CAMP COURTNEY, Okinawa, Japan -- U.S. Navy corpsman received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his heroic actions saving a longtime Camp Rodriguez firefighter after he suffered a cardiac arrest in Pohang, South Korea during Korean Marine Exercise Program 25.2 on July 25, 2025.
U.S Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Daniel Franco Colon, a native of Florida, was doing his laundry when he heard screaming coming from outside the building. Rushing out to investigate, he found several Marines attempting to open a car door to help an unresponsive man, later identified as a father and a 30-year veteran of the Camp Rodriguez Fire Department, who had suffered a heart attack and crashed his car. After extricating him from the vehicle, Franco and the rest of his team wasted no time utilizing their training to help the stricken man.
“I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and to be able to respond appropriately, letting my training kick in”.Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Daniel Franco Colon, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines
Franco quickly assessed the situation. With no breathing nor pulse, Franco called for a litter, ordered the vehicle turned off, and then began giving chest compressions. Within minutes, Franco and others brought the patient into the nearby battalion aid station (BAS) where staff placed him on manual ventilation with a bag valve mask and attached an automated external defibrillator (AED).
“I became a Corpsman in the Navy to save lives; I learned about medicine to help people understand the importance of providing your body with what it needs to live optimally,” said Franco.
The AED didn’t detect a pulse after Franco’s first round of CPR, so the medical staff administered an electrical shock. Franco continued providing CPR as the medical staff in the BAS inserted an intravenous line to stabilize the patient. Medical staff administered a second shock, restoring the patient’s heartbeat. Franco continued to assist the BAS staff, gathering medical supplies and coordinating with the ambulance as others prepared the patient for transport.
“I didn’t have much thought going through my head while rendering care,” Franco said. “I acted because there was a human life on the line. Every patient is important to somebody. Every patient is a parent, child, or significant other to somebody.”
Franco grew up in Orlando, Florida and enlisted in the Navy after graduating high school in 2016. He currently serves in the Navy Reserves as a corpsman with 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines out of Camp Pendleton, California. In addition to his military service, he works as a paramedic while attending the University of Central Florida, where he majors in general studies.
“I work in the emergency room as a civilian,” said Franco. “[The firefighter’s] children will still have a dad, and his wife will still have a husband. It’s fulfilling to be able to help someone [who] means a lot to other people.” The firefighter made a full recovery and was discharged from the hospital several days later.
Franco went on to offer advice to others who may be inspired by his story. “Stay hungry – mentally, physically, and academically. Do everything you can to sharpen your toolset. You’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t learn from others.”