Navy sailor sacrificed himself to save 20 lives after the USS Fitzgerald collision - Sensationalist Headlines

[img]http://i.imgur.com/puud4Zf.jpg[/img] [quote]One of the seven sailors who died aboard the USS Fitzgerald saved more than a dozen of his fellow shipmates before he ultimately lost his own life, The Daily Beast reported Tuesday. The USS Fitzgerald collided with a Philippine-flagged merchant vessel about 56 miles off the coast of Japan on Saturday. Seven sailors were later found dead in flooded compartments on the ship. When the Fitzgerald collided with the merchant ship, 37-year-old Fire Controlman 1st Class Gary Leo Rehm Jr. "leapt into action," according to The Daily Beast. The Fitzgerald was struck below the waterline, and Rehm's family was told by the Navy that he went under and saved at least 20 sailors, according to WBNS-10TV in Columbus, Ohio. [B]But when he went back down to get the other six sailors, the ship began to take on too much water, and the hatch was closed, WBNS-10TV said.[/B] "That was Gary to a T," Rehm's friend Christopher Garguilo said, according to NBC4i in Columbus. "He never thought about himself." "The sailors on the ship he called his kids," his uncle, Stanley Rehm Jr., told The Daily Beast, adding: [B]"He said, 'If my kids die, I'm going to die.'"[/B][/quote] [url]http://www.businessinsider.com/this-sailor-sacrificed-himself-save-20-lives-the-uss-fitzgerald-2017-6[/url] We already have a thread about the Fitzgerald collision, but I felt like this display of selflessness deserved its own recognition. I wonder if he will be awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor? I can't imagine what was going through his head when he realized they had to close the hatch behind him...

Not a Medal of Honor but the highest one they can give for a peacetime action. Still, this is the most selfless action one can ever do, and while sad that he perished, he saved so many other Sailors that I hope he is adequately remembered and given his due recognition. An example for others to follow to be sure.

[QUOTE=SKEEA;52391895]Not a Medal of Honor but the highest one theycan give for a peacetime action. Still, this is the most selfless action one can ever do, and while sad that he perished, he saved so many other Sailors that I hope he is adequately remembered and given his due recognition. An example for others to follow to be sure.[/QUOTE] I think we'll be seeing a USS Gary Leo Rehm in the upcoming future.

Does he get the purple heart? Or is that for during wars only?

[QUOTE=TheNerdPest14;52392028]Does he get the purple heart? Or is that for during wars only?[/QUOTE] Purple Hearts are only given to people wounded by [I]enemy[/I] action. We've had cases of people being seriously wounded by friendly fire and getting no medal because it wasn't enemy action.

definitely brave sailor and big loss for the navy, RIP such act deserve more than medal i agree combat ship (or rescue) named in his name would be nice i still wonder why the sudden course change w/o knowing it's leading into collision for ~25 minutes wonder if ship got hacked? that would be first ...

It takes guts to go back under the deck to save your comrades knowing you could die too. I hope he receives the highest possible award for this selfless act.

Medal of Honor

(Snip. Nearer, My God, to Thee was in poor taste.) Dude's a motherfucking hero. I can't ever imagine doing something like that, and he just up and did it.