A 1957 Balboa High School Story

By Bill Sears

In 1957, during my senior year at Balboa High School, Canal Zone, I worked as a lifeguard at the Balboa Clubhouse Pool every day of the week. By the time Friday rolled around, one would think a lifeguard would want to get as far away from water as he could. That feeling never occurred to me. Sometimes I think I'm part fish – or at least amphibian. On the ninth of March 1957 an earthquake happened in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska that caused a Tsunami (tidal wave) to roll through the Pacific Ocean. This Tsunami caused damage through out the Pacific. Our story begins on that day before the waves hit Santa Clara Beach, a day I will never forget. Like most weekends, On the ninth of March, I drove to Santa Clara on the Pacific; the Republic of Panama's most beautiful resort beach. The warm, salty, air and the gentle sound of the ocean waves were relaxing after a long workweek. However, it was impossible to relax completely when I was around water because of my strict training at the clubhouse pool. My eyes automatically scanned any open water to see that there were no swimmers in distress. On the tenth of March the waves rolled into Santa Clara Beach. The pounding of the surf against the beach could be heard all over Santa Clara. We didn't need radios to tell us that this was an unusually rough, high tide signaling fun to me. After breakfast, as fast as I could, I got to the beach and into the water. I was having so much fun jumping into the huge walls of water, which towered from 10 to 16 feet high, and crashed forward with a force that could crush a man on the sand if he got caught unaware. I had never seen such big waves. At first, it was frightening yet exhilarating. Then gradually, it became a game – a dangerous game, but safe enough if one kept his head and didn't get panicked. Diving into a breaking wall of water has certain unwritten rules: come up and swim with the roll of the waves or, if caught, take a big breath and relax the body completely – don't try to fight the current. I have always enjoyed this game.

Arrows and circle pinpoint Bill Sears in water I got to the point where I could come in to shore and go out again just by relaxing. It would have been useless to try to kick against the turbulence of the water – for there was nothing but bubbles, which were impossible to tread against. After awhile I noticed a pattern – a rhythm to the waves. There seemed to be a rhythm of ten waves then a lull then ten waves then a lull again. Also, the waves were hitting the beach at an angle, which caused one wave to swirl around on the beach and come back to meet the next incoming wave. This added turbulence of the two waves meeting caused an undertow.

Turbulence of backlash wave causing the undertow At one point, I looked up to see my mother running down the beach and calling something to me – but the sound of the surf drowned out her words. Then, she stopped and pointed out to sea and I could hear her say: "Go!" Just ahead of her at the water's edge a group of people was pulling an old lady out of the water, and another group was assisting a pregnant woman. Both of them had obviously been caught in a wave. I started to run toward the older lady, thinking she might need artificial respiration, but now, closer to my mother, I heard her call: "Go out – go out - drowning." Someone behind an incoming wall of water needed help. Without thinking, I dived into the oncoming 16-foot wall of water to come up on the ocean side of the wave. There, in front of me, about twenty feet away, was a hand sticking up out of the water, then up bobbed a gray head, then down went the head and the hand came up again. As I swam through the water, I realized I was very tired and in no condition to fight a non-swimmer. All I could do was to affirm Gods presence, "I know you're with me God, I'm going to need your help." And with that, I gave it all the energy I had left to swim the few feet between us. With that burst of speed, I was there to grab the body as it surfaced again. As he came up again, I caught him in the "cross-shoulder" hold with my right arm. His face was blue-gray. I could hear his breathing and knew he had some water in his lungs, but he wasn't drowned, he was in a state of shock. I swam seaward with him to get away from the turbulence of the waves and tried to size up the situation. My man was well over 65 years – he gave no resistance, but neither did he make any effort to help himself. He couldn't be taken into shore because if a wave broke with us, we would both be dashed against the bottom sand beneath the wave. A 12 to 16-foot drop for an old man who is unconscious would be deadly. As we drifted in, I could see that if I didn't make an attempt to get on the seaside of this next oncoming wave we would be dashed onto the sand. While we were drifting dangerously close to shore, some thoughtful person on the beach hurled an inner tube at us. I pulled my charge over to the tube. At first, the tube was more of a hindrance than help for with every wave the tube would pull us closer to the breaking crest of a wave. Once I looked straight down – about 16 feet – into nothing but sand. After that view, it didn't matter whether or not I was tired. I just knew I had to get back away from those breaking waves with my charge. Later I was glad I had the tube for it helped me rest my legs when they got too tired. I tried to place the old man's hand on the tube so that he could help support the weight of his body, but his hand kept slipping off – he didn't seem to have the sense of urgency to hang on to something. I was waiting for that lull in the waves which I knew was characteristic of these high tides. I felt the rise and fall of the water around me. I started counting the waves. At about the fifth wave, I planned to head for shore. I was hoping to ride in on the tenth crest and get close enough to catch the eleventh, which was always characteristically smaller. The fifth wave arrived and I started kicking as hard as I could. I could feel the sixth swell, raising my body high enough so I could see the beach. The seventh, eight, ninth, and I was not where I had to be. Again I acknowledged God's presence by saying: "It's just you and me, God." I started to kick and swim like I never had before. I knew I had to catch that eleventh wave just right, kicking fast enough for the force necessary to carry our two bodies forward. I could sense a losing battle. We were in the turbulence and we weren't going anywhere. The little wave I'd hoped to ride was breaking on the beach and starting to come back at us while a mountain of water was gathering in a fury behind us. I put my head on the tube and said, "I'm in your hands, God." Out of nowhere a rope landed on my head – I reached with my left arm to grab it. Before I had a good grip, the spectators on the beach were pulling us to shore. My cramping right arm was around the elderly man. My left hand was burning from the rope sliding through my hand – but to let go of that rope would have been a worse fate than rope burns. On the beach, many people grabbed the man from my arms and carried him up the beach. I knew he'd be taken care of. He didn't need artificial respiration. Someone, whom I later learned was a fireman, checked my man and said he was in a state of shock and covered him with a blanket. It was a wonderful relief to feel the beloved, hard sand under my feet. I was so thankful and happy that I brought my man in safely – and yet, in reflection, I thought, today, there were mighty odds against me. Too late, out in the water, I realized how tired I was and knew I would need strength from God. I remember thinking of the Prayer of Protection that I keep in my wallet and read often: The light of God surrounds me; The love of God enfolds me; The power of God protects me; The presence of God watches over me; Wherever I am God is! I believe at those crucial moments, that affirming God's presence, knowing "Wherever I am God is!" gave me the strength to save both our lives. "Thank you God for always being there for me!"

A year later in 1958, at the Balboa High School Stadium, the Governor of the Panama Canal, William E. Potter presented me with the Treasury Department's SILVER LIFE-SAVING MEDAL.

I was honored in front of all my fellow students of Balboa High School. Honor guards from the 1st Battle Group, 20th Infantry at Fort Kobbe and Balboa High School's own ROTC Honor guard passed in review. In the reviewing party, beside, Governor William Potter and me, was General Milton I Ogden, Deputy Commanding General of USARCARIB.

Also in attendance was Panama's Minister of Government and Justice, Max Haurematte.

This was a great honor for me because this was the first medal of its kind to be presented in the Canal Zone.

The citation reads as follows: The Secretary of the Treasury takes pleasure in presenting the SILVER LIFE-SAVING MEDAL to: WILLIAM THOMAS SEARS

For acts as set forth in the following CITATION: For heroic action on 10 March 1957, when he rescued a man from drowning in the surf at Santa Clara Beach, Republic of Panama. The water was very rough and waves were estimated as being ten feet in height when the seventy-two year old man, his wife, and two small granddaughters, standing close to shore, were suddenly engulfed by a large wave and swept seaward. The children's mother saw their plight and immediately went to their assistance, only to find herself in danger. Nearby bathers rushed to assist and managed to pull to shore the two women and one of the children. The other child and the man were swept out to sea. Completely disregarding his own personal safety, SEARS dived into the turbulent and dangerous surf and started swimming. Despite the swift current, SEARS reached the near drowned man, took him in tow, and started for the beach. He managed to grasp an inner tube with rope attached, which had been thrown to him from the beach, and about twenty minutes after interring the water, SEARS and the survivor were able to reach shore. In the meantime, a huge wave had tossed the blue-faced child close to the beach where she was recovered and artificial respiration administered. SEARS displayed outstanding courage, fortitude and initiative while endangering his life during this rescue.

Congratulatory kisses from Terry Moore - Screen Actress Yvonne Nunn an Employee of the El Panama Hilton Hotel

When I sit back and think about the whole experience, the following thoughts come to mind. When you're a Lifeguard, you're on duty whenever you're near water – not just the hours you get paid for at the pool. I believe a Lifeguard is a way of life not just a job. Any one of the fellows who work with me at the Balboa Clubhouse swimming pool would have done the same thing if they had been at Santa Clara that day. Thinking back today to the events of that day and that “A Lifeguard is always on duty;” you can also say that God is our constant Lifeguard. God is on call 24/7 and like a lifeguard will dive into our lives and rescue us from all harm. We just have to have faith and believe that this is so. Yes, God is our Lifeguard and God is always on duty. Call on God through prayer and you will see how your life will change for the better. God bless you.

The original Lifesaving medals was created on June 20, 1874 and were not designed for wearing. The original Silver Medal had the inscription "Life Saving Medal of the Second Class" at the top. An Act of Congress dated June 18, 1878 made changes to the original design, making the medal smaller and omitting the inscription. The modification to the original Medal was authorized by an Act of Congress on May 4, 1882 and was awarded to any person who rescues, or endeavors to rescue, any other person from drowning, shipwreck, or other peril of the water. The rescue must take place in waters within the United States or subject to U.S. jurisdiction, or one of the parties must be a citizen of the United States. The Silver Medal differs from the Gold Lifesaving Medal in that the act need not involve the degree of heroism and risk called for in the Gold Medal. The modified medal was worn on a ruby red ribbon and was issued from 1882-1949. The changes, which resulted in the current Silver Lifesaving Medal started with a memorandum from Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral J.F. Farley, dated March 13, 1946. Changes included reducing the size of the medal to "...present a more harmonious appearance when they are worn on the uniform with other medals..." and changing the color of the ribbon to the current silver, blue, and white. The inscription on the lower obverse was changed to "Act of Congress August 4, 1949."

Lets go home US Army wants you! When you don't know where you are going any road will take you there. “If you don’t like how things are, change it! You’re not a tree. You have the ability to totally transform every area in your life – and it all begins with your very own power of choice.” --------- Jim Rohn, Author and Speaker--- Carpe Diem! Bill Sears today... Carpe Diem! BHS Class of 1957 Hola que Pasa? Photo Credits: Bill Sears - Author, PCC Archives, US Army Archives, and webmaster Sing and rejoice, tra-la-la, for fortune is smiling upon you!