Thomas Wise
Motorcycle Offier
California Highway Patrol
8/30/1977
Special Act Award (Gold)
![Gold Medal of Valor](images/photos/medal_of_valor_gold.jpg)
On August 30, 1977, Motorcycle Officer Thomas Wise was on the Hollywood freeway when he spotted a stalled car in a traffic lane. He called dispatch for a patrol car to push the staff off the road when he heard squealing tires and a loud crash. A huge ball of fire erupted 50 feet in the air. Officer Wise quickly crossed over the freeway, entered the traffic lanes on an off-ramp and saw a burning camper. The camper had rammed into the stalled car and crushed its fuel tank which had exploded. A voice shouted "There’s a kid in the camper!” Officer Wise and a fireman ran to the camper’s back door but the flames forced the fireman back. Officer Wise, however, tugged at the door. Finding it locked, he punched a hole in the window with his gloved fist and wrenched the door free. He couldn’t see anyone and his boots were now on fire. He back away and again a voice said “There’s a boy in the camper!” At that same moment, the camper's gas tank split, gushing fuel onto the ground. Flames were leaping on all sides of the vehicle, but Officer Wise ran to the right front door, found it also jammed, and smashed the window out with his fist. The unconscious boy lay on the floor. Officer Wise forced his head and arm in far enough to grasp the boy and tug him out the window. Officer Wise then ran through a wall of fire, cradling the 12 year old youth from the flames. Upon reaching safety, his boots were again aflame, his clothes were smoldering and his fist and arm were cut by glass. Officer Wise later learned that the voice that had been calling for help was the boy’s uncle who had been driving the camper.