Uploaded November 2023 | Updated September 2026, 10 hours ago
Have you ever wondered what it takes for a Coast Guard rescue swimmer to respond to a capsized boat incident? Join us on a behind-the-scenes look into the Coast Guard’s unbelievable rescue case, where a yacht was flipped over by a massive wave near the Columbia River Bar.
Coast Guard rescue swimmer John "Branch" Walton and aircrew member Joe Ivy recount what really happened that day.
The response took place while Walton was attending the Coast Guard’s Advanced Helicopter Rescue School (AHRS) in Astoria, Oregon. When he received the call, Walton readily put his rescue skills to the test and jumped into action. He worked closely with Ivy, an AHRS instructor/rescue flight mechanic to complete the mission.
This was the first life Walton saved as a Coast Guard rescue swimmer.
Have you ever wondered what it takes for a Coast Guard rescue swimmer to respond to a capsized boat incident? Join us on a behind-the-scenes look into the Coast Guard’s unbelievable rescue case, where a yacht was flipped over by a massive wave near the Columbia River Bar.
Coast Guard rescue swimmer John "Branch" Walton and aircrew member Joe Ivy recount what really happened that day.
The response took place while Walton was attending the Coast Guard’s Advanced Helicopter Rescue School (AHRS) in Astoria, Oregon. When he received the call, Walton readily put his rescue skills to the test and jumped into action. He worked closely with Ivy, an AHRS instructor/rescue flight mechanic to complete the mission.
This was the first life Walton saved as a Coast Guard rescue swimmer.
