Coast Guard to present Gold Lifesaving Medal to family of Bandera, Texas, hero

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 07/28/2017 03:01 PM EDT

united states coast guard 

 News Release  

July 28, 2017
U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Public Affairs Detachment Texas
Contact: 8th District Public Affairs Detachment Texas
Office: (281) 464-4810
After Hours: (832) 293-1293

Coast Guard to present Gold Lifesaving Medal to family of Bandera, Texas, hero

Gold Lifesaving Medal

SAN ANTONIO – The Coast Guard is scheduled to hold a ceremony to posthumously award retired Marine Corps Master Sgt. Rodney Buentello with a Gold Lifesaving Medal, Monday in San Antonio.

Who:  The family of Master Sgt. Rodney L. Buentello and Rear Adm. Dave Callahan

What: Posthumous presentation of the Gold Lifesaving Medal

When: Monday, July 31, 2017, 8:15 a.m. (media to arrive by 7:30 a.m.)

Where: The Golf Club of Texas
13600 Briggs Ranch
San Antonio, TX 78245

The ceremony will be held immediately before the 2nd Annual Rodney Lee Buentello Golf Tournament. Rear Adm. Dave Callahan, the commander of the 8th Coast Guard District, will present the posthumous medal to Lisa Buentello in honor of Master Sgt. Buentello.

The medal will honor Buentello’s heroic actions in saving the lives of two teenagers from the rushing waters of the Medina River on the afternoon of June 8, 2016.  After rescuing the teens, Buentello drowned in the river’s strong undertow.

The Gold Lifesaving Medal is one of the United States’ oldest medals. It was created by Act of Congress in 1874 and may be awarded to an individual who performs a rescue or attempts to rescue any other person from drowning, shipwreck or other peril of water, at the risk of his or her own life, and demonstrates extreme and heroic daring.

Please contact Public Affairs Detachment Texas to RSVP to this event by Sunday at (832) 293-1293 or PublicAffairsHouston@uscg.mil. It is requested that that the media arrive by 7:30 a.m.

To view award citation click here:

-USCG-