Captain Roger Wheeler

John E Fogarty Memorial Distance Swim 1968 was sanctioned by the World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation

Captain Roger Wheeler (1907-1969) was a professional marathon swimmer, a member of the World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation, and the founder of the Rhode Island State Life-Saving System.

Namesake

He is one of the namesakes on the Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award, together with Irving Davids, that is given by the International Swimming Hall of Fame to honor and recognize the contribution of individuals and groups making major contributions to Marathon Swimming. The Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award was established in 1970 by the New England Marathon Swimming Association to serve as a perpetual memorial to Davids and Wheeler.
He is the namesake of the Roger W. Wheeler State Beach (formerly and still sometimes referred to as Sand Hill Cove), a public recreation area covering 27 acres on Block Island Sound in the town of Narragansett, Rhode Island where the annual Rhode Island Open Water Swim is held. The beach was named after him in 1970 shortly after his death in 1969.

Captain Wheeler was creator of the Rhode Island State Life-Saving system in the 1930s
In the mid-1960's, he co-planned a marathon race with a local Congressman John E Fogarty. After Fogarty's passing the first John E Fogarty Memorial Distance Swim took place on 24 August 1968 - sanctioned by the World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation. Only four swimmers completed that year and a new 26.5 mile course was planned for the next year. International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honorees Abdellatief Abou Heif and Horacio Iglesias tied for the win and only two other swimmers completed.
He founded the 26.7-mile (42.9 km) America's Marathon Swim in Rhode Island. 8 swimmers completed and International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honoree Horacio Iglesias won the race. Wheeler died before this race took place.