The American Waterways Operators advocacy organization has honored Crowley Maritime mariners with the American Waterways Honor and Excellence in Rescue Operations (HERO) Award for their rescue efforts this year, the company announced Sept. 24. Among the heroic efforts that were recognized included Crowley’s Guard tug crew members who retrieved a man who was knocked off his sailboat off Anacortes, Wash. in April, and crew members of the tug Apollo who helped a ship in the San Francisco Bay alert first responders in June after a passenger fell into the water. Apollo was on site until the person was safe, according…