceremony at Coast Guard Station Cleveland Harbor for saving a man's life last year.
On August 2, 2021, the two rescued a 19-year-old man from a burning car that had crashed into a power junction box, just outside the base gate at the Lorain Station on Alabama Avenue.
Borden and Hersey pulled the man from his vehicle, then used their uniform blouses to extinguish the flames on him.
Their medals were presented by Rear Adm. Michael J. Johnston, Commander, Ninth Coast Guard District.
In a news release, the U.S. Coast Guard said this of the honor:
"The Coast Guard Medal is awarded to any member of the Armed Forces who, while serving in any capacity with the Coast Guard, distinguishes himself or herself by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy. To justify this decoration, the individual must have performed a voluntary act of heroism in the face of great personal danger of such a magnitude that it stands out distinctly above normal expectations."
Editor's Note: The following video is from an unrelated story.
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