Boatswain’s Mate First Class David M. Ramsey was awarded the prestigious AFRAS Gold Medal in 2007by the Association for Rescue at Sea for his extraordinary heroism during a maritime rescue operation. At the time of the rescue, Ramsey served as a United States Coast Guard Surfman and coxswain aboard a motor lifeboat. [1, 2, 3]

The Rescue Mission

• The Incident: Ramsey operated in punishing 25-foot seas to locate and save the crew of a distressed 50-foot commercial fishing vessel. [1, 2]
• The Heroism: His expert boat-handling skills and courageous leadership in extreme weather conditions directly prevented imminent loss of life at sea. [1]
• The Award Ceremony: He received the Gold Medal alongside Coast Guard rescue swimmer Aviation Survival Technician 2nd Class Darren Mitcheltree during the annual AFRAS awards ceremony held in Washington, D.C.. [1, 2, 3, 4]

About the AFRAS Gold Medal

The Association for Rescue at Sea (AFRAS) presents its Gold Medal annually to a member of the United States Coast Guard who exhibits exceptional bravery, skill, and resourcefulness during a rescue operation. It highlights elite maritime lifesavers who risk their own lives under the most perilous ocean conditions.