Coast Guard Enlisted Association- DC Metropolitan Branch

On 11/12/2016 CGEA attended Family Volunteer Day at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in DC to honor five veterans with a honor salute.

to lighthouse keeper Idawalley Zorada Lewis, born in 1842. Lewis grew up in Newport, Rhode Island and her father was a captain. He became the first keeper of Lime Rock, Rhode Island but soon his health declined. As the oldest child, Lewis took care of her sick father, the lighthouse, and her siblings. Each morning she rowed her siblings from the small island where the lighthouse sat to the mainland so they could attend school. Lewis also filled the lamp in the lighthouse with oil every night at sundown and again at midnight to ensure no boats were in danger. At 16, Lewis performed her first rescue; she saved four boys after their boat capsized. After Lewis's father died she applied to be the official keeper and in 1879 was appointed. She would hold the position until her death. During her 39 years of working at Lime Rock Lighthouse Station, Lewis is credited with saving 18 lives. The last rescue was when Lewis was 63 years old. For her work she was awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal by the U.S. Coast Guard. (Photo Credit: The Mariners’ Museum Newport News, VA)

He single-handedly pulled four fisherman more than 250 yards in 57-degree water from their life raft to shore. Each of the fishermen were the same size or bigger than the 6-foot, 175-pound rescue swimmer.

This isn't a math equation, but a real life rescue for which Petty Officer 2nd Class Darren Harrity was just awarded the Coast Guard Medal for performing.

More about the medal: http://goo.gl/HWTBwY

More about the rescue: http://goo.gl/wROzFk

A Military Memorial Nearly 100 Years in the Making: Runaway Slave Turned Soldier Finally Remembered The mock-burial was attended by more than 200 people.