Astoria man awarded Carnegie Medal for saving his captain

Curtis Dawson

ELLEDA WILSON - The Daily Astorian
The back face of Curt Dawson's Carnegie Medal.

Posted: Friday, December 12, 2008 12:00 am

By Elleda Wilson
Editorial Assistant

Astoria resident Curtis Dawson has been awarded the Carnegie Medal in recognition of his "outstanding act of heroism" in rescuing his captain, David M. Schmelzer, from drowning three years ago.

The medal is awarded throughout the U.S. and Canada to those who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree to save the lives of others.

Dawson was also recognized by the Coast Guard in a ceremony last year when he was given the Silver Lifesaving Medal, one of the highest awards for civilian valor. Rear Adm. Richard Houck, USCG 13th District commander, said "I've been in the service 32 years and I've never seen these awards presented."

The night of the incident, Dec. 3, 2005, Schmelzer was on the tug Tiger in the Columbia River, while crew members Dawson and Leroy "Splash" Schlecht of Warrenton were on a barge being towed by the tug.

Suddenly the Tiger capsized, throwing Schmelzer into the river. Unconscious, he floated toward the surface of the water alongside the barge. Dawson jumped into the water, grabbed Schmelzer's jacket, and lifted his head above the water. A rope was tossed to Dawson, and he and Schmelzer were pulled to the side of the barge.

Dawson says the rescue could not have happened without the help of several people. Dustin Everson of Warrenton and Brian Dodge of Milwaukie helped Dawson out of the water. They were both from the tug Howard Olsen, which stopped to assist.

Schlecht hung upside down "for what seemed like an eternity, holding on to the captain's fleece vest (not a flotation device) until the bar pilots' helicopter arrived," Dawson said. Ian Peterson, also of the Howard Olsen, put all of his weight on Schlecht's legs to keep him on the barge.

Dodge climbed down the rope line Dawson had just climbed up to help John Ivanoff of Astoria, from the Foss launch Arrow 2, and Schlecht, put the harness from the helicopter over Schmelzer's head and under his arms.

Dawson is also grateful to Capt. Billy Davis of Warrenton and his cousin, Capt. Jim Davis who heard the emergency on the VHF radio and raced to the scene from the Astoria Pilot station.

"Without them, I would not have been able to do what I did that December night," Dawson said. Both Dawson and Schmelzer recovered.

Reprinted with permission of The Daily Astorian of Astoria, Oregon.