By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Carmen Conti gazed at a black-and-white photo from 1945 showing the 10 members of the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol who guarded the resort town’s shoreline way back then.
“That’s a good-looking guy right there,” he said with a laugh, pointing to a dark-haired lifeguard kneeling down in the first row. “That’s me, 75 years ago.”
Conti was all of 17 years old then. While many of the older lifeguards had entered the military to fight in World War II, teenagers like Carmen Conti answered the call of service in their own way by joining the beach patrol to protect lives.
“I got $12 a week,” Conti recalled of his lifeguard pay in 1945. “It really wasn’t a lot of money, but it wasn’t too bad.”
Now 92, Conti was among five former local lifeguards who were honored Saturday evening during the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol Alumni Association Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Carmen’s Seafood Restaurant. The landmark Carmen’s restaurant is owned by Conti and is celebrating its 50th year in business in Sea Isle.
Conti received a special plaque during the ceremony. Former lifeguards Larry Kozakowski Sr., of Philadelphia, Jimmy Gibbons Jr., of Egg Harbor Township, Pat Hoban, of Philadelphia, and Jerry Lombard, who lives in Philadelphia and Avalon, were all inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Tim McNamara, vice president of the Beach Patrol Alumni Association, said the Hall of Fame is a highly prestigious honor. Each year, only three or four former lifeguards are inducted among 15 nominees.
“It’s a very small percentage,” McNamara said. “It is an honor that is bestowed by nominations from their peers.”
U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, state Assemblyman Erik Simonsen and Sea Isle Councilman Jack Gibson presented this year’s four inductees with proclamations from Congress, the New Jersey Legislature and Sea Isle City honoring them for their lifeguard service.
“Just like the first responders, there’s no bigger deal than saving people’s lives in dangerous situations,” Van Drew said of the duties performed by lifeguards.
Simonsen, who has spent plenty of time in the ocean as a surfer, said lifeguards are “near and dear to our hearts” for what they do.
“I’ve seen with my own eyes many rescues,” he said of lifeguards at the Jersey Shore.
John McCann, president of the Beach Patrol Alumni Association, explained why the Hall of Fame ceremony is such an important event.
“The job of a lifeguard is extremely intense and very, very important,” McCann said. “The proof is in the pudding. When the lifeguards aren’t on duty, there is a drowning somewhere in South Jersey. That proves the great job the lifeguards do when they are on duty.”
Conti, who is trim and sports a full head of salt-and-pepper hair, looks like he’s still in shape to serve as a lifeguard.
He was a lifeguard for one year. He noted that there were only 10 members of the beach patrol in 1945 because many of the young men were off to war.
“It was 1945 and the war was still going on. There were only so many men who were still at home at that time. There were only 10 of us to guard the beaches,” he said.
In those days, Conti held two jobs. He worked as a commercial fisherman early in the morning and then would guard the beaches from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Asked if he has any advice for lifeguards nowadays, he responded, “Just keep your eyes on the ocean and do a good job.”
