Since 1960, 10 Coast Guardsmen have also lost their lives here.

Joined by local residents, the coast guardsmen mounted the rescue.

A few seconds later, a coast guardsman wandered up.

The three Coast Guardsmen connected themselves to each other by tying between them.

But the Coast Guardsman also said the captain did not seem to be in an impaired state.

The heroic fight by the Coast Guardsmen had not been in vain.

"Ma'am, we really have to go now," one of the Coast Guardsmen said.

Coast Guardsmen have the legal authority to carry their service-issued firearms on and off base.

Japanese Coast Guardsmen, most of them not much more than sixteen and seventeen years old.

The other Coast Guardsmen then tossed him a life ring with a line attached.