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Thursday, March 22, 2001
Navy bestows medal for crash heroism
Palyo risked fouled, shark-infested water to save a friend after copter crashed
By Stephanie L. Jordan
Caller-Times

George Gongora/Caller-Times

Shawn Palyo, petty officer third class, wears his new medal presented for heroism following a helicopter crash. 'I just consider myself really lucky,' Palyo said. 'I didn't do anything that anybody else wouldn't have done.'

Shawn Palyo remembers flying across the Gulf of Mexico in a MH-53E Sea Dragon, a sudden explosion, swimming in water filled with debris from the aircraft and pulling his buddy, Jeremy Yaklin, out of the water onto a partially inflated raft.
   It wasn't until the 20-year-old petty officer third class got to the hospital that he learned he drank salt water contaminated with fuel, that he had been precariously floating in water among sharks and that he had saved Yaklin's life. They were the only survivors of the Aug. 10, 2000 crash that killed four.
   "I don't remember what I was thinking, really," Palyo said. "I was really scared from it. You just don't know what to think. I remember Jeremy saying he didn't have any feelings in his legs. He had cuts everywhere."
   Adm. Robert J. Natter, commanding officer of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, on Wednesday presented Palyo with the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, the highest award given for peacetime heroism. To be honored with the medal, a service member must risk his own life to save the life of another.

George Gongora/Caller-Times

Shawn Palyo (left) swam through debris- and shark-infested waters to save a friend after the MH-53E Sea Dragon they were in crashed.

   "I can't imagine anyone doing a better job than he did in these circumstances," said Natter, who visited sailors at Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 15 and Naval Station Ingleside.
   Lt. Shawn Jacobs, Lt. Edward Fassnacht, Petty Officer 1st Class Jeffrey Paschal, and Petty Officer 2nd Class David Rutherford, died in the crash that officials said was caused by a defect in the aircraft.
   According to an investigation report of the accident, the helicopter's swashplate duplex bearing, which allows the rotor blades to spin above the helicopter, did not function properly.
   The crash led to a grounding of the U.S. military's Sea Dragons until they were refitted with new bearings and a monitoring system that keeps track of the vibrations and heat emanating from the bearing, Navy officials said.
   "I have nightmares still and it's still weird looking at them," Palyo said, motioning toward one of the helicopters in the HM-15 hangar. "I would really like to fly again though."
   On the morning of the crash Yaklin and Palyo were sitting near the rear of the helicopter. Palyo said he remembers the explosion and then nothing else until he was struggling to swim in the Gulf of Mexico.
   Palyo has said he crawled onto a piece of debris and that somehow the helicopter's life raft had freed itself from the wreckage and partially inflated. Palyo spotted Yaklin in the water, swam 30 yards through jagged debris and dragged Yaklin back onto the raft and waited for rescue helicopters to hoist them to safety.
   Yaklin, 20, a petty officer third class, still is recovering from his injuries that include nerve damage that has resulted in a loss of feeling and movement in his legs. He said he is awaiting a medical discharge and just recently began to regain movement in his right foot.
   He said Palyo's actions that day reflect the crew's military training. "He did what anybody would have done. I would have done it for him."
   Palyo said he doesn't consider his actions that day to be heroic.
   "I just consider myself really lucky," Palyo said. "I didn't do anything that anybody else wouldn't have done."

Staff writer Stephanie L. Jordan can be reached at 886-3724 or by e-mail at jordans@caller.com

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