Ronald C. Prei
Encyclopedia
Ronald C. Prei was a Coast Guard
Fireman of St. Francis, Wisconsin
who was awarded the Coast Guard Medal
for heroic life saving actions along with two comrades.
, 32, of Ferndale, Michigan
lost his life on April 30, 1967 while trying to rescue three teenagers in Duluth, Minnesota
. Three teenage boys had been seen on the north pier break wall of the Duluth entry during a horrific storm. Meteorologist and Minnesota residents often refer to this day as Black Sunday describing the fierce 1967 Southern Minnesota tornado outbreak
, with reports of heavy rain as far north as Duluth that day
BM1 Edgar Culbertson
, along with two other Coast Guardsmen; Boatswain Mate 2nd Class Richard R. Callahan
, 21, of Cicero
, Illinois
and Fireman Ronald C. Prei, 21, of St. Francis, Wisconsin
braved the storm and ventured out along the pier in search of the missing teenagers. A witness had reported seeing the teenagers caught in the storm on the pier while one of the boys was swept over the side by a huge wave. Local resident and friend of "Ed", Captain Tom Mackay, recalled the evening of this infamous storm as being so windy and rough it blew the chimney down on the Mackay house which was a few miles from the north pier break wall of the Duluth entry and farther down Park Point
.
The three Coast Guardsmen connected themselves to each other by tying between them. They struggled through the storm to the end of the pier but did not find the missing boys, who had already been swept over the side themselves before the Coast Guard could save them. As the team of rescuers shuffled back along the pier to safety another large wave crashed into the team, knocking BM1 Edgar Culbertson over the side and away from the others. He was soon found on the beach by his shipmates but it was too late, he had been killed trying to save lives.
A permanent marker, honoring the brave acts of Edgar Culbertson, was placed on the pier near the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center near the spot where Culbertson perished. Culbertson is one of only two Coast Guardsmen to have died in the line of duty while serving in Minnesota, the other was EN3 Keith Brubaker
who fell overboard and perished on July 11, 1967 while serving the Station North Superior in Grand Marais, Minnesota
.
The original bronze plaque was erected some time after Culbertson gave his life to the vicious storm. However in the early 1980s the plaque was removed as the pier was widened and reinforced. Captain Tom Mackay, then a Captain for the Vista Fleet and president of the International Shipmasters Association (ISMA) Twin Ports Lodge #12 realized the plaque had not been reinstalled. Fearing that his friend, and fellow sailor would be forgotten forever, Mackay rallied those at the ISMA to help him locate the plaque and have it reinstalled. A short time later, fellow members of the ISMA found the plaque in storage and had it reinstalled on the new pier so BM1 Edgar Culbertson could continue to be memorialized as the only known member of the United States Coast Guard
to lose his life in Duluth in service to his country and community of Duluth, Minnesota
.
BM1 Edgar Culbertson was posthumously awarded the Coast Guard Medal
and BM2 Richard R. Callahan
, FN Ronald C. Prei were awarded the Coast Guard Medal
.
Date of Award: 17 August 1967
For heroism on the evening of April 30, 1967 while engaged in searching for two teen-age boys reportedly stranded at the Duluth Entry North Breakwater Light, Minnesota. Twin 16-year old boys and a brother had been seen running along the jetty challenging the 10 to 15-foot waves when witnesses observed a huge wave sweep one boy into the water. When two boys were reported stranded at the light, Fireman PREI and two comrades volunteered to attempt the rescue. Lashing themselves together, the three men proceeded, with hand lanterns as their only illumination, to the end of the breakwater. Despite the high waves, winds gusting to 40 knots, driving rain, and 36 degree water, the rescue party diligently searched the breakwater and light but found no trace of the boys. While returning to the beach a 20-foot wave swept the lead man off the jetty nearly causing the loss of all three men. Fireman PREI’s prompt and efficient action prevented his companion and himself from being dragged over by the wave action. Although hampered by numerous bruises, Fireman PREI and an injured Coast Guardsman managed to pull their teammate onto the beach where all efforts to revive him failed. Fireman PREI’s courage, unselfish actions, perseverance and unwavering devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Coast Guard
.
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
Fireman of St. Francis, Wisconsin
St. Francis, Wisconsin
St. Francis is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was 8,662. It is the smallest incorporated city in Milwaukee County.-Geography:St. Francis is located at ....
who was awarded the Coast Guard Medal
Coast Guard Medal
The Coast Guard Medal is a decoration of the United States military that is awarded to any service member who, while serving in any capacity with the United States Coast Guard, distinguishes themselves by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy...
for heroic life saving actions along with two comrades.
Rescue
Boatswain Mate First Class (BM1) Edgar CulbertsonEdgar Culbertson
Coast Guardsman - Boatswain Mate First Class "Ed" Edgar A. Culbertson, 32, of Ferndale, Michigan, born October 13, 1935 lost his life on April 30, 1967 while trying to rescue three teenagers in Duluth, Minnesota. He was a Korean War Veteran, and had served in the Coast Guard since 1952.-Rescue:The...
, 32, of Ferndale, Michigan
Ferndale, Michigan
Ferndale is adjacent to the cities of Detroit to the south, Oak Park to the west, Hazel Park to the east, Pleasant Ridge to the north, Royal Oak Township to the southwest, and Royal Oak to the north....
lost his life on April 30, 1967 while trying to rescue three teenagers in Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
. Three teenage boys had been seen on the north pier break wall of the Duluth entry during a horrific storm. Meteorologist and Minnesota residents often refer to this day as Black Sunday describing the fierce 1967 Southern Minnesota tornado outbreak
1967 Southern Minnesota tornado outbreak
The 1967 Southern Minnesota tornado outbreak was a tornado outbreak that affected portions of south central and southeast Minnesota on Sunday, April 30, 1967. The outbreak spawned a total of nine tornadoes resulting in thirteen deaths and eighty injuries...
