Charles W. Sexton
Charles W. Sexton (1953– 1991), Machinery Technician First Class, USCG, was awarded a posthumous award of the Coast Guard Medal for "extraordinary heroism." Action cited Sexton died during the rescue of fishermen stranded off the treacherous Columbia River bar. A Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat Crew had proceeded to the fishing trawler Sea King in motor lifeboat 44381, because the trawler had lost power off the Columbia bar, and was taking on water. As the unit's Emergency Medical Technician, Sexton was tending to a wounded fisherman's injuries after bringing over dewatering pumps when the trawler unexpectedly turned over. Two of the trawler's crew and a Coast Guardsman were thrown into the Ocean and were eventually rescued, but Sexton and two other crew members became trapped in the vessel's pilot house and drowned. Coast Guard Medal citation His award citation stated: Petty Officer SEXTON is cited for extraordinary heroism on 11 January 1991 while serving as emergency medical technician aboard Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat CG-44381. The boat crew was responding to a distress call from F/V SEA KING, a 75-foot stern trawler with four persons on board, which was taking on water and in danger of sinking, four nautical miles northwest of