Local Veteran Volunteers as Lifeguard at Lincoln Pool
Summer 2008

Tyrus (Ty) Raymond Cobb, Jr. earned a water safety instructor certification forty seven years ago when he was a cadet at the United States Military Academy. He never imagined at 68, he’d still be guarding the pool. American Red Cross records show that he is the oldest active certified lifeguard in North Carolina. Two years ago, Cobb, Jr. renewed his American Red Cross Lifeguard certification and has since been serving as a volunteer lifeguard in Rowan County. This summer he volunteered his time for Salisbury Parks and Recreation as a lifeguard at Lincoln Pool.

Ty heard the department was struggling to find certified lifeguards and he stepped up to the plate and offered to stand in whenever we needed him. Cobb, Jr. says he was raised in a family that was active in the community where they lived and he believes strongly in giving back.

Cobb, Jr. isn’t a stranger to serving his community and his country.  Over the years, Cobb, Jr. has coached, officiated and volunteered for youth sports leagues in the communities where he has lived. He graduated from and later taught at the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point and his extensive career in the United States Army earned him a Combat Infantryman’s Badge, three Bronze Stars for valor and a Purple Heart for service in Korea and Vietnam.
 
Cobb, Jr. has always wondered how he would react when faced with a lifesaving situation at the pool. Lifeguard training and regular refresher courses (he swims 500 yards each month) keep him at the top of his game, but he compares lifeguarding to his first combat missions. “Will I do the right thing. Will I make the right choices,” he says. In late June, at Lincoln Pool, Cobb Jr. made his first assist, helping a young man who was in trouble. The young man walked away with no injuries and the experience left Cobb, Jr. thankful that he was there and that he made the right choices. The department is thankful that they could count on an individual like Ty Cobb, Jr. to provide a safe environment for local residents and provide a shining example for others.