Carl Brashear

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Carl Brashear

Carl Maxie Brashear (born January 19, 1931 in Tonieville, LaRue County , † July 25, 2006 Portsmouth (Virginia) ) was the first African-American diver and the first certified diver with an amputation in the US Navy .

On February 25, 1948, Carl Brashear entered the US Navy, where he completed basic training at the Naval Training Center of Great Lakes, Illinois , until May 1948 . He completed his training as a rescue diver in 1954. After that he was stationed on several ships, where he did a wide variety of diving jobs - from repair work to bomb disposal. At times he was an instructor in a diving school . From June 1956 to June 1958 he was even an escort for President Dwight D. Eisenhower. In mid-1964 he achieved the rank of first class diver.

On March 23, 1966 there was a serious accident on board during the recovery of a bomb lying on the ground , in which Brashear was hit by a pipe below his left knee, which was needed for recovery. To avoid gangrene , his leg was removed from below the knee. After the wound had healed, he spent the convalescence period from May 1966 to March 1967 at the Naval Regional Medical Center, Portsmouth, Virginia. He then trained for a full year to return to full active service as a diver, becoming the first certified diver with an amputated limb.

In the middle of 1970 he achieved the highest title of "diving master" ("master diver"). On April 1, 1979, he resigned from the Navy with the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer and was officially retired, but continued to be a much sought-after consultant as a diving expert and specialist. On July 25, 2006, Brashear died of a heart defect and was buried with military honors in the Woodlawn Memorial Gardens Navy cemetery.

Brashear says he always lived by two guidelines: “It is not a sin to fall down. But it is a sin not to get up ”and“ I don't let anyone steal my dreams ”.

He was married three times and had four children.

Orders, awards and other honors

Throughout his career, Carl Maxie Brashear received numerous awards and medals:

A supply and ammunition transporter of the Lewis and Clark class , the USNS Carl Brashear (T-AKE-7) launched in 2008 , was named after Carl Brashear .

Cinematic reception

The extraordinary life story of Carl Maxie Brashear was brought to the screen in 2000 with Cuba Gooding Jr. as Carl Brashear and Robert De Niro as his instructor, Chief Sunday, in the movie Men of Honor . Brashear himself was a consultant here. The film was nominated for nine awards but did not win any.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. USNS CARL BRASHEAR (T-AKE 7) in the Naval Vessel Register