Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

U.S.A., Carnegie Hero Fund Medallion, 75mm., bronze, reverse inscription in raised letters, ‘Neil Maycock who saved Michael C. Johnston from drowning Centerport, N.Y. February 25, 2007’, in fitted wooden case of issue, lid bearing the plate, ‘Carnegie Medal’, extremely fine £300-360

Citation: ‘Neil Maycock saved Michael C. Johnston from drowning, Centerport, New York, February 25, 2007. While walking on the ice atop Centerport Nabor, Johnston, 23, broke through at a point about 50 feet from the nearer shore. He was unable to pull himself from the water, the temperature of which was in the 30s, as was that of the air. Maycock, 40, company president, was walking on the shore, but several hundred feet away, when he was alerted to the situation. He ran to a point nearer Johnston, and then, removing his coat, entered the harbor in an area of open water that was clogged with sheets of ice. Pushing the ice from his path, Maycock waded and swam, despite wearing hiking boots, to Johnston, followed by his two dogs. Losing consciousness, Johnston submerged about then. He and Maycock grasped each other, and Johnston resurfaced. He grasped one of the dogs while Maycock held him by the arm and swam him toward shore, Maycock again having to push the sheets of ice away. Once they were able to stand, the men waded from the harbor. Johnston was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for severe hypothermia and cuts and bruises. Maycock was treated at the scene for cuts to his hands and he recovered.’

Neil Maycock, a British citizen, residing in Centerport, was President of the television broadcast equipment firm, Pro-Bel, of Melville. Whilst walking his dogs, he heard someone shouting that a child had fallen through the ice covering Centerport Habour. He immediately jumped into the frigid water, closely followed by his dogs, and came to the rescue, not a child, but of Michael Johnston, a Carpenter from Coram, who was in grave difficulties. With the aid of his dogs, Maycock successfully rescued the man.

In addition Maycock was awarded the Silver Medal of the Life Saving Benevolent Society of New York with the sum of $1,000; the State of New York ‘Award of Valor’ certificate and the Town of Huntington ‘Proclamation’ document in appreciation and gratitude for his and Alfie’s (the dog) actions.

With copied research on paper and CD, including: copied Carnegie Hero Fund Commission certificate; Life Saving Society of New York citation; State of New York Award of Valor certificate; Huntington Proclamation certificate; news paper extracts and photocopied photographs of Maycock, ‘Alfie’ and Johnston. CD also contains footage of four contemporary news reports.