If
Retired Navy Master Diver Carl Brashear’s life story reads like the plot of
an action-packed movie, that’s because it is. Mr. Brashear was the Navy’s first
African-American master diver and the first black deep-sea diver. He also was
the subject of an inspirational, real-life Twentieth Century Fox movie, "Men
of Honor," starring Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Born in a rural section of Kentucky
to sharecroppers and the sixth of nine children, Mr. Brashear attended a one-room
schoolhouse to only the eighth grade. He later earned a general equivalency
diploma (GED) and continued his studies at a community college.
Mr. Brashear joined the U.S.
Navy at the age of 17 in 1948. In 1953, after several attempts from superiors
to dissuade him from pursuing his dream of becoming a navy diver, Brashear was
assigned to diving school. As the only African American in his class, Mr. Brashear’s
journey was challenging and fulfilling but filled with racial tension. Yet,
he still pressed on.
"Develop
a positive attitude,
set a goal and work toward it."
He demonstrated his unending
bravery and determination in 1966 after an injury sustained during a salvage
operation resulted in the amputation of his leg. During the salvage operation,
Mr. Brashear sacrificed his own health and well being to save the lives of several
other sailors by pushing them out of the way of a heavy metal pipe.
In 1970, four years after the fateful
accident, Mr. Brashear beat significant odds and received the title of Navy
master diver. With yet another milestone achievement, he became the first person
in naval history to be restored to full active duty as an amputee.
His phenomenal naval career ended
with his 1979 retirement. He continued his quest for success through civil service
employment, beginning as an engineering specialist in 1982 and ending as an
environmentalist specialist in 1993 when he retired. His rapid advancement and
accomplishments earned him one of the nation’s highest peacetime awards, the
Navy and Marine Corps Medal, and the second highest civil service award, the
Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award.
The Virginia Beach, Virginia resident
shares with America’s youth the key to his success: "Love yourself, develop
a positive attitude, set a goal and work toward it with all your might."
