A real Hero

On January 13th 1982, a Boeing 737 which took off from Washington National Airport in freezing weather crashed into the freezing Potomac river due to excessive ice buildup, killing 74 people.

Within five minutes all neighbouring police and fire services were responding to the emergency. But none were equipped to perform a rescue on the frozen river. Meanwhile the survivors in the freezing river were losing the use of their hands due to the biting cold and were also in danger of losing consciousness. The lone surviving flight attendant displayed great selflessness by inflating the only life jacket within reach and giving it to an injured passenger. After 22 minutes the desperate situation was relieved by the arrival of a Police helicopter. However it was not meant for rescue work and did not have a winch or other life saving gear. Undaunted by this or the hazardous weather it’s crew improvised to save the survivors. While pilot Donald Usher hovered low over the water, crewman Melvin Windsor dropped anything floatable he could lay his hands on. Then they took the lifelines from the rescue party on the shore and dropped it to the survivors and dragged them to the shore.They were also risking their lives. To save a woman, lacking the strength to hold on to anything, they carried out an extremely dangerous manoeuvre. While pilot Usher dipped one landing skid into the river, crewman Windsor climbed out of the cabin and, without safety harness, stood on the skid to physically pull her out of the water.

But the most remarkable story is that of Arland D. Williams Jr. One of the six people to survive the crash, he forfeited his own life to ensure others were rescued. When the helicopter first dropped a line to him, he placed it around one of the women in the water so that she could be dragged to safety. And each time the line was dropped back to him, he passed it to another. After five survivors were rescued in this manner the helicopter returned to pick him up. But it was too late- finally overcome by the intense cold he had disappeared. The helicopter crew searched for him, but without success.

Pilot Usher who was a Vietnam veteran said he had never seen such courage, not even in Vietnam where he flew in combat,”He is the real hero of this whole thing”. Crewman Windsor added,” If I could have seen him under the water, I would have plunged in myself to pull him out- dead or alive.

Although all the bodies were recovered he could not be identified. It was after 18 months that a Coast Guard investigation concluded that he was a 46 year old bank inspector. He was posthumously awarded the Coast Guard’s Life Saving Medal. His mother was presented the Medal by President Reagan at a ceremony at the White House.

The bridge over the Potomac river was renamed the “Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge” in his honour. His school created the Arland D. Williams Society to recognise graduates who distinguished themselves through community service. The Arland D. Williams Endowed Professorship of Heroism was also instituted in his honour. In 2003 a school was established in his hometown in his memory.

A real Hero!