DATE: Friday, June 6, 1997                  TAG: 9706060651

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B2   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: BY MILES DANIELS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: WANCHESE                          LENGTH:   40 lines

FISHERMEN TO BE HONORED FOR RESCUE

Eight Outer Banks fishermen who risked their lives last fall to save others will be honored on June 28 at the Wanchese Seafood Festival. Two will receive the Meritorious Service Award, the others the Public Service Award.

They are being cited for their bravery Nov. 20 when a boat capsized in the wind-whipped waters of Oregon Inlet and three fishermen were thrown into the water.

Tom Burke of Nags Head and Wayne Lee of Kill Devil Hills were fishing nearby and saw the three men clinging to their boat. Burke and Lee were unable to get close in their boat because of high waves, so they tossed a lifeline.

Michael Barnes of Conway yelled that he could not swim. He continued clinging to his boat.

The other two passengers, Joseph Hoffmann of Nags Head and Richard Flythe of Conway, made their way to the fishermen's boat with the help of a line but were hit by a big wave that capsized the rescue boat. All five men were in the water.

Three other fishing vessels in the area spotted the men, and before the Coast Guard arrived had pulled four out of the water. Barnes drowned.

Burke and Lee will be honored by the Coast Guard on June 28 with the second-highest Coast Guard medal given to civilians - the Meritorious Service Award.

The six men on the other rescue vessels will receive the Public Service Award. They are Brian Horsley, Kitty Hawk; Robbie Maharaj, Wanchese; Willie Huber, Wanchese; Larry Haack, Kill Devil Hills; Mark Meilton, Kitty Hawk; and William Hogan, Kitty Hawk.

The operations officer for Coast Guard group Cape Hatteras, Dave Umberger, said, ``They were recreational fishermen who turned out to be heroes,'' said Umberger. ``This is a great example of mariners assisting their own in a time of crisis.

``They put themselves in peril.''

The men will be honored after the 11 a.m. presentation of colors by the Coast Guard at the Wanchese Seafood Festival.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu