An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Humble hero rescues three children from Gulf of Mexico

  • Published
  • By Jamie Haig
  • 1st SOW Public Affairs
Three children visiting from Alabama owe their lives to a quick-thinking staff sergeant from the 16th Special Operations Squadron.

Staff Sgt. Michael Passmore, a 16th SOS gunner, was enjoying his favorite pastime May 2006, surfing at Navarre Beach, when he saw a boy in the water waving his arms.

Knowing the child was too far from shore for normal swimming and seeing no lifeguards available, Sergeant Passmore turned his surfboard toward the boy.

When he got closer to the boy, Sergeant Passmore realized there were three children, two boys and a girl, caught in the riptide, and the girl was having trouble staying above the surface. Realizing she needed immediate help, he paddled over to her, pulled her out of the water and onto the board, and made sure she was ok.

"She was frightened and still choking on water," Sergeant Passmore said. "I strapped the board leash to her for safety while I went to retrieve the boys."

According to the sergeant, the waves were more than four feet high that day with a strong riptide, making a short, 20-foot swim seem longer.

"The younger boy was furthest from the board so I went for him next," Sergeant Passmore said. "After making sure he had a tight grip on the board tightly, I went for his brother."

Although Sergeant Passmore had surfed more than 90 minutes before noticing the children, he still managed to summon the strength to fight the waves and rescue the children.

The riptide pulled the surfboard more than 200 feet away from the shore so the sergeant steered from the back of the surfboard on an angle to maneuver his way back to the beach.

As Sergeant Passmore steered the board back to shore, he continually talked to the children and asked them questions, trying to calm them down and keep their minds occupied.

"I tried to reassure them that they were going to be fine now," Sergeant Passmore said.

Thirty minutes after the ordeal began, the group arrived on the beach to a waiting lifeguard and a frantic mother.

"After I made sure they were all okay, the lifeguard escorted them off and their mother thanked me," he said. "It wasn't a big deal. All I did was pull three kids out of the water."

For his unselfish act of heroism, Sergeant Passmore was nominated as the Air Force Special Operations Command Pitsenbarger Award winner and will compete at Air Force level.

"I think the best thing I can say about Sergeant Passmore is that he is very modest about his heroism. He didn't tell the squadron leadership about the event initially," said Master Sgt. Shane Rainwater, Sergeant Passmore's supervisor.

"The bottom line is that Mike never once thought of himself, whether it was while he was saving those three children or when being submitted for the award. He was just doing what came to him naturally."