Persian Gulf Rescue

Persian Gulf Rescue

By AW3 William "Beaver" Schuetzeberg, USN (Ret.)

Supertanker Surf City exploded in the Strait of Hormuz. We were about a mile away. I was sitting in the helicopter on the flight deck at the sensor station using the table to write a letter to my girlfriend back home. From the flight deck, we all heard a loud explosion and then felt a "thud" sensation in our chests. As I stepped out of the helicopter, I saw the Surf City on fire. General Quarters was called. My Senior Crewman, AW2 Bryan Stewart, said that there were survivors in the water and told me to put on my SAR gear. The picture of me with the ship in the background was taken a few minutes before we took off. As we approached the ship, we found the survivors in the lifeboat but could not move close enough to the ship because of the heat. The plan was to lower me down into the lifeboat to render first aid.

Next thing I know, I felt three taps on my shoulder, jump, jump, jump. I looked back at Bryan and shouted, "What?" He said, "You're going in.” So, in the water I went. I swam to the lifeboat 150 yards away. Somewhat exhausted, I climbed aboard the boat. I repeated what I was taught in SAR school to say which was very comical in retrospect: "My name is AW3 Schuetzeberg. I am a United States Navy Rescue Swimmer, and I am here to save you." To my surprise, I was greeted with cheers and hugs from the crew. First aid had already been rendered. One man had a large piece of glass in his head, and another had a broken back. Many of the survivors had beards that were half burnt off from the flashfire. Turns out I had to jump because the helicopter rotor wash was just too much for the lifeboat. All the survivors were able to climb a ladder on the side of the USS Simpson to safety.

Even the man with the broken back, which was discovered later, climbed the ladder.We flew the two survivors in critical condition to a hospital in Dubai.

Evidently there must have been reporters there because my girlfriend saw the man with glass in his head on television that day in the emergency room. We then flew back to the ship and spent two days looking for more survivors, but only remains were found. The girlfriend in this story, Sarah, has been my wife for 33 years. I am proud to be a Rescue Swimmer.

February 20, 1990. Straits of Hormuz Persian Gulf, USS Simpson (FFG 56)

HSL-42 Proud Warriors, Detachment 10

• Pilot LT Jamie Pierce

• Co-pilot LT Mike Shanks

• Senior Crewman AW2 Bryan Stewart

• Junior Crewman AW3 William Cleve Schuetzeberg

• 25 people on the Surf City, 23 rescued.