On the night of October 11, 1896 in hurricane force winds, one crew known as the Pea Island Surfmen accomplished the impossible. Led by Keeper Richard Etheridge, this historic all black crew etched themselves into history rescuing stranded sailors whose ships had succumbed to the harsh Atlantic. Rescue Men is the story of the men that manned the Pea Island Life-Saving Station on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Due to the heroics and accomplishments of these brave men and others like them in the U.S. Life-Saving Service, we now have what is called “The United States Coast Guard.”