Duke Kahanamoku is an Olympic hero, sheriff and the "Father of Surfing."
On June 14, 1925, a boat named Thelma left Newport Beach Harbor in California with seventeen people aboard, headed out for a fishing expedition. The Thelma was hit with large waves and capsized in the Pacific Ocean. Duke Kahanamoku paddled out to the wreck on his surfboard, multiple times over, and saved the lives of 8 of the 17 men who were aboard the Thelma when she turned over. Four of the capsized men were rescued by others. After Duke rescued eight of the men who were alive, he kept paddling out to the wreck and back to shore to recover the bodies of the men who had perished. On this installment of This is Your Life, three of the men, Fred Hock of Riverside, CA; Harry Ohlin of Colton, CA; and Edward Sneed of Colton, CA appeared. Duke Kahanamoku was amazed and visibly moved to see these three men for the first time in the 32 years since he had saved their lives. The Newport Beach, CA Chief of Police was quoted in the newspapers as saying, "Kahanamoku's performance was the most superhuman rescue act and the finest display of surfboard riding that has ever been seen in the world." In addition to Duke, rescuers included Antar Deraga, captain of the Newport lifeguards; Charles Plummer, lifeguard; Thomas Sheffield, captain of the Corona del Mar Swimming Club; Gerard Vultee; William Herig; and Owen Hale.