DVIDS – News – Captain Cottell receives Navy and Marine Corps Medal

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Timothy Cottell, Directorate of Combat Development, receives the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his heroic actions while serving as the executive officer of Bravo Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion Light Armor, 1st Marine Division on December 10, 2019.

Captain Timothy Cottell, a native of Monroe, Connecticut, graduated from St. Joseph High School in 2011. He studied engineering in 2016 at the US Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. Soon after, Cottell attended Officer Candidate School, Basic School, and the Infantry Officer Course, rising to First Lieutenant. Cottell checked into the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (LAR) in 2018.

On December 10, 2019, 1st Lt. Cottell and his Marines were participating in Exercise Steel Knight, which required them to perform a wet crossing of the Colorado River in a light armored vehicle (LAV). As they began to cross the river, the VBL began to take on water and was quickly pulled towards the river and veered upstream.

Quick to handle the situation, Cottell realized that his Marines desperately needed help.

“Things weren’t going well and just getting worse,” Cottell said. “I could see from the shore that all the Marines were able to get out of the VBL except for the driver.”

Cottell undid his personal protective equipment and entered the freezing river, swimming about 60 feet from shore and 15 feet deep to the submerged vehicle.

“Marine Corps Base-Camp Pendleton has plenty of pools throughout the base that I’ve often used for morning or lunch physical training,” Cottell said. “Accessibility and facilities helped me a lot. The MCIWS (Marine Corps Instructors of Water Survival) course is also phenomenal for building confidence in the water.

Cottell and his platoon commander reached the submerged light armored vehicle, Cottell pulled the driver out of the vehicle and began to prepare the driver for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The platoon commander cleared the driver’s airway while Cottell was responsible for the driver’s breathing. They worked tirelessly through four cycles of cardiopulmonary resuscitation to save the drivers’ lives.

“I was CPR certified before the United States Marine Corps, but it has since expired,” Cottell said. “I was very grateful to have taken the MCIWS course which refreshed my knowledge of CPR and the difference in performing it for drowning victims.”

By his courageous and swift actions, and in the face of personal risk, Cottell gave himself great honor, upholding the highest traditions of the United States Marine Corps and Naval Service.

“I was just doing what was expected,” Cottell said. “There were three other Marines there with me. Without them, none of this would have happened. It only happened because everyone played their part.

Captain Cottell was recognized for his exemplary actions and received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal at the National Marine Corps Museum on April 8, 2022. The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is the highest medal non-combat award for heroism awarded by the Marine Corps.

“I believe the expectation of the Marine Corps to stay calm and operate under pressure has helped,” Cottell said. “From start to finish, everyone knew we had to think clearly and work together.”