A Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Reservist is among seven U.S. Navy Reservists on duty at the Naval War College who became instant heroes last Thursday when they rescued a driver who had flipped his car and landed upside down in a ditch near Newport, R.I.

The Reservists, who are serving on the War College staff for the 2011 International Seapower Symposium, were driving on I-495 to Wrentham, Mass., last Thursday morning when they witnessed a driver attempt to merge onto the highway. The driver lost control of his car in rain-soaked gravel, spun around, flipped and careened off the road. The car landed upside down in a nearby ditch.

Lt. Cmdr. Laura Reeves, of NAS Whidbey Island, was among those who participated in the rescue. Ensign Chelsea Smit of Lowell, Mich., called 9-1-1 while hull Maintenance Technician First Class Ernest Harlin of Nashville, Tenn., and Master-at-Arms Third Class Leonard Gallegos of Reno, Nev., pulled the man from the smoking car, turned off the ignition and pulled him to safety.

Other reservists involved in the rescue included Lt. Cmdr. Andrea Franks of Groton, Conn., Lt. Cmdr. Lynn Davidson of Jacksonville, Fla., Ensign Yvonne Zirrith, Piscataway, N.J., and civilian Kelly Williamson (retired enlisted sailor) of Newport, R.I.