Page 16 - The Life and Times of the Legendary Larry Townsend

xvi The Life and Times of the Legendary Larry Townsend

Los Angeles Times, April 14, 1955
UCLA Student Gets Medal for Rhine Heroism

Irvin T. Bernhard, when he had an accident
24, UCLA sophomore and fell into the deep
[name later changed river. As a swift current
to “Michael Lawrence spun the boy around in
‘Larry’ Townsend,” July the water, Bernhard, who
19, 1972], was presented was eating at a nearby
with a medal and scroll sidewalk café, got up,
yesterday by Dr. Richard raced to the river, and
Hertz, German Consul dived in fully dressed.
General in Los Angeles, “I swallowed an
for saving a 9-year-old awful lot of the Rhine,
German boy from drown- but the two of us made it
ing in the Rhine River at back to shore all right,”
Bonn last August. Bernhard, who lives at
Gov. Karl Arnold 624 Veteran Avenue,
of the German state of West Los Angeles,
Nordrhein-Westfalen sent recounted yesterday in
the scroll and medal to the German Consulate
Dr. Hertz for presentation at 3450 Wilshire Blvd.
to Bernhard, who was a Accompanying the young
member of the U.S. Air man to the Consul-
Force when he performed ate was his sister, Mrs.
the heroic feat. Ralph J. Tingle of 621 S.
The youngster had Barrington Avenue, who
been riding along a Rhine proudly looked on as Dr.
River road on his scooter Hertz gave the awards.

Los Angeles Times, April 14, 1955. “UCLA Student Gets Medal for
Rhine Heroism” In Germany in 1954, Staff Sergeant Larry Townsend
of the U.S. Air Force, age 24, jumped fully clothed into the Rhine
River to save a boy from drowning. It was the kind of pro-active hero-
ism that typified his character, his writing, and his life.

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