Pfc. Matthew Cole was a recent graduate of Infantry One Stop Unit Training (OSUT) at Fort Benning/Moore back in May when he was confronted with a situation that required him to use his military training to save lives.
He was celebrating his graduation from basic training with his family in Columbus, Georgia down on the riverwalk alongside the Chattahoochee River. A father and daughter were on a small island in the river as the water level was low, but further north the hydroelectric dam can open its floodgates, causing the water level to rise rapidly.
"The dam alarm started going off while we were walking," Cole said in an Army press release. He saw that the father and daughter were quickly trapped on the island that they had been able to walk to previously, now they were stranded with the water continuing to rise.
"I saw what was going to happen before it happened. They were wading across the water, and it was rising too high," Cole explained. "I started running before they even got stuck and started going under the water."
With the father holding his daughter up and out of the water, Cole retrieved the little girl and got her to dry land, as the father was then able to navigate his way back to shore.
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Gen. Gary M. Brito presented Cole with the Soldier's Medal for his brave actions on August 8th.
"We’re so glad that Pvt. Matthew Cole was there that day," explained Columbus fire chief John Shull. "I have every reason to believe that he made a tremendous impact, and there’s a very strong possibility that the three-year-old and the father would not be there today if it wasn’t for the brave acts of Private Cole."
Reach Jack Murphy: jack@connectingvets.com or @JackMurphyRGR.
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