Captain

California Army National Guard

7/31/1962

Special Act Award (Gold)

On July 31, 1962, while traveling on U.S. 40, Captain Michael A. Nolan of the California Army National Guard witnessed an accident just north of Vallejo: a pickup truck pulling a trailer coach went out of control, collided head on with a passenger car and then came to rest on top of the other vehicle. Both immediately caught fire. Two people in the pickup were killed instantly when they were ejected from their vehicle. With complete disregard to his own personal safety, Captain Nolan attempted to rescue the five people, including three children, that were imprisoned in the blazing wreckage. When he found the door of the passenger car jammed, Captain Nolan lifted the burning truck off of the passenger car to release the weight and then broke the car window with his bare fist to open it. Despite the intense heat and imminent danger of an exploding gas tank, Captain Nolan, with the assistance of others who had arrived at the scene, bravely carried the wounded victims to safety. Although Captain Nolan spent a week in the hospital afterwards with an injured back, burns and cuts, he stayed and continued to render aid until an ambulance arrived.