Trump Awards Legion Of Merit To Coast Guard Rescuer
During his State of the Union on February 24, 2026, Trump awarded the Legion of Merit to Petty Officer Scott Ruskan for evacuations at Camp Mystic during July 2025 floods.
Overview
President Donald Trump awarded the Legion of Merit to Petty Officer 2nd Class Scott Ruskan during his State of the Union address on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
Ruskan was credited with assisting in the evacuation of roughly 160 to 165 people from Camp Mystic during severe flash flooding over the weekend of July 4, 2025.
An 11-year-old camper, Milly Cate McClymond, and Ruskan were both in attendance as the chamber gave Ruskan an extended standing ovation, according to the president's remarks.
The flooding at Camp Mystic resulted in the deaths of 27 campers and counselors, including the camp's director, and Ruskan coordinated triage and helped load and evacuate people by helicopter.
Trump said he presented the medal for meritorious conduct while recounting how Ruskan, on his first rescue mission, lifted Milly Cate McClymond and roughly 160 to 165 others to safety.
Analysis
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FAQ
Petty Officer 2nd Class Scott Ruskan received the Legion of Merit for his meritorious conduct during the evacuation of Camp Mystic on July 4, 2025. He coordinated triage, helped load people onto helicopters, and assisted in evacuating approximately 160 to 165 people from the camp during severe flash flooding. President Trump presented the award during his State of the Union address on February 24, 2026, recognizing Ruskan's heroic efforts on what was reportedly his first rescue mission.
A total of 27 campers and counselors died in the Camp Mystic flooding on July 4, 2025. The victims included Dick Eastland, the camp's director who had owned the facility since 1974. The flooding occurred at the all-girls Christian summer camp located in Hunt, Texas, along the Guadalupe River, which was hosting approximately 750 girls at the time.
Camp Mystic's director Dick Eastland received a National Weather Service alert about 'life-threatening flash flooding' at 1:14 a.m. on July 4, 2025, but did not begin evacuations until approximately 2 a.m.—a delay of roughly 45 minutes to over an hour. According to a family spokesperson, Eastland used this time to evaluate the situation and communicate with family members over walkie-talkie to assess the scope of the rising waters before moving campers from lower-lying cabins to the recreational center. By the time evacuations began, the river was already rising rapidly.
