Al Giddings (second from right) of Adak Island receiving the Exemplary Act Award from refuge staff (left to right) Aleutian Unit Manager, Kent Sundseth, Supervisory Biologist Vernon Byrd and Deputy Refuge Manager Will Meeks aboard Giddings boat used in the rescue. Photographer:Steve Ebbert

For their heroic act of bravery in evacuating two Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge biologists from Kasatochi Island during a volcanic eruption, Albert Giddings and deckhand Eric Mochuziki were personally presented the Department of Interior’s, Exemplary Act Award aboard Giddings’ 32-foot boat, M/V Homeward Bound, at Adak Island in early October.   Giddings and Mochizuki received the award in recognition of their courageous action involving great risk to themselves and their vessel.

On August 6, refuge staff tried to evacuate two biologists from Kasatochi Island. While  Kasatochi Volcano had no history of eruptions, the biologists felt increasingly intense earthquakes suggesting an imminent eruption. The refuge vessel, a Coast Guard ship and fishing vessels were all too far away and the nearest Coast Guard helicopter was down for repairs.  In desperation Refuge staff contacted Al Giddings at 11:00 pm to ask if he would evacuate the biologists in his boat despite a 40 mile journey across one exposed pass of rough water.   Setting aside their own safety, Giddings and Mochizuki agreed that the Homeward Bound would head for Kasatochi at first light.

Soon after Homeward Bound departed for Kasatochi biologists reported a nine-minute earthquake, a strong sulfur smell, and falling rocks.  Despite the risks, the Homeward Bound reached Kasatochi and retrieved the biologists and their small inflatable boat. Just an hour after Homeward Bound left Kasatochi the volcano exploded, shooting an ash cloud 35,000 feet high and covering the island and water with hot, pyroclastic ash flows.  The Homeward Bound was far enough away to escape damage and all arrived safely at Adak.  Without Giddings’ and Mochizuki’s selfless, timely response, two young Service biologists might have been lost in a part of the world is still being formed.