Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Beachy of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 (Rein.) receives the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, on Nov. 6, 2024. (Angel Diaz/U.S. Marine Corps)
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA, Okinawa — A group of Marines on a weekend snorkeling trip last month used their training and teamwork to save a Japanese woman from rough seas.
Seven Marines from Camp Pendleton, Calif., deployed with Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, received commendations Nov. 6 for pulling the woman from the water Oct. 12 at Cape Zanpa near Yomitan village.
“There was no hesitation,” Cpl. Joshua Stevens, a UH-1Y Venom helicopter crew chief from Nazareth, Pa., told Stars and Stripes at the base theater Nov. 8 with Lance Cpl. Jared Beachy and Cpl. Theron Dubay.
“We all kind of realized, ‘Hey, this woman’s gone, the sun’s going down, the sea state’s getting worse,’” he said. “Even though we’d been swimming for four hours, we’re tired and we’re ready to go home, we’re in a position to help.”
U.S. Marines of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 (Rein.) photographed after an award ceremony on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 6, 2024. (Angel Diaz/U.S. Marine Corps)
Cape Zanpa Misaki is recognized as one of the most dangerous spots for visitors on Okinawa due to its sharp coral formations, steep cliffs and swirling currents and tides.
Stevens, Beachy, a flightline mechanic from New Braunfels, Texas, and Dubay, an airframe mechanic from Richmond, Mich., dove into the water, found the woman and helped her ashore. For their actions they were awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.
The other four established a lookout on a cliffside overlooking the water. Cpl. Scott Detar, Cpl. Robert Escamilla, Cpl. William Ore and Cpl. William Riegler II received certificates of commendation.
Around 4:30 p.m. as the Marines were leaving the dive spot they heard a man screaming and “looking for someone.” They saw the man arrive earlier with his girlfriend, but she was no longer with him, Stevens said.
As the man called the Japanese coast guard, the Marines split into teams. Dubay jumped in the water first, followed by Beachy and Stevens.
Beachy found the woman clinging to the rocks near a whirlpool, he said. She was in shock with minor injuries, and Beachy moved her to a sand well near the base of the cliff where he could evaluate her using his training in tactical combat casualty care, he said.
Stevens and Beachy held the woman above the waves on their shoulders and carried her about 1,600 feet to shore. Dubay walked in front carrying everyone’s gear.
“When the waves were coming in, it would go from 3 feet to 6 to 8 feet, so he’d (Dubay) tell us when to brace,” Stevens said. “It would hit us, we couldn’t breathe for a little bit, the water would go back down, and we’d continue walking with her.”
The rescue took about 20 minutes. When they reached the shore, the other four Marines helped the woman from the water.
“I think our confidence was a lot better knowing that we had our brothers to the left and right of us,” Beachy said.
The Japan Coast Guard confirmed that passersby helped the woman from the water at Cape Zanpa, where she went missing around 4 p.m. while snorkeling, according to a news release Oct. 12.
Stevens later received a text message from the man, who referred to himself only as Wataru, stating, “If I see any Marines, I will give thanks.”
“To give [the Marines] this better image as a whole, and us being here on deployment rather than permanent personnel, it feels good knowing, hey, we came out here for our rotation and we could make a difference,” Beachy said.
Stars and Stripes reporter Keishi Koja contributed to this report.
