SAN DIEGO -- Two Navy swim school instructors helped rescue actor Tom Cruise and a prop man in separate incidents in the water during the filming of the movie 'Top Gun' and have been given commendation medals.
Petty Officers Darryl Silva and John Butler helped Cruise when he ran into trouble in the water during filming off the shores of Point Loma in San Diego last July, the Navy said Tuesday.
Cruise was pulling in a mannequin with a water-logged parachute when a heavy current tangled the chute's lines on the actor's watch and arm and pulled him under.
Studio divers came to the surface and said they needed help. Silva said Cruise was under water about 40 seconds and was limp before he and Butler were able to pull him onto a raft.
Silva and Butler received Navy commendation medals, Ken Mitchell, spokesman for the North Island Naval Air Station in San Diego, said.
But Silva said he was 'disappointed' the studio did not recognize his efforts. He said Cruise said, 'Thank you,' and went back to work about an hour later.
'You work super hard and the next day they don't even remember who rescued them,' Silva said.
Silva and Butler and two other swim instructors helped train Cruise and other actors for the film's rescue at sea scenes.
In another incident that same night, a Paramount Studio prop man fell between a pier and a tugboat as it was docking alongside the pier. Silva said he, Butler and the other swimming instructors pulled the man to safety.
Cruise stars in the movie as an F-14 pilot training for Fighter Weapons School.
