By Cindy Fertsch
One morning, 43 Years ago, on July 9, 1977, two planes crashed into the ocean. The first occurred in Atlantic City and the second in Ocean City. It is believed to be due to a sudden heavy fog that engulfed the area that morning.
The first plane crashed in the ocean near North Carolina Avenue, in Atlantic City, about 60 feet beyond the swimmers on that beach.
Jim Schilling, was a 22 year old Atlantic City Beach Patrol lifeguard getting ready to begin his shift at 10:30 that morning. Jim was one of several first responder life guards at the scene and assisted in extracting and rescuing the pilot of the plane.
“It was the wildest day ever on the beach!” said Jim, recounting the days events. “The plane was in about 23 feet deep and I couldn’t see it at first. At one point, I found I was actually standing on the wing of it.”
Jim went on, “When we got to the pilot he was still strapped in and his leg was stuck in the wreckage, but he was alive. We got him out and he was taken to the hospital. I remember tasting gas and oil in the water. A Coast guard boat was coming and the fog was so bad, we were afraid they wouldn’t see us, but they did. All I did was shake the rest of the day. I couldn’t believe what I did.”
At the end of the day, the Captain bought us a few beers to celebrate the rescue. ” Well, I hadn’t eaten all day so I had a pretty big buzz. Then the Captain says ‘quick put your uniform on you’re going to be interviewed on CBS by Mike Wallace.’ I never saw the video but my mom and brother said I did alright even after the beers,” said Jim with a laugh.
The next day, Jim and his fellow lifeguards went to the hospital to visit the pilot they had rescued, Ed Gibson, who had been flying a banner plane on that fateful day. Unfortunately, the pilot in the other plane crash in Ocean City did not survive. Jim is quick to point out the rescue was a team effort, rather than just him. He credits Paul Steelman, Scott Ruppert, Ed Byrnes, Tony Tripician, Larry Schuler and Marty Friel, along with the entire Atlantic City Beach Patrol.
Jim continued to lifeguard in Atlantic City for 25 years, from 1974-1999 and will go down in history as the “Singing Lifeguard.”
Today, 43 years later, Jim Schilling (also known by his stage name, Jim Craine) hosts a radio show on WOND Newstalk 1400 and is lead vocalist of the Jim Craine and the Atlantic City Allstars band. Jim, along with his wife, Joanne Shilling also own the Pleasantville Music Shoppe
You can listen to the Jim Craine Show Saturday nights 8pm -10pm on Newstalk 1400 WOND
