Mr. and Mrs. Charles Herring
Usually the presentation of a Service Award to an employee carries with it fitting remarks about the fine service rendered by the employee. But when Mr. F. A. Davies presented a 15-year Service Award to Eid Bin Said on April 9th, Bid was especially commended for an act of bravery that occurred 13 years ago, although at the time his deed was fully recognized.
Here is the story as gathered from a few old-timers:
On the morning of July 7, 1938, the launch "Cal Arabia" left Al Khobar Pier bound for Bahrein Island. Halfway to its destination, or at about 10 a.m. fire broke out aboard the launch, followed by an explosion in which two Americans, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Herring, lost their lives. [See Introduction].
The explosion threw Eid Bin Said, two other Saudi Arabs, and Al Carpenter into the Persian Gulf. The four held on to a cylinder buoy. Through exhaustion, two Saudi Arabs lost their grip on the buoy during the night. Before dawn the next day Eid Bin Said noted that Al Carpenter needed aid and from that minute until they were picked out of the water around noontime, Eid held Carpenter's head above water. Both were treated for exposure, and shock.
At present Eid is Captain (Small Crafts), Al Khobar Pier; he has been a Captain in Marine work since his employment began with Aramco on April 8, 1936.