MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- They can’t manipulate force fields, freeze objects by force of will or stop time, and you won’t see them flying through the air with a mask and cape, but to Aya Ogata and Miho Ikeda, two Japanese nationals, Sgt. Tchaikawsky Samuels and Sgt. Steve R. Williams fit the persona.
Sept. 20 seemed like a great day to spend swimming and exploring Hamada Beach, but to the friends’ surprise, their adventure changed with the turn of the tide.
To start off the morning, Samuels could be found wading near the shore, digging for clams, while the other beachgoers made their way into the water.
“The current was very strong, making it difficult to dig in water only knee high,” said Samuels. “I became bored and frustrated at not being able to find any (clams), so I looked around for Sgt. Williams. He appeared to be far out, jumping over cresting waves.”
Deciding to join his friends with hopes of playfully sneaking up and scaring the girls, Samuels attempted to make his way out to the others by swimming under water.
“The water was very shallow, and the waves were pushing me back to the shore, so I became very exhausted after 10 or so breaths of swimming against the waves,” said Samuels. “I could understand why they felt safe. There was no sign of a current pulling out to sea.”
As he closed in on the others, Williams turned and spotted him — a failed endeavor. Samuels’ efforts availed him nothing.
After spending several minutes goofing around with the others, Samuels was tired and decided to make his way back to the shore.
Everything seemed to be going well until Samuels noticed the others gradually shifting into a potentially dangerous situation.
“I thought back to the safety training given about past Hamada Beach drownings,” said Samuels. “I remembered that the third row of rocks was not a safe place to swim. I thought that my friend and the girls may be in danger; they did not realize they were drifting towards a current that could pull them out to sea.”
Samuels contemplated swimming out to warn them of the danger but was afraid of being labeled as a spoilsport, so he continued to watch from the shore. He soon realized that it was more important to bring them to safety than worry about their perception of him.
“As I swam towards them, I thought to myself, ‘they are going to die, and (I’m) joining them,’” said Samuels.
Upon approaching them, he warned them of the danger they were in, but it was too late. Ikeda was being pulled out by the current, and to make matters worse, she couldn’t swim.
Williams was closer to Ikeda and was able to push her toward Samuels. Samuels’ first instinct was to grab her by the hand, risking being pulled out himself. Just as he grabbed Ikeda’s hand, Ogata began to struggle. Williams went out after her and helped her reach Samuels. Samuels reached out for her, too.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Williams, who also is not a strong swimmer, had been pulled back out and was yelling for help.
Samuels took a step toward him, and by forming a human chain, Williams was able to grab Ogata’s leg.
“I was pushed under by the waves and sucked out by the current,” said Williams. “I was being tossed around like a bug in a storm drain.”
Everything happened so fast that there wasn’t time for hesitation.
With everyone kicking, Samuels was able to make some ground before being pulled under water, causing him to lose hold of Ogata and Ikeda’s hands.
“For the first time, it occurred to me that I may not be able to save everyone. I needed saving myself!” said Samuels.
He had been separated from the others and could no longer stand up.
“I finally shared the same amount of fear I saw on everyone else’s face,” said Samuels.
He made his way back to Ogata, but she insisted on going back out after Williams and Ikeda.
“I watched the three of them struggling, and Miho’s single act took away any doubt about what I was going to do next,” said Samuels.
“It was all of us or none of us.”
At this point, people had begun to watch from the shore, but none had the courage to make an effort to help.
Samuels swam out to his friends and soon realized he could tip-toe again.
Out of mere desperation to get back to shore, the beachgoers were trying to swim the most direct route, forgetting the training they’ve received in the past.
They were growing tired fast and gaining no ground. It nearly seemed like a hopeless cause, and then Samuels remembered the advice given in the training: swim to the side and then back to shore.
Before long, they were out of the current, but the waves continued to bash against their bodies.
“Samuels picked up both women and held them under his arms like seabags and was saying go to the right,” said Williams. “I held Samuels’ shoulder from behind him and braced to prevent myself and the others from being sucked back out.”
After struggling for what seemed like hours, Samuels set the girls down in knee-high water. They collapsed on the shore to rest and catch their breathes.
“Samuels laid out with exhaustion like he was going to make sand angels,” said Williams. “I remember screaming, ‘we’re alive!’”
Samuels was just as relieved as Williams.
“I could feel my muscles twitching and my chest burning. I could feel the salt water I swallowed burning my throat. However, I also felt the most amazing feeling ever. I saved another person’s life while almost losing my own! Fear, desperation and determination turned into an overwhelming sense of accomplishment,” said Samuels.
“I felt like a super hero standing on the edge of a skyscraper overlooking a city — like I was on top of the world!”
It took nearly losing their lives to realize how much they have to live for. It truly was a life-changing experience for them all.
“Being put in the situation to save someone could happen any day. You just have to decide what you are going to do — fight or flight,” said Williams. “We are all still alive, and I have never been so happy to be on dry land and be alive since that day.”
A hero is a person who helps others even when they themselves are in danger or a tough situation, said Ogata.
The group may have gone to the beach as just friends, but they left more than that; Samuels and Williams were their heroes.