Today, he was awarded the bronze star for his heroic achievement on that fateful day.
So what took so long?
The man Castle saved, Dan Waggoner, says he never got Castle's name following the dramatic rescue.
Decades later, he decided to track down the man he believes saved his life.
Waggoner wrote about his experience online and was soon after pointed in Castle's direction. Waggoner then launched an effort to get Castle a medal.
After numerous bureaucratic hurdles, he finally got his wish today during a ceremony aboard the USS Yorktown In Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
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