Marine helps save couple after hippo attack
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com

Corporal: 'Any Marine would have done the same thing'
By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Apr 10, 2010 9:03:00 EDT

Hippopotamus attacks aren't covered during standard Marine training, but
that didn't stop one corporal from rushing to the aid of a married couple
while on safari in Zimbabwe after their inflatable canoe was flipped and the
husband mauled.

Cpl. Justin Trinidad, 24, a Marine security guard at the U.S. embassy in
Zimbabwe, was with his girlfriend, Kaylynn Hankey, when the hippo attacked
their tour group on the Zambezi River in mid-March. About 30 minutes into
the trip, the group - which included four canoes - asked for a break. As
they headed for shore, tour guides spotted the hippo and yelled for the
canoes to move away, but Javier and Patricia Franco didn't hear the warning.

"I look back and all I see is Mr. and Mrs. Franco thrown up in the air a few
meters," Trinidad told Marine Corps Times in a telephone interview from
Africa.

Patricia Franco was thrown clear of the hippo, but her husband came down
almost on top of it. That's when the animal chomped down on his leg, nearly
severing his foot, Trinidad said.

"She was screaming 'Help us; he has no leg,' " he said.

Despite his girlfriend's initial reluctance, Trinidad started to paddle
toward the couple.

"All I could think of was just, 'God watch over us, help us.' . We were
expecting any time for the hippo to come under us and just launch us into
the air," he said.

Eventually, they reached the distraught couple, who clung to the canoe as
Trinidad began rowing for land. However, a swift current threatened to carry
them downstream into rapids.

Hankey tried to stop them by grabbing a tree branch, but she was pulled from
the canoe. Fortunately, with the help of a guide, she made it safely to
shore.

Trinidad continued to fight the current and found a shallow spot where
Patricia Franco was able wade to shore, but her husband was unable to stand
and the canoe again spun out of control. It finally snagged on a rock, and
Trinidad was able to pull Javier Franco into the craft and get him to shore.

"That's when I realized his foot was hanging by a piece of skin. He started
bleeding a lot and I could see bone. It was pretty gruesome," he said.

Using a makeshift tourniquet, Trinidad stemmed the bleeding, but Franco was
screaming in pain.

"I was talking to him, trying to keep him from going into shock," he said.
". Then I remembered from the safety brief [the guides] said not to make
loud crying noises because wildlife might think you are wounded prey and
come over and eat you."

A family fishing nearby transported them by truck to a nearby hospital where
conditions were crude at best. Knowing that Franco's wounds required better
medical attention, Trinidad called the U.S. embassy and arranged for air
transport to Johannesburg, South Africa, more than 500 miles away.

"He is still undergoing many surgeries," Trinidad said. "Doctors weren't
able to save his foot, but his kids and wife are grateful that he is still
alive, because he could have bled to death. They said he is very positive,
and that he is going to get an artificial limb."

Trinidad, whose father died when he was young, said he was happy to save
somebody's mom and dad.

"I was just in the right place at the right time," he said. "I'm no hero.
Any Marine would have done the same thing."

Well done!

Thank God we still have this type of people among us!! Job well done Marine Trinidad and you are a hero in my books.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

Well done Marine, well done!

Semper Fi, Marine, Semper Fi!

Semper Fi, my Brother! Hope his C.O. puts him in for a decoration; he deserves it.

Nice to know that we have such great guys! (Roughly paraphrasing, an Englishman wrote once that we all sleep safely in our beds because "rough men" (he meant "tough")guard us while we sleep". It's still true. (Now let's try to make Hollywood and cartoonists understand what a dangerous animal the hippo is)

what a great duty station
and to think i spent 3 yrs in the stumps
and 1 on the rock.Semper fi jarhead

quote:

Originally posted by Gerrypeters375:
Nice to know that we have such great guys! (Roughly paraphrasing, an Englishman wrote once that we all sleep safely in our beds because "rough men" (he meant "tough")guard us while we sleep". It's still true. (Now let's try to make Hollywood and cartoonists understand what a dangerous animal the hippo is)

A1++++ Well said

quote:

Originally posted by Gerrypeters375:
Nice to know that we have such great guys! (Roughly paraphrasing, an Englishman wrote once that we all sleep safely in our beds because "rough men" (he meant "tough")guard us while we sleep". It's still true. (Now let's try to make Hollywood and cartoonists understand what a dangerous animal the hippo is)

Amen!

Oohrah!

Is there some way we here at AR can send this man a message? And copy his CO, and the embassy. I know he isn't seeking applause, but we understand better than most the risk he took.
Brice

quote:

Is there some way we here at AR can send this man a message? And copy his CO, and the embassy. I know he isn't seeking applause, but we understand better than most the risk he took.
Brice

I'd bet that something sent to; Cpl. Justin Trinidad C/O the US Embassy Zimbabwe would get to him. If he received a lot of fan mail, his superiors would certainly take notice!

Or...stop by the embassy when we are in Zim and buy the man a drink-never met a Marine who would turn down a free drink!

That's just the sort of thing you'd expect a United States Marine to do, going above and beyond the call of duty. Semper Fi, sir!

Here is a citation for what may be a proper recognition for the fellow:

Navy and Marine Corps Medal

Here is a nice little video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...L&playnext=1&index=2

In 2008 we were set up in a blind watching a croc bait on the banks of the Zambezi when a group of 4 canoes and 8 people pulled up on the shore about 20 yards from the blind. Needless to say they were more than startled when we appeared from the brush and informed them they were buggering our croc hunting. They were nice and accomodating folks, but I wondered with the amount of hippo and croc in the river if these groups ever had any unfortunate encounters.

Hats off to a very brave and selfless rescuer.

What do you expect...he's a Marine!

DLS: You just insulted the man: he is a Noncom; not an officer. He works for a living!

Some people call 911 and some people are 911.

Well done, Marine!

Well done marine! Hippos on the river are trouble and it takes quick thinking and some grit to react the way he did. Bravo!!!

Dak

quote:

Originally posted by Bryan Chick:
DLS: You just insulted the man: he is a Noncom; not an officer. He works for a living!

Got it, never thought of that. I'll change my salutation to OORAA!

How's that?

Here is another Marine Corp hero that doesn't know the phrase, "Sorry I can't..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...L&videos=LmkzRDXlq64

Or think about this sailor next time you feel a little tired....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...Fdg8&feature=related