, with reports of heavy rain as far north as Duluth that day
BM1 Edgar Culbertson
Edgar Culbertson
Coast Guardsman - Boatswain Mate First Class "Ed" Edgar A. Culbertson, 32, of Ferndale, Michigan, born October 13, 1935 lost his life on April 30, 1967 while trying to rescue three teenagers in Duluth, Minnesota. He was a Korean War Veteran, and had served in the Coast Guard since 1952.-Rescue:The...
, along with two other Coast Guardsmen; Boatswain Mate 2nd Class Richard R. Callahan
Richard R. Callahan
Coast Guardsman - Boatswain Mate Second Class Richard R. Callahan of Cicero, Illinois was awarded the Coast Guard Medal for heroic life saving actions along with two comrades....
, 21, of Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and Fireman Ronald C. Prei, 21, of St. Francis, Wisconsin
St. Francis, Wisconsin
St. Francis is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was 8,662. It is the smallest incorporated city in Milwaukee County.-Geography:St. Francis is located at ....
braved the storm and ventured out along the pier in search of the missing teenagers. A witness had reported seeing the teenagers caught in the storm on the pier while one of the boys was swept over the side by a huge wave. Local resident and friend of "Ed", Captain Tom Mackay, recalled the evening of this infamous storm as being so windy and rough it blew the chimney down on the Mackay house which was a few miles from the north pier break wall of the Duluth entry and farther down Park Point
Minnesota Point
Minnesota Point, also known as the Park Point neighborhood of Duluth, Minnesota, United States; is a long, narrow sand spit that extends out from the Canal Park tourist recreation-oriented district of the city of Duluth...
.
The three Coast Guardsmen connected themselves to each other by tying between them. They struggled through the storm to the end of the pier but did not find the missing boys, who had already been swept over the side themselves before the Coast Guard could save them. As the team of rescuers shuffled back along the pier to safety another large wave crashed into the team, knocking BM1 Edgar Culbertson over the side and away from the others. He was soon found on the beach by his shipmates but it was too late, he had been killed trying to save lives.
A permanent marker, honoring the brave acts of Edgar Culbertson, was placed on the pier near the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center near the spot where Culbertson perished. Culbertson is one of only two Coast Guardsmen to have died in the line of duty while serving in Minnesota, the other was EN3 Keith Brubaker
Keith Brubaker
Keith M. Brubaker was a member of the United States Coast Guard who lost his life in service to his country in 1967.- Biography:Coast Guardsman - Engineman Third Class Keith Michael Brubaker, 22, of Warren, Michigan, born March 24, 1945 lost his life on July 11, 1967 while in service to his...
who fell overboard and perished on July 11, 1967 while serving the Station North Superior in Grand Marais, Minnesota
Grand Marais, Minnesota
Grand Marais is a city in Cook County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,351 at the 2010 census. It is also the county seat of Cook County...
.
The original bronze plaque was erected some time after Culbertson gave his life to the vicious storm. However in the early 1980s the plaque was removed as the pier was widened and reinforced. Captain Tom Mackay, then a Captain for the Vista Fleet and president of the International Shipmasters Association (ISMA) Twin Ports Lodge #12 realized the plaque had not been reinstalled. Fearing that his friend, and fellow sailor would be forgotten forever, Mackay rallied those at the ISMA to help him locate the plaque and have it reinstalled. A short time later, fellow members of the ISMA found the plaque in storage and had it reinstalled on the new pier so BM1 Edgar Culbertson could continue to be memorialized as the only known member of the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
to lose his life in Duluth in service to his country and community of Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
.
BM1 Edgar Culbertson was posthumously awarded the Coast Guard Medal
Coast Guard Medal
The Coast Guard Medal is a decoration of the United States military that is awarded to any service member who, while serving in any capacity with the United States Coast Guard, distinguishes themselves by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy...
and BM2 Richard R. Callahan
Richard R. Callahan
Coast Guardsman - Boatswain Mate Second Class Richard R. Callahan of Cicero, Illinois was awarded the Coast Guard Medal for heroic life saving actions along with two comrades....
, FN Ronald C. Prei were awarded the Coast Guard Medal
Coast Guard Medal
The Coast Guard Medal is a decoration of the United States military that is awarded to any service member who, while serving in any capacity with the United States Coast Guard, distinguishes themselves by heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy...
.
Coast Guard Medal Citation
Date of Action: 30 April 1967Date of Award: 17 August 1967
For heroism on the evening of April 30, 1967 while engaged in searching for two teen-age boys reportedly stranded at the Duluth Entry North Breakwater Light, Minnesota. Twin 16-year old boys and a brother had been seen running along the jetty challenging the 10 to 15-foot waves when witnesses observed a huge wave sweep one boy into the water. When two boys were reported stranded at the light, Fireman PREI and two comrades volunteered to attempt the rescue. Lashing themselves together, the three men proceeded, with hand lanterns as their only illumination, to the end of the breakwater. Despite the high waves, winds gusting to 40 knots, driving rain, and 36 degree water, the rescue party diligently searched the breakwater and light but found no trace of the boys. While returning to the beach a 20-foot wave swept the lead man off the jetty nearly causing the loss of all three men. Fireman PREI’s prompt and efficient action prevented his companion and himself from being dragged over by the wave action. Although hampered by numerous bruises, Fireman PREI and an injured Coast Guardsman managed to pull their teammate onto the beach where all efforts to revive him failed. Fireman PREI’s courage, unselfish actions, perseverance and unwavering devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
.
Read More
- Seeing The Light
- U.S. Coast Guard Visual Imagery
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