SAN PEDRO, Calif. — The Coast Guard will be presenting John Campbell with the Certificate of Valor during a ceremony Friday, July 27, at Base Los Angeles – Long Beach for his heroic actions that resulted in the saving of four lives at sea.
While sailing in San Diego Bay March 27, 2011, Campbell spotted a capsized sailboat and multiple people struggling in the cold water nearby. He quickly dove into the water and tied a line between his boat and the vessel.
He proceeded to help several people onboard his own vessel, including a mentally-challenged teenager and an elderly man who were clinging to the capsized sailboat. He continued to assist and comfort survivors in the water, including a mother and child whom he helped onto another rescue vessel.
Campbell stayed in the water until all ten people were accounted for and plucked from the ocean. He also assisted San Diego Harbor Police officers in moving the survivors onto a police boat, where he stayed until everyone was safely back on land.
The Coast Guard is proud to honor Campbell, a Los Angeles-area resident, for his determined efforts and outstanding initiative that resulted in him single-handedly rescuing nearly half of the people thrown into San Diego Bay.
