AMCOM Soldier Comes To Rescue For Boating Family Stranded On River

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- A relaxing Sunday afternoon on the Tennessee River turned into a rescue mission for two Soldiers -- one retired and one active duty -- who happened to cross channels on the water.

Retired Master Sgt. Bill Barber was enjoying time with his wife, children and grandchildren on his 22-foot Bowrider pleasure boat just east of the Redstone Arsenal boat ramp on July 24. The party of 10 had been enjoying tubing the waters and then Barber had turned the boat motor off so they could all enjoy swimming.

But when he went to crank the motor back up, trouble started.

"The motor started and then stopped. I first thought it was an ignition problem, so I cranked it again and the same thing happened," Barber said.

Barber and his family had enjoyed boating since he bought the boat brand new in 2000. Two years ago, he began rebuilding the entire motor. He had just finished the rebuilding project and had taken it for a test drive prior to the family outing.

"I called the master mechanic who helped me rebuild the motor to assist me in troubleshooting the problem," Barber said. "We determined it was a bad fuel pump. I hadn't replaced the fuel pump when I rebuilt the motor. I didn't expect it to go out."

Stranded on the water, his boat now drifted a half mile in the current to just west of the Redstone boat ramp, Barber and his family had few options, and most involved a slow and lengthy trip back down to the Decatur Marina where they had launched earlier in the day.

Enter First Sgt. Lee Dalton of the Aviation and Missile Command's Headquarters and Headquarters Co.

"Sgt. Dalton's boat was the only other boat on the water than I could see," Barber said. "I had my son-in-law flag him down."

Dalton, who was boating in his Sea Doo Challenger jet boat with his wife and three children, had noticed Barber's boat floating aimlessly down the river.

"My kids and wife were tubing and we were getting ready to head in ourselves at the Redstone boat ramp where we had launched," Dalton said.

"I always keep an eye on boats in the water near our boat and I was wondering if they were having problems, but I hadn't seen them wave for help. Something told me to go a little closer to them. I did and then I saw the son-in-law waving, so I scooted on over to them."

Dalton quickly assessed the situation and offered to tow Barber's boat upstream to the Redstone boat ramp.

"When you see someone distressed on the water, it's normal for another boat to give aid if they can," Barber said.

"But, one of the first things I asked him was if he was a Soldier. I could tell he was. And, I was glad because he had no hesitation taking us to the Redstone boat ramp. Other boaters who aren't familiar with Redstone Arsenal might not have wanted to take us there. A slow tow back to Decatur from where we were would have taken a very long time."

Barber, not only retired military but also an employee for the Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center, and his wife, who works for the Space and Missile Defense Command, had no qualms with being towed to Redstone's secure river boundary.

For Dalton's family, the river rescue added a little more adventure to an already fun afternoon.

"Usually my kids put up a fight when I tell them we are done for the day. But they didn't this time. They thought it was cool that we were towing a boat," Dalton said.

Once on land, Dalton offered to drive Barber back to Decatur to get his truck and boat trailer. But, Barber was able to contact another family member who picked them up and took them back to Decatur. Barber later returned to Redstone to pick up his boat.

"As a retired Army master sergeant, I am always filled with pride when I see Soldiers and especially when I read of Soldiers helping others within their communities. Although I never expected to be the recipient of this kind of help, I am very grateful," Barber said.

"First Sgt. Dalton and his family are made of the stuff that makes our Army family so wonderful and a shining light for all to see. Soldiers are the backbone of our Army and the communities where they live. If it hadn't been for First Sgt. Dalton, I don't know what we would have done."