Your Father was certainly very brave and willing to risk his life to save the soldiers in the water.

At the 60th Anniversary Commemoration in Arlington National Cemetery, one survivor commented that, when he was in the water, he was more frightened than cold. He was wearing his winter underwear and speculated that soldiers who were not wearing their winter underwear would experience the effects of the cold water sooner. There is no way to know if this played a part in your father’s situation.