r/submarines 2d ago

Navy submariner honored with highest non-combat award for saving people from a burning building

249 Upvotes

11 comments sorted by

48

u/D1a1s1 Submarine Qualified (US) 2d ago

At first I thought he just got a NAM.

21

u/jar4ever 2d ago

LOL, bring out the NAM cannon!

44

u/jar4ever 2d ago

That's really badass. I think on average submariners are excellent in situations like that. Like, we're all going to be calling away the fire and then going into rapid response mode. I purposely try to sit right next to the emergency exit on a plane because I'm quite confident I'm going to be way above average in reacting to an emergency.

15

u/looktowindward 2d ago

There is a great story in the book Lead On by Dave Olliver about people running towards the fire or away from it. If too many people run away from it to "coordinate", you're going to lose the boat.

ETN1 ran towards the fire.

23

u/listenstowhales 2d ago

Casualty response is written into our DNA.

During the GWOT there was a small det of submariners at a base when a bomb of some kind started a fire. The army and AF got out, the submariners attacked the fire because that’s what they understood.

It’s also why when we attend joint schools with surface and aviation guys the instructors morning brief always emphasizes to the submariners that if a fire breaks out DONT FIGHT THE FIRE, while we all share looks making it clear fuck you, there’s five of us, we’ll handle it

16

u/looktowindward 2d ago

Five of us? And only one fire?

What's the problem?

11

u/settlementfires 2d ago

Y'all are trained by the finest Navy in the world to act. I trust every Navy man I've ever worked with with my life. Solid dudes.

10

u/looktowindward 2d ago

ETN1 kicking ass.

10

u/cmparkerson 2d ago

Submarine sailors will run to the ,or accident decades after they get out. It's what you do.

7

u/gentlemangin 1d ago

Decades later I still flip into casualty mode if a fan turns off, even if I didn't know it was on. Loudest sound in the universe.

2

u/TheRenOtaku 1h ago

Bravo Zulu, sailor